The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-25
DAkOTA LAND MATTERS,
opinio ms of officials and Othersi in Regard
to the Trail Co. Case.


BISMARCK, Special Telegram, Dec. 1G.-
Register Rea, of the United States land office.
interviewed to-day relative to an item from
The New York Sun going the rounds of the
press that it is certain that the suspension OF
nearly 10000 patents will ruin thousands
of settlers, said:
If suspension of n settlers patent is ruin. what
Is the status of the owners Of all the railroad
land IN Dakota, or the Northern Pacific itself?
The assertion is simply untrue, aud the actual
settler Is the first man to see it. / have personal
knowledge of several hundred OF these suspend
ed entries, and reneral acquaintance with
single settler standing In fear Of
ruin. Ruin is a big word. The cntrylnan
who has earned his land is more Indifferent
about his than his jealous friend. He knows he
VII! get his further evidence of title when
the government gets around to it, now as
IN Inc past; The Bismarck district may
feeling not spread among It's settlers. Certain
IL Is they have not got it. They have never
been more prosperous than in the current year,
and they are witnesses that new pcopie and i'm.
provements have been more numerous and sub.
stantial than any previous year. Last year
hearing OF any permanent settler failing to get
what he needed the past six months. Money to
loan to settlers on the Missouri slope was never
SO plentiful or so easy to Get AS at present.
There is, in fact, competition for set
Tiers patronage. Where neither settler nor
money lender is alarmed. there cannot be much
danger; The system Of inspection inaugurated
IN !Ss3 has been successful in wedding odt non
residents, and the special agent is the most val
n uame aalnnc' OF the service, He is no unwel-.
who lives on his land summer and
winter in a thinly settled township is the
loudcst protestant against the surplus laws and
easy requirement OF title Hereunder. He
wants neiehbors and farmers, aud not ex-
curs'onists and visitors. His choice should
govern.
FROM THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
WASHINGTON Dec 1h -Tn0niry. nt tho rsn
eral land office to-day concerning the de-
c'sion elected suD-tantially The following
statement:
In 1870. when II ng the appropriation for
the survey of land granted the Northern Pa
enc, congress added n proviSo that before
Lltle shali pass from the government, there shall
tirst be paid into the treasury of The United
states, the Cost of surveying. selecting and
ropvsy'd ia Int inter same T ~ ths Sompnns ..
mas never asked for or received Dntente
uIon its lands In Dakota, but has left the title
IN me government, thereby relieving the com
IahF from the cost OF making the surveys and
from the burden of local taxation, Even il con-
gross shonlu declare II forfeiture of the entire
S"r,hesn Pacific land grant, for alleged nom
compliance with some OF The terms Of the char
ter: the bona tide settler would in no manner
suHer, as his claim is held to be superior to all
others. and that hardship would result only to
lana spectators and owners by purchase from
Inc railroad company of large tracts. In these
cases recourse could only be had upon the rail-
1890
SECRETARY JENK's SAY.
WASHINGTON. Special Telegram. Dec 1G-
The Trail county tax case involves the same
question with regard to title that came IN
In the Homestake mining companv's tax
suit Assistant Secretary of the Interior
jerks SAID to-day:
The Trail county tax decision cannot affect
the rights OF the purchasers of Northern Pacific
laad IN the slightest. They are perfectly as safe
as they llyp hnpr for I'm Lat, 80, - u,t.--
WI be legislation this winter probably: at
least there should be, providing n way to
Witch wax lands na ns so.a by the rstiroad for
should not escape taxation, while settlers on
government lands prove up and pay their taxes,
!, 10" pc nXca tiiat as soon as the land is sold
ny the railroad, from that moment taxes should
accrt'e. Certainly they Should be taxed as soon
as cert,hed to the purchaser, or if the govern
'nent ctficlais can identity the land in any way
as belonging to individuals rather than the rail,
way then taxes srould be levied upon them"
SAID BY col. GRAY.
NEW YORK, Dec. 1G Col. George GRAY
general counsel for tha Northern Pacific.
interviewed to-day, said:
Inc Iraiil county case is in no respect diff
iereht from The Two cases decided by the same
tribunal in which the Union Pacific roa1 was a
party. In none of the cases was the title of the
rhiifoad companies involved. but iuasmuch as
congress mad pronounced that the patent to the
lands should not obtain until they had
been surveyed and conveyed by the railroad
coihPaHleS or otner parties Interested. the
supreme court held in all cases that thai rcten-
ton OF patent was II security for The payment Of
costs, and the United States, having n legal title
ana that mnch OF III crest In the lands. no state
oi Iciiitorlal authorities can tax the lanis. The
TILE TO any acre of land in Dakota Territory
neia oy the Northern Pacific company, or sold by
~, y IN no manner whatever affected pv the de-
clsion. Tho company has always been willing to
pay, put the want of surveys and th, general
inactivity or the Off >ials in tho land Office have
prevented payments being made.
- .
The painters progressive union Mt New
l"rk reported to the central labor union
WAY 1T had sent three OF it's boycotting
riith Avenue hotel circulars to John Sler-
man OF Ohio, War Secretary Endicntt .nd
senator Warner Miller, and that these citi.
zets persist IN putting up at the hotsl. The
committee sent cards to each of the three
at the hotel, but the cards were returned
win word that the citizens did not know
; the gentlemen signing the cards.