Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1884-10-22


oUinior a fhis GEES ~~vr m s~.s o
f6xfsftuf~ The li.t, however,. did no
innEnda tn oxnnxs b. acts 81 Coozseos
Of July 3. 1854. fl3 Seais-. .. 80 g the
Norshsru Psei5c, and July ~, 1850, "a
Stata, p. 2921 to the Atlantic and raci-
fic, and Southern Pacific kmnin nne1
Railroads, which Rrauts. theugh coming
within the puxvisw e - drsf inquiry
abose quoted, uess not considered -
falling within TIE cstee0Fy OF arants
liable 10 forfeiture. This distinction
win bs more fully set out hereinafter.
The second inquiry OF the resolution
calls for more extended statement. In
ordsr 70 proasnt tie faots noosssary g q
proper nugwox. 10y
In the annual report cf this once Tor
the fiscal year ending june 50 1911 The
subjeet Of iapsed grants vas Tor the l1fsf
time Submitted 10 the attention OF Con-
erese; and liss Of tventy-one compa-
Mics which have failed 20 build their
roads within the time Fixed in their char
ters Was presented, accompanied By
suitabIe recon1nendations. Is was sub
sequentIy found that the list Was imper-
fees. in some slight respects, the road
having bean inadvertently omitted.
whilst another already completed vas
erroaeousiy inserted. Various measures
were proposed IN Congress, bat thus TAR
anal action has been effected only in q
single case, viz, tbs Detroit and Mil
waukee grant IN Michigan. In which IN.
stance the resersionsry claim or title OF
the United States was, by joint resolu-
ton Of March 8. 1879, go Ssats., 49o)
released to the State
This action Of the department. how
ever. awakened In the grantees an inter.
est in their status, resulting in Q feu
instances in the speedy completion OF
the roads and the production OF evidences
of other roads heretofore regularly con-
structed. The subject was again pre-
scented in the annual report for 1873, and
again, % stated above. in the last report
f1879} the table being properly corrected
each year. Since the Submission OF the
last report, evidence has been filed Of
shs eomplstion Of three roads, leaving
really only thirteen grants. not includ
ing the grants TO the Northern Pacific
aud Atlantic and Pacific, and Southerr
Pacific (main ffne) railroads, incom-
plete. The roads referred TO as having
been completed are Southern Minnesots
and Hastings and Dakota, by act ol
July 1, 1856, IA Stats. 81 and Sam
Vincent Extension Of the Saint Pan
and Pacific by acts of March 3, 1857. Gil
Stata., 1851 March 3, 1861, (l3 Stats-
5a6) and March 3, 1871, GIG Stats. 588)
all Of which are situated in the State Of
| Minnesota. OF course, as all power IL
| the United States TO forfeit these grants
| has passed, the title to the lands sarne(
must be considered fully vested in th,
grantses, and they will therefore b
dismissed from any further consider
alton.
| The Gulf and Ship Island, Coosa an,
Tennessee, Mobile and Girard, Coos
and Chattanooga, Pensacola and Geor
Qia, Florida, Atlantic and Calf Central
North Louisiana and Texas, and Ney
Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksbur
Railroad Companies have manifesteI
no interest IN the matter; and, 80 far a
NOR are prepared 20 prosecute work npo
their respective roads. In TACT, 1t 10 On
derstood that . few OF the corporation
named do not now exist. Though n
evidence has ever been filed, as require
by the granting acts, it is'believed, how
ever, that the Florida, Atlantic and Qul
Central road has been fully completed
and that the Mobile and Girard an
Pensacola and Georgia roads have eac
been partially constructed. II such b
the fact. then, of course, their rights I
the lands thereby earned should DO Pre-
tected. The others named with tn
exception Of the North Louisiana Com
pany. which many years ago built ninety
four miles OF its road have done nc
thing further than TO locate their line
Of route.
The Saint Louis and Iron Mountai
Road, under act of July 4, 1866. q
4 Stats, S3) has been built upon lin
very different from the one called for
the grant and adopted by the compan,
and it is understood that the oompan
has repudiated the grant and asked I
be released from the obligations in
posed. Two bills are now pendin
before Congress respecting this gram
proposing either to declare forfeitur
thereof or donate the lands to th
State.
II is claimed by the Houghton an
Ontonagon Railro I'd Company that
proposes and intends to complete th
road, and that its failure to do so her,
tefore has been caused by the geuers
depression in the iron and lumber bus
ness--the chief staples of the upper p'
ninsula Of Michigan, in which the CON
pleted and unfinished portions of II
road are situated. Bat, aside from tn
claim, nothing further is known respec
ing this grant.
The North Wisconsin Railroad Con
pany is prosecuting the work Of buils
ing it's road, and evidence OF the COL
struotion of 60 miles since the expiratis
of it's grant has been filed.
This company 10 the successor to ID
Saint Croix and Lake SupsriorCompan.
whose main road, located from Sair
Croix to Superior City, about one hui
bred and ility miles, and q branch
Bay aeld, about ninety miles, embrac
nearly one and half million acres.
have no information as to whet her tt
present company intends to build bot
the main stem and branch. but 81
Of opinion that iegislation defining II
rights in that respect should at leai
be had.
Nothing has been filed touching ii
Wisconsin Central Railroad grant, an
il is not known whether or not furth,
extension Of it's road is intended. Ov
ing to earlier donations in favor Of oths
roads, very little II any land will
found available under its grant, an
! with its northern terminus already O
tablisbed upon Lake Superior, il
doubtful whether the company il
tends or desires 10 prosecute It's wor
farther.
have no advices As 10 what progres
has been made in the construction {
the Oregon Central Railroad; but n
evidence has been filed since June, 1877
sho wing the construction of any part {
/ IL. vher II had finished bat AN mile
The grant TO this company, May 1, 1877
Stats. Is, p. 81 10 made upon coaditior
bat no clause providing for forfeiture {
reversion il inserted.
|, The orIy remaining grants TO be cor