Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-09-09
eREAT LAMB STEALS.
Sew the psbsse Ds1sis has been
Piandered by Railroad feSpers
tisss, Reef RArsns- and

tisss, Reef RAssas. and
others.
kCenssaassd from gssf<Tias.i
CHAPTER III.
TIE EusH FOB THE vzsT-E1TRAFAGAsI
WAITE on TIE pun1Ic LASrs THBoUeH
LAvrsa RAILROAD okAsTs-
lis generally believed by the best men
Who have studied the public lard s1o1set
that thu great mistake of all the admin
,ssxasione Of the past has been m giving
ls.s,8s In large blocks 10 various enter
nri..-s. under the specio1s pDes OF assist
inc and DEVELOPING the country. IL
vould u~rhsps have been better had the
country been developed in this regard
rnnoh more slowly. There has been,
through the stnnuius Of extravsgAnt
railroad kui.dine IN the West, an snsrrn-
oQs exodps in western directions OF az
nculturists. The virgin soil has been
aeixsd apon In the most careless and
vasteful methods. Then, too, tins aQri-
cuIturists of the West have bsd between
than, and market an enormous freight
charge. So great has been the craze fos
going West that some of the richest
lands of the East have been entirely
neglected. We know nothing in this
oosntry Of the close and oarsfai nah,
aesmeut OF the farmers ~ on ouInssfis SEQ
countries OF E1rope. Maine ans NeN
Brunswick are nne regions Iof .ne pro
duotion OF wheat. Etpefts nsss uAoe
estimates going 70 snow tna' Ine,e
land enoagh 10 these tvo sec.ions aione
70 furnish the wheat supply Of the United
States. The lands 10 TINS qlafHt are
very cheap IN price and are almost en-
tirely neglected BY prospecsors- lte
lands in Virginia. West Virgins and
North Carolina are very rien- iney sfe
Gloss 10 good markets In many pisoos
In these States lands can Dc bongnt AZ .
very low haure. Yet the rush TOT sne
West viii continue until the feduoHoh
OF prices hereabouts wiz force nsn 20
look for lands nearer 70 ine Eastern
markets.
The first grant OF land nnaas 20 any
public snterprsse was tbs GIVING 81 81,
oO acres 10 the wabash ana Ere CanaL
The public grant system was, however
not fully recognized until ieoo, vnen tne
Illinois Central Railroad received grants
Of alternate sections OF land along tne
line Of ~ planned route. IL vas sup
alternate sections Ter the Government
would result ID enhascing the vsiue OF
the prepefty 70 ~ least double I've price
10 that The 0ovefhment wonid lose no
thing BY the Rift 10 the railroad com
pany. 1his theory has never oeeh
proved TO 30 correct. Ihe railroads,
ever since the land grant system was
adopted BY Congress, have taken every
possible advantage OF the laws giving
the grant. They have had provisions
Incorporated in the acts whicn nave
given them extraordinary priviisRes 10
addition 70 the amount named oy Con
Rress- do not believe that there u
single railroad that has not optained
much larger number Oh acres IMAM Oon'
gross originally Intended To give u.
Early IN she history OF the land grants
the railroads had indemnity clauses
placed IN she original acts which have
been still further extended by the favor
able ruling Of tae Land Ofioe. 1his
has enabled toe railroad companies 10
go outside OF the sections Rrarteo IN
ease the sections originally indicated as
theirs should be occupied BY actual set