Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-02-20
A vsLE sCnxus.

M unuSoAl omOUnS OF ocSlQty u per-
cepticis IN the laAd department. Of the
Central Pacific. the inspiration coming
from Headquarters. The outVorks hav-
ing been taken, an order Is issued to
fall back on the inner line of fortifica
tions. The loss of the Texas Pacific
grant makes il additionally important
that the grant Of the California L Ore
Ron be saved, and that all lands to
which the railroad has any show of title
be finally placed under its full control,
no matter what hardship may result to
settlers. A case u reported 10 ~ from
the southern portion Of the State which
Is 90 Characteristic Of the methods of
the railroad oppressOrs that it merits
detailed explanation. The information
Gomez from the Sespe district, il Ven
tura County. In February, 1870, c. H.
Decker settled on land claimed by Thos.
wallace ~ part of the RanehO Sespe.
After long and fierce litigation More's
claim 10 1875 Was declared invalid. He
then claimed the right under the Con-
ness act, 70 enter il ~ public land at
tl.25 per acre. This was also denied by
the Interior Department, which gave
to the bona 6de settler the privilege Of
entering the land in the Office at L0s
AnXOtG0s D00a6B O0A u Ut@1O OOk4-
prislng LAG acres, IL Of his original claim
having beon decided 70 be part Of the
original Ssspe grant, and Of this he felt
% sure that be obtained, without difd-
Guilty, . pAtent from the ofice Of ths
SECRETARY Of the Interior. 4
In the meantime the grant had been
made TO the Southern Pacific, and p0r-
tion OF it included the now thickly set-
kIoA
Decker wAs notified by the railroad
managers that he must st once give
them deed TO y acres of his farm.
really the best portion Of it. In &C
oOrda0ce with the advice of his lawyer
he paid NJ attention to the demand.
ana last November the railroad COM
pauy commenced . suit against him In
Judge Sswy yer's Court. Rather than be
ruined by litigation, he nov offers 70
c0mprOmise by paving $2.50 per acre.
II this proposal 10 not accepted he will
light the oAss 70 the bitter end, receiving
such assistance a. il possible from IL
of his neighbOrs Who are in the same
unfortunate situation.
This 10 ono Of the most atrocious acts
Of sxtOrtion which the managers of the
Central Pacific have over attempted.
Their title to these lands 10 of the most
shad0wy kind. Their grants in the
State are go numerous that it 10 dim
colt to tell where one leaves on and an
other begins; but that under which this
is claimed is supposed t. be the one
giving permission 10 build 70 San Diego
through the coast counties. This line
W1 afterwards changed. dlverRin9
from the old route ut HOllister and
Q 'ossinR the Coast range into the San
Joaquin valley. The Southern Pacific
cannot certainly claim the lands along
the vacated Route and those along the
nov route also. The line originally
has never been extended |
beyond SOledad along the old route, |
unloss We consider the short road that |
connects Santa Ana with the general !
system at Los Angeles. As to extend |
ing 1t to San Diego, such proceeding |
IL not now thought Of. The lands were |
in possesnon of tctual settlers before
the road thought of claiming them. The |
course pursued by the railroad in this |
matter In one Of the most shameless in |
its record of dishOnorable deeds. The |
settlers on these lands, suppOsing that |
the railroad grant had lapsed, went ON
making their improvements and estab- |
ss~1sAsk WA0s soOy 0OOAAS0A Va AAAnAsOos |
homes in fancisd security. Tho man.
Ayers Of the Central Pacific were aware |
Of their operations, but they said moth |
ing. They quietly allowed the. lands to |
appreciate by the natural demand of |
and the improvements Pot |
upon them. When the time Was ripe |
they revived their obsolete title, and |
now propose either to drive these pa |
tiaut sot1 laeo from Nho homoo thav hovA
made or to make them pay extOrtiOnate |
prices for the values they have them
selves created. We are not informed |
whether any settler has patent except |
Decker. We believe it has been held by |
some of the Judges Of the United States |
Courts that a patent once given is final;
il cannot be revoked. Such decisions
have been given whom patents we're held
by the railroad. IL remains to be seen
q United States Court will hold
to such ruling when the patent is in
tie hands of an actual settler.-SaH
Francisco Chronicle.