Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-01-31

A mestinQ of settlers in Within IN Coon-
~ VA rsosnsly held At Colfax 10 discuss
the best method Of acquiring title 70
lands within the limits Of the lieu land
grant 70 the Northern Pacific Railroad
Company. After discussion by prosnin-
emit lien Of the county, and parties in
tsrsstsd, . petition was drawn up. to be
presented 70 Congress and committee
appointed to circulate IL among the set-
tiers.
The petition reoites that portion Of
the act Of 1854 by which 20 alternate
sections per mile were granted on each
side Of the line Of the road, OF lands TO
which the United States had full title
nj tho time the line of road should Be
dslinitsly fixed by filins a plat a. re-
quirsd by Law, aud authorizing the CON-
pAny 10 select from odd numbered alter
nate sections outside the twenty nile
limit, lands in lieu Of those which prior
70 the sssablishmens Of the said line, the
United States had wholly or in part dis.
posed Of. IL shows that the line Of the
road was definitely fixed October 4.lssO:
that the majority Of the petitioners.
prior 10 that date, acting on the faith of
the Law II la6@. entered upoA aud sss-
tied upoa lands in Whitman County.
NOS embrAcsd within tho "lisu limits
established BY the Withdrawal order Of
said October, 1880: that they have no
aided upon. cultivated and inside costly
and lasting improve nenss ON said lands:
that when they settled ON theae lieu
lands, the company was selling lands
within the granted limits At eco per
core, and its agents assured petitioners
that no greater price would BE- charged
them shoold the land upon which they
settled b sslsctsd BY and adjadged "
The company: that noewishstandins the
existence Of the actual sstu .nasus and
occupancy Of these lands. on October
4th, 1850. when the line of road vas de-
6nitsly fixsd.ths company has been per-
united TO select these settled portions
~ "lieu lands," without any showing
whatever in the local land otIice Of
iands in the ''arAnssd limiss," In lieu Of
which such selections are made. The
pstitiones allsee that the withdrawal Of
these lands FROM entry and settlement
in 1850 vas Illegal. that repsSssd efforts
have been made 10 establish such lille
Rality, which applications have beeu re-
jsoted and ignored. They further al
lego that II the com rany establish title
70 thsss lands II intends 10 hold them
fur sAle At from - 10 Go yer ACRE.
which would destroy countless hard
earned homes" and entail empower.
ishment and destruction upon countless
BONA fsie settlers, who placed faith in
the justice and integrity of tho act Of
1884" The petition sioqueutly con.
clulss - follows:
"That for the preservation OF count.
lees homes, for the perpstuity and psr-
maNency Of Quantities. 0rssides. for The
establishmcnt Of common justice Anal
equality under the Law. for tue removai
Of tie Oppressive and inordinasely az
acting hand cf an unielentiug railroad
corporation, and for the pnrpo.s Of
bringing such corporation within the
Just and manifest SCOPE and iutcufion
Of tie act Of the srcond day a July. A.
ID. 1854, your petitioner, for thamaoives
and for all similarly circumasanoed.
earnestly pray for the pass ses Of Z biz.
vhereby their homes may b 0eored 81
them, and tor such other and further