Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-13
FLORIDA LAND FORFEITS.
JONES AND CALL CRITICISED BY
VAN WYCK AND MORGAN.

ate to-day Mr.. Van Wyck called I'D his
resolution, offered yesterday, directing the
Secretary of the Interior and Attorney
General to take steps to prevent the sale
of lands granted to the State of Florida
to aid in the construction of railroads in
that State.
Mr.. Van Wyck sent to the clerks desk and
had read a letter written bv H J. SimontOn
to Hon. Thomas r. Cobb, Chairman of the
House Committee on Public Lands, setting
forth the hardships experienced by settlers
upon granted lands. by reason Of the oppres-
slOns OF the grantees. Mr.. Van Wyck appre-
ciated the hazsrds which Senator assumed
IN calling attention to the operation of land
grant railroads. The Senate was informed a
few days ago that ''the current OF authority
was unbroken" in the Interior Department in
legalizlng the claims of land grant roads
Ihat was undoubtedly so. This grant was
made IN l $50 to construct the road before 1850
They had constructed from Fernandina to
Cedar Keys, but on over l50 miles OF line moth
ing was done. In Is application was made to
the department to have the claim recognized
ONE BRIGHT SPOT.
Mr.. Chandler, Of Michigan, was Secretary
OF the Interior. He with all the facts before
hlm returned the map to the company, aod
SAID that no title remained in the State. He
refused to confirm the grant. Mr.. VanWyck
alluded to MIR. ChaHdler's action as one of the
eXceptions, one OF the bright spots in the his
very next Secretary of the Interior reversed
this action, and therein preserved continuity
OF precedents In allowing this pundering of
the public domain by railroad COMBINATIONS
Mr. Schurz had preserved the symmetry of the
department, ana that system Of dealing with
public lands with few exceptions had been
continued down to the present day, Grantees
dare not pretend that settlers and pre-emp-
tors had not the right to occupy the land but
they had the audacity and uublushing
ehrontery to ask that land that had been oc-
QnnfpH FATsoo ,fo,., a
should be restored to them in indemnity
limits. The grant was made in 1856 when
land was not worth 10 cents an acre. These
men were to invest in private property and
10 improve the country, and vet for thirty
years they had done nothing upon that por-
tion of the proposed Ii nc in question. In the
meantime other capital had developed that
country.
COMING IN RATHER LATE.
liomesteaders and pre-emptOrs had gone
upon the land, and now when it had increased
to s., $40 and SIS an acre the grantees came
ana asked the government to still further
recognize their title to the unearned lands.
Mr.. Call said that this gran. covered the rich
est portion of the State of Florida, and that
there was great deal of feeling in the State
IN regard to the matter. He presented petit
toHs from citizens Of the State praying for
forfeiture and one which was in opposition to
forfeiture. The grant, he said, was made in
1885 to the State OF Florida. 1t was made
shortly after the grant of swamp and over
n0wed lands to the State to aid in the con-
struc lion of railroads. OF these lands 2O,0O0.-
600 acres had been conveyed to the State and
100000 acres had been certified to
this company. In addition !. 100 600 acres had
been granted to the companf, the condition
being that it should build its road within ten
years. The grant expired in 1895, at which
time branch road had been built but the
main line from Waldo to Tampa Bay re-
malned untouched These conditions re-
malned unchanged for IA or Is wears. Then
company claiming to be the assignee of the
original grantee, but composed of the same
persons, entered upon the construction Of the
road. The debt of the original company was
unpaid, and creditors sought by processes of
law to prevent sales of lands by the assgnees.
ALREADY DEVELOPED.
The construction Of the road had now been
commenced and was continued, but in the
meantime the country had been opened up
and developed by two other companies with
out the aid of land grants. The lands, worth
less when granted, had come to be enormously
valuable. In the meantime settlers had gone
upon these lands. There was an impre sion
that the Senate was too far removed from the
people TO listen to complaints that it repre-
senteu property and Incorporated power
without sympathy with the people, and he
was anxious TO disabuse the public mind in
TINS regard. Settlers upon these lands had
been recognized in their rights. Now an
agent of this company, a Mr. W aIcs of Wash
ington, had Ut dertaken to expose the lands
Tor sale at public auction, to sell the i'm
pfoVements, orange groves of settlers and
o
far as an act of sale could deprive them
This was done without authority of law
ana 1t was proper that Congress should
prevent this. The Secretary Of the Interior
had advised this company that it had no title
to the lands, yet the sale had gone on, and
settlers were alarmed. TIE land was granted
while Mr.. 1ulee was member of the Senate
and at the same time the President and OTin2
clpA stockholder of the company. The road
was built entirely from the proceeds of land
sales, and without any outlay OF private
means. 1t was the duty Of the government to
investigate the subj ct.
STAND OF THE FLORIDA SENATORS.
Mr.. Morgan ASKED if the Senator from Flor
ida or his colleague had introduced a bill for
the forfeiture of this grant.
Mr.. Call replied in the negative.
Mr.. Morgan sald that lie found two bills
upon this subject-One introduced by the SEN
atOr from Nebraska (Mr. Van WycE) and one
by the Senator from Kansas (Mr. Plumb,
both OF the Committee on Public Lands. He
remembered that when the latter was intro
duccd the Senator from Florida tMr. CALI
had asked a suspension of action
MIR. Call said that he had not asked the
committee. This being the case he thought it
hardly worth while to spend the time of a
purely executive session in considering the
question. The power TO act belonged to Con-
gress and not to the Senate, though resolu-
ton might be referred to the Committee on
Public Lands. 1t was obvious that the COM
mittee could not take action.
Mr. Plumb said that in the course OF some
Investigations made by the Committee on
Public Lands, the conditions of this grant
had been developed, and, being convinced that
the committee ought to have fuller considera-
ton in the premises, he had introduced the
bill and had it referred to the committee for
the purpose. A Senator from Florida had
come to him and asked a suspension of action.
leaving the impression upon his (Plumb'sj
mind that it was considered matter which
was in some way personal to the Senators
from Florida.
NO BILLS BY FLORIDA SENATORS.
Those who had represented that State had
not thought the matter of sufficient impor-
tance to Introduce a bill relating to the sub
ject. There was no restraint which Congress
could exercise to prevent men from signing
their names to anything they could seII-hi5 |
(Plumbs) private property, if anybody would |
buy it-but they could convey no titles II
there was any power to deal with the ques- |
tiOn of protecting the rights OF settlers it |
rested in the courts of Florida. 1t seemed to |
him that If the Senator from Florida wished |
to do anything practical in this regard, he |
should introduce bill, and not content him. |
self with presenting petitions.
Mr.. Call said that his course offered no |
Justification for the criticisms of the Senators |
from Alabama and Kansas When the SUB |
ject first broached he was unaware of the |
merits of the case upon either side and de-
precated action in advance of an Investiga-
tion. He knew nothing of the sentiments
and wants Of the people of that part of the
State. In 1880 the first popular sentiment
began to be felt. He had Introduced petitions
ana nj ade remarks in support of the objects
he petitioner sought to accomplish. The
Public Lands Committee to which the peti-
lions had been referred, had full KNOWLEDGE |
)f the subject, and could act as well as If he |
had introduced bill on the subject. UDon |
motion of Senator Cameron the Senate at i30
o'clock adjourned.
THE STENOGRAPHER QUITS.
Following the examination of this witness
he proceedings were brought to an abrupt
termination by the resignation of the official
'tenOgraper OF The court. He is the stenOgra- |
Dher " no reported the proceedings before the
swain court OF inquiry and the Swain and
Morrow courts martial, and he accepted the
position IN this court on the understanding
hat he was to be paid the same rates as were |
PAID FOR the reports in those cases. Although |
he Adlutant General, in authorizing the |
appointment OF the stenographer to this court, |
lad liked the rate to be paid at q sum per |
tlem which Is about one third the sum paid
n other casee, the stenographer went on yes
'erday ana to-day upon the assurance of the
,oUrt that the matter would be settled salts
iactorily, but finding that nothing was being
lone IN that direction concluded to resign |
The resignation caused an adjournment of |
he court until tomorrow.
Another Through Line.
BALTIMORE, March 12.-It is pretty
we'll understood in railroad circles that
he Baltimore and Ohio Company COM
Dleted an alliance to-day with the Shen-
lndoah Valley Railroad, which will give
hem the desired through passenger line
10 New Orleans EulI norffauIors Of Tho !