Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-09-09
CHAPTER Y.

4 LhAf LII '.
HOW THE kArLkoAD CORPORATIONS DoNIs-
ATE The LAND oFYIcK.
The railroads have nearly always con
trolled the Land Oftice in WashIneson.
Their hold has sruvn during the years
Of kspablicsn administration 20 such
az extent tina. they have practically been
able 10 dictate decisions Of the Land
Ofics and 20 control TO the fullest ex
test its action This fact 10 very clearly
shown by looking at the long list Of
Land Ottice officials who have been pro
| NOTED from time 20 time to the service
/ OF the railroads IN the Land Once into
the open and recognized service Of the
railroads out Of the Office. Certain IA
vored attorneys have always had prese-
dencs In the Land once. There 10 one
| firm IN this city whose Business n worth
from $1,000 20 10000 q year, simply
because all eases represented by them
have been given special precedence IN
the Land Oftee. A well known land
lawyer said 20 me the other day; Al
most the 6rst question every client asks
IL, Have you special Influence in the
Land Ofiicer IL the reply IL IN the
negative, the elien, ReBsrally retires and
seeks some enc else. In stber words,
few favored lawyers have been able.
through this favorItism, to monopoiize
the most desirable aud profitable of the
Gases before the Office"
Ishall not pretend TO give in this chap
ter she names of all the officials In the
/. and Office Who have been taken into
the employ Of she railroads. IL would
not be possible 10 give this information
without an Official Investigation. The
folio wing list comprises tbs names or a
few Of the prominent officials who have
been transferred from the Land Office
during the last seven or eight years. Ii
must lie borne in mind that every Official
mentioned below was taken into the
employment of a railroad which had
land grant questions pending before
the Land Ofiice at the time of his APP
pointment:
Henry Beard, who was for q number
of years Chief of the Central Railroad
Division If the Secretary's office. resign
ed to become attorney for the Central
Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroad
Company.
John b. Bloss, the clerk in charge of
railroad matters in the General Land
Office before the creation Of the railroad
division, resigned his official position to
become attorney for the st. 10 and Den
yer City Railroad and other Western
companies.
W. X. Mendenhall, the first chief Of
the railroad division of the General Land
Office, resigned his place TO become the
land attorney for the Northern Pacific
Railroad.
Willis Drummo nd, Jr., who was after
ward the chief of this division, resigned
after time to take the position of land
commissioner of the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul Railroad.
A. U. Ham, ws3 had charge Of the rail-
road grants in the State of Minnesota,
resigned to enter into the employment
Of the Florida Railroad and Navigation
Company.
Frederick Bracket resigned his posi-
tion in the General Land Office to be-
come the selecting agent of the st.
Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba Rail
road Company. When he was in the
Land Office he was the clerk in charge
Of the adjustment of the grantsof this
same load.
q. w. Hsleombe. formerly chief clerk
and inspector of the General Land
OfRce, resigned to become the attorney
Of the Florida Railroad and Navigation
Company.
n. ID. Brainsrd. Who was for time
the law clerk in the Interior Depart
ment, specially charged with preparing
decisions In railroad cases, Immediately
after his resignation became the attor-
ney for certain Alabama railroads.
Within short time after Mr.. Burdett
retired from his position "a Commission
or Of the General Land Office he entered
into partnership with Curtis, his for
| msr chief clerk in the same Office. They
became Immediately the ATTORNEYS for
the 80. Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba
Railroad.
James A. Williamson, another Land
Commissioner, after his resignation be-
| came the attorney for the Atlantic and
Pacific Railroad. He receives in his new
position a salary Of $4,000 year.
Il. N. Marble, when he was Assistant
Attorney General Of the Interior De-
partment, had charge of the preparation
| Of decisions for the Secretary in railroad
GASES. IL was shrough decision of his
that the lapsed grant Of the Northern
Pacific was revived. He was trans
ferred from the Office Of Assistant At
torney General 10 the Office OF Commis.
sioner of Patents. When he did resign
from that place be was at once taken
into the employment Of the Northern
Pacific Railroad Company as lie Land
Commissioners.
Bitten 4 Grey. the attorneys for the
Hsstsngs and Dakota Railroad and the
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad in this
city. have always had exosptional ad-
vanta9es IN the Land Office under Re
pubii0an rule. Beth Of them were
formerly clerks IN NE General Land
Ofhce. Britta1 ID today TIE brether In
Nv o. smith, the present Chief Clerk
Of the Land Office and former chief OF
the railroad division. Martin, another
brother in-law Of Britton. 10 assistant
chief of the railroad division OF the
Sesretary's office. With the railroad
divisions they have bean able 10 pick MP
big business outside, and with the
friendly manipalstions of the two
brsthers- In law inside have had more
success IN getting fssors from the Land
Ofiies than any other arm Of attorneys
IN the city.
This bst might probably Be stretched
eat indefinitely. There h no doubt that
nearly every otioial Who has been In the
Land Offics daring the last ten. fifteen
or twenty yoArs. Who has been Of the
slightest use 10 railroad. has been paid
sftsrvArd by employsent or more direct
neasa The cfhctals Of the Land 0ffics
are called upon 70 Pass iad,csaiiy upon
questions involving enormous values.
What would IL be thought OF judge IN
high court Of appeal passing directly
into tbs employ psnt OF raitrvsd COM
pany In whose favor he bad made re-
pea;ediy unfair deoisions7 IL he dIificuit
10 conceive Of anything more scandal
oIs- Yet the railroad influences have
- dominated this branch 81 the Govern
ment service that nearly everything done
there in their intercss has been taken
for granted.
Seciien l9o Of the Revised Ssstases
says " ID shall not Be lawful foe any
person appointed after the LIST day Of
}aae, 1872. 80 IN officer. clerk. or en-
ployee In any Of thu decsFsmsnts, 10 Get
As counsel, attorney cr aesnt for peoss
cutting any CHAIN aaainss the United
states which vas pending IN eithsr Of
said depArtDents while be Vas saeh
othcer. eterk OF employee, nor in any
manner ansf by any means 10 Aid In
the prosecution Of any such claim,
Within two years next after he shall
have eeAsed 10 Be such officer, clerk, %
employees"
THIS <sAtass ID g dad letter. although
| a -.