Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-07-26
DAILY P0ST.INTELLIeEHCER
TEE ErEr LAMB eKpER.


deprived th.i Northern Pscias q -'ossf
one third Of all tie lands claimed by u
in Washington . erfItory G.
whils the PosT- IlITKLLisEzoEE u not
'in the businrss Of denying statements
Of lie ovn In.kiAe.r never has beeG in
that business and never proposes 30 Be-
ia Il, IL has no objection 10 acting on
the above reasonable suggestion On the
part Of the C. Il did pos say precisely
what 10 IL heFe credited with saying. bat
IL did say Bnmething 20 resFiy like Il
chat The diHsrszee IL immassFisl. Il
said that ever one third o. the land
claimed BY the Northern Paeihs in
Ia Washington Territory we're restored
20 she public domain by Commissioner
SPARKS order; ard that 10 what has
been done. for had the claims put forth
by the railroad company been allowed.
the result would have TEEN virtual
withdrawal from settlement Of tll the
lands within the lieu limita.
The order in question has caused q
TREMENDOUS chssterinR among the rail-
rsad organs Of the Territory, and IL IL
scarcely necessary ID say thss they al
disapprove Of it, although out Of new
found love for Delegate Voorhees, they
ore snxiocs 70 imprsas upon tue people
the fact that be had nothing whatever
10 do with the bad order, and thai be
has no influence whatever with naughty
Commissioner SPARKS. To be sure. the
Seattle ChroRjeie, scmsvhat Surprised
By the order and without fnlIy oonsid
trinR the situation, hsz srded the opin-
ion that perhaps tho order was issued
al the rsqusgt Of the railroad company,
and probably With the full aequiescenee
Of that generous corporation: but that
was before the Chy.mfets had reseived
its orders from headquarters. Nov IL
says nothing about railroad approval Of
the order, and the bitter COMPLAINTS
which Lamborn. sehuIzs, and other
officials Of the Northern Pacific land
department pour forth show that they
Do not accept Commissioners Sparks de-
oision with any degree Of joyful en-
thnsiasm.
The case 10 simply this. By the grant
Ina set the Northern Paeite Railroad
vas given the odd sections in a strip OF
land forty miles In width on both sides
Of said road To GndemAify tho epm
pany for such Of thia land ~ bad passed
from the possession Of the Government
before the railroad could comply with
tbs provisions Of the act, IL was given
power 10 select other lands satsiie the
limits of the grant hut within ten miIes
Of sitssr side Of IL. The latter limit
was afterwards extended 30 twenty
miles. So, II Mr.. A. had settled upon a
quarter OF al odd section within the
limits OF tho gsaHt previous 60 q e1m
plisnoe by the eomIpany with the con.
ditions Of the granting act, the eomps-
ny csSuld select another quarter section
10 replace Il, and the quarter section so
selected must be within twenty miles Of
either side Of che granted lands. The
intention clearly wis 10 give tho com
pany ths privilege Of saying, Mr.. A.
has taken such aud such section, and
We desire such another section in its
place" BY the decisions and practice
Of the General Land Offiae. however,
the company was allowed 10 withdraw
from settlement any lands within The
llsu limits without making known chat
lsnda within the grant they were in
tended 10 replace. Large quantities OF
lien lands. as they were called. we're
accordingly withdrawn from settle
ment without any statement being
made OF the lands which had been hat
within the grant. The lands so with.
drawn were treated by the company as
n ita title to them was unqaestioned.
They we're sold, deeds were given for
them by the company, and they we're
treated In every respect as II they were
actually within the limits of the grant.
The entire body Of Iand within the lieu
limits was virtually withdrawn from
settlement, for the company was allowed
10 assume the right Of ssixing lands
which had actually been settled upon.
A man settling within the lieu limits
did 90 ~ the risk Of having bis claim
taken from him a. soon IS his lahos had
made u desirable. Ia one list filed at
the Walla walla land Office ON Septsua-
Der 4. 1854, sf9t aereaof land which had
previously been ssaslsd upon were
claimed by the railroad. UudeE the
ruling Of commissioner Sparks such
robbery 10 impossible, and the company
"a allowed 10 select within the lien
limits only sufficient land TO indemnity
II for the lands lost TO |. within the
grant. II can cay, "Such a session |
within The srans Is already owned by |
private parties In lieu OF il. vs take |
this section within the lieu liuita.r There |
are 10 Be no more Wholesale withdrawals
10 indemnity The COMPANY for imaginary |
Losses; no more sales af lands whioh in
justice belong 10 the settlers who salti-
vase thsaa. Ihe cload has been lifted
from all The lands within the lea limits,
and they are in reality again thrown
open % settlement.
AZ ~ the amount al credit which ia
due Delegate Voorhees, tor this order.
she people can indea for themselves.
The railroad organs with one Ae,erd
cay THAI be bad nothing TO do with il.
sad that be Ass absolutely no influence
~ Warrington, but then. Me. v,sor-
bees exPecssd 10 be esllsslsd and abused
by iasa such pagers As The seAt,l.
taFoasess and The Olympia cssrisr. he
can stand H. The iaoa is. however.
that MI. Nsorheee hAi lAhored uxosAs-
inely 10 secure the order whisA Com.
missioner SPARKS has aaade. AZ ulrly {
as Nay 18Th be Alsd al the GsnsrAl
Land llfHl,a An nhfa Anss s.A....s... /