Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-12-10
Or, JUST A CAMPIN.
CHAPTER xxvu-oosc1uprn


CHAPTER xxyu-CoxcLuprp
Inc people at the Slough were now
greatly discouraged, but still not with
our hope The resolution plainly pro-
.vlded that the rights of actual settlers
should be respected. and they could not
see now any one could dispute the fact
OF their being such. Indeed it was only
py asserting that their rights were Sc
cured BY that clause of the resolution
that enough members of the House and
SENATE who We're not absolute tools or
partners OF the conspirators were in
duced to vote for the resolution to Sc
cure Its passage.
Besides this, the railroad company,
when ITS officers first decided to make
an enort to seize upon the land in the
vicinity OF the Slough, had issued cir
cuiars urging people to come and take
up land there, promising them that as
soon as the company received patents
Tor the land from the Government it
would deed TO the settlers, upon pay
ment of the price of wild land: or at
two and half dollars per acre for bar
rem plains. such as most of the land at
the Slough was; and that in no case
would price exceeding ten dollars per
acre be charged, even for timbered
land.
A large portion of the settlers now at
the Slough had come in compliance
with this Invitation and agreement on
the part OF the railroad company. and
they still relied upon the promise of the
company, or thought the courts would
compel it to comply with the promise
set forth in its circulars promise
which became a binding contract when
the settlers, acting upon it, came upon
the land and began to improve it.
The officers of the company had,
however, no intention of complying
with the promise, and their success in
bribing Congress led them to feel that
there was nothing to be feared from
the courts. They demanded the full
value OF all lands, including improve
ments, and claimed that the words
actual settlers in the resolution of
Congress referred to such as Govern
ment had granted patents to before the
passage of the act making the grant of
lands to the company; which was be-
fore the first settler came to the Slough,
and was of lands along the line pro-
posed in their charter. distant one hun
dilQ lily anu on the O6QoT
side of a range of mountains
During all this time the settlers had
held frequent meetings and endeavored
in every legal manner known to them
to defend their fights Erastus Hem
mingway was always in attendance
upon these meetings, and although he
said but little, what he did say was al
WAYS to The point clear ard forcib,e,
and he came to be regarded by all as
one whose judgment was of value, and
who was ever prompt with his portion
of the money found necessary to be
raised from time to time in defense of
their homes.
At last. and after repeated meetings
and much discussion, it was decided to
make an offer to compromise with the
company as the cheapest way out of
the difficulty, and letter was addressed
to its chief officer, stating that while
they did not recognize either the legal
or equitable claim of the company to
their lands, yet for the sake of being at
peace they would all pay the prices
which those who came BY invitation of
the company had been promised the
land al: or the price which a disinter-
ested committee would say the lands
without the Improvements were now
worth; or the price at which the COM
papy was now offering to sell raw land
of similar quality. This would compel
those who took homestead and pre-
emption claims before the companF
made any pretense of being entitled b
the land-while it still professea TO BE
intending to build its road and take tue
lands upon the line laid down in its
charter-to paw from two and half to
ten dollars per acre for what they
should have had for nothing as home
steaders, or on payment of one dollar
and quarter per acre to the Govern
ment in case they claimed rs pre-
emptors. But all were weary of the
long contest and preferred peace at any
price short of bankruptcy, rather than
a continuation of their troubles.
In reply to this offer of the settlers
the President of the company responded,
saying that they We're willing to do
what should appear right, and request
ing the settlers to select a committee
from among themselves to come to San
Francisco to confer with the representa-
tiTes of the company. This letter was
read at regular meeting of the Set
tiers League, and a committee imme-
diately selected and authorized to act
for the whole. Among those chosen
for this duty were Erastus Hemingway
and his neighbor MIR. johnson The
committee proceeded to San Francisco.
put I'D at hotel and notified the rail-
road officials of their presence and
readiness to confer Instead Of proceed
ing to the conference, however. one of
the officials went before the authorities.
swore out warrants and had them all
arrested and conveyed to jail, where
they were locked up and forced to re-
main until morning, and the business
men of the city were notified that il
was the viii of the railroad company
that no one should go bail for the ar
rested men. and that the company
would ruin the business of any one who
dared to do so.
After lying in Jail all night they were
taken before the court and dismissed
without hearing. and in spite of their
protest and demands to be given an OPP
portunity to explain to the court the
circumstances of their arrest, and so
were forced to return to their homes
and their waiting neighbors and report
that no mercy was to be expected from
those who had conspired to reduce
them to serfdom upon their own lands.
Still these men retained possession OF
their homes, and though they had
ceased making Improvements. were
able to obtain subsistence therefrom-
Time passed, and the railroad COM /
pany obtained from the Government |
patents for the amount of land specified |
in the original grant The road was |