New-York tribune., 1885-03-13
T.1ND GRANTS IN FLORIDA.
r.xrNc STEPS TO PREVENT THEIR SALE.
avNAroRs VAN WICK AND CALL on SOME oS i"N
RAILROAD HISTORY OF THAT STATE

u.v WICK AND CALL on SOME OF THE
n.uRo.p HISTORY OF THAT STATE.
w.syIuaroN. March 12.-Mr. Van Wyck
.a nm nj. resolu uton offered yesterday directing 'ne
secretary Of the Interior and the Attorney
take steps to prevent the sale OF lanas fran'eu
state Of Florida to aid in the oonstrnouon oi naa
that State The Senator sent to the CLERKS desk
,.od letter written by H. j. Simonton 10 MI. ooo'
.ha,rman of the House Committee on PUBIC s iNs'
setting forth the hardshps experienced oy Enc
the gra nted lands by reason OF the oppreSSo ,ioh
grantees Mr.. Van Wyck appreciated the h"@' .,
Senator assumed in calling attention W 'io is
NJ the land grant railroads The Senate was iiio'inyu
g. a. aoo that the current Of authority was uhoro
49,. q, tha Juterior Department in legaizins .ne 'i
=, On. land grant roads" This grant was maoc IL 80
- ou.,r,ct a rosd Before 1860 they had constructeo
sro,, Feruandina TO Cedar Keys, but on over ioo ~
of the line nothing was done. In 1870 appn0
made TO the Department to have the claim
A. chandler of Michigan, was Secretary OF the Ah'o
So ne With ALL the facts before him. returned the haP
20 the con,papy and said title remained In the os
He refused to confirm the grant MT van "yeA "N1
To Mr. Chandlers action as one OF the excePuonS-
the bright spots In the history OF the interior p
rnent-yet the next Secretary Of the Interior reve
chi, action ana therein preserved the continuity OF peo
eaents in allowing this plunderfng OF the puonc uo""
no the railroad corporations The grantees daro NV
nretepd that settlers and pre-cmptors had not INC
to occupy the land but they had the audaey anu 'no
unblushng effr0ntery 10 ask tnat INC 'lu s1"' - -
occuped by legal preemptors and settlers snoua DO "
orea TO them in indemnity limits. The grant was maoe
an s56 when the land not worth lO cents an acre
These men were to invest in private property ana 10 @
prove the country and yet for at ~ Ss line in
question In the meantime other capital nao
MAT country Homesteaders and pre-emptors aau ST
,Ipon the land and now, when II had IhoIe' 80 and
tn and tifteen dollars an acre the grantees came anu
asked the Government to stiu iurtner io0oe ~
title o unearned lands .,.,os+ portion
MIR Call said that this grant covered the rcIes' 80
of the state OF Florida and there was sreT uoad
vasline In the state In regard to the matter Ihe
he said made in 1855 10 the cIa.e VI Ia over
was made shortly after the grant OF s"snp nnon @ nf
flowed lands 70 the state 70 3 a @ ~ o acres had been
conveyed TO the state and 100000 acres naa nau @
certified TO this company In addltlon livV,VI hein9
had been granted to the company tDe Ta ,ranf
that II should build its road within ten years Inc
exured I'm 1866 at which time brancn roau hau ooon
built but main line from Waldo 10 lahipa pay I'd
maned untouched. These conditions remained
FOR foureen or fifteen Then accompany claiming W
be the assignee original grantee, put comPosu
the persons, entered upon tne CONSTR nod
road The debts of the original company were pt unpat
and the creditors sought by processes OF law W
the sales of lands by the assignees The VI
the road had been begun ana was CONT -
meantime the country had been opened up ana
by other companies without tne nu Va i o ,o be
The lands, worthless when granted, haa come 70 po
enormously valuable Settlers had gone upon the alus'
There was an impression that the Senate was 700 La
moved from the people TO listen 10 xtbout
represented property and Incorporated power MIuus
sympathy with. the people ana he was wa. nerd
10 disabuse the public mind in this regaru.
The settlers upon these lands had been recognize" IN
tber rights Now an agent of this company, q MI.
Wales of Washington had undertaken 10 expose tnese
lands for sale public auction; 10 sen the
ments-the orange groves of the settlers anu the soy
sale could deprive them. This was done without autnof
fly of law.