Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1885-11-20

The people at the Slough were now
greatly discouraged, but still not with
out hope, The resolution plainly pro-
vided that the rights of actual settlers
should be respected, and they could not
see how any one could dispute the fact
OF their being such. Indeed twas only
by asserting that their rights were se-
cured by that clause of the resolution
that enough members of the House and
Senate who were not absolute tools or
partners of the conspirators were in
duccd to vote for the resolution to Sc
cure its passage.
Besides this, the railroad company,
when Its officers first decided to make
an effort to seize upon the land in the
vicinity of the Slough, had issued cir
culars urging people to come and take
up land there, promising them that as
soon rs the company received patents
for the land from the Government it
would deed to tho settlers, upon pay
ment of the price of Wild land; or at
two and hall dollars per acre for bar
rem pla ms, such as most of the land at
the Slough was; and that in no case
would pr ce exceed ng ten dollars per
acre be charged, even for tmbercd
land
A large portion of the settlers now at
the Slough had come in compliance
with this Invita- on and agreement on
the part of the railroad company. and
they still relied upon promise of the
company, or thought the courts would
compel it to comply with the promise
set forth in its circulars--a promise
which became binding contract when
the sett ers, acting upon it, came upon
the land and began to improve it.
The officers OF the company had,
however, no intention of comply ying
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 rele red to such rs Govern
me 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
dred and fifty miles and on the other
side OF range of mountains.
During all this time the settlers had
held frequent meetings and endeavored
in every legal manner known to them
to de end their rights. Erastus Hem
mingway was always in attendance
upon these meetings, and although he
said bat little, what he did say was al
ways to the point, clear and forcible,
and he came 10 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 a 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
the company had been promised the
land at; or the price which n disintcr-
ested committee would say the lands
without the improvements were now
worth; or the pri &c ut which tho COM
pany was now offering to sell raw land
of similar quality. This would compel
those who took homestead and pre-
emption claims before the company
made any pretense of being entitled to
the land while it still proies,ed to be
intending to build its road and take the
lands upon the line laid down in its
charter--to pay from two and half to
ten dollars per acre for what they
should have had for nothing as home
stea icrs. OF on payment OF one dollar
and quarter per acre to the Govern
ment in case they claimed as pre-
emptors. But all were weary of the
long contest and preferred peace at any
price short of Bankruptcy rather than
a continuation of the r troubles.
In reply to this offer OF tie settlers
the Presld mt of the company responded,
saying that they were willing to do
what should app, ar right, and requc t.
ing the settlers to select n committee
from among themselves to come to san
Francisco TO confer with the representa-
tives of the company. This letter was
read at a regular meeting of the Set
tiers League, and committee imme-
diately seected and authorized to act
for the whole. Among tn Sc chosen
for this duty were Erastus lie ingway
and his neighbor Mr.. John on. The
committee procee led TO San Francisco,
put up at hotel and notified rail
road officials of tneir presence and
readiness to confer. instead If proc ed
ing to the conference, however. one of
tha oihcials wen before the authorities,
swore out warrants and had them all
arrested and conveyed TO Jail, where
they were locked up and force to re-
main uptil morning, and the business
men OF The city were notified that il
was the will of the railroad company
that no one should 90 bal 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 a hearing, AMI in spite of their
protest and demands to be given an op-
portunity 10 explain to the court the
clrcun stances of their arrest, and so
were forced to rotu n TO their homes
and their waiting neighbors and report
that no mercy was to be expected fro
those who had cons1ired to reduce
them to serfdom upon their own lands.
Still these men reta ned possession of
ther 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
not completed as the law making the
grant requi ed that it should be before
the patents should issue, one hundred
and ten miles of it be ng then, as now
(1oS4), untouched. and no portion OF it
being upon the line specified in their
charter, which was the only line upon
which they had the right to build a
road. much less to claim grant of land
for building. even under the resolution