Iron County register., 1885-12-03

had complied with no portion of tke
terms required in the grant, and thai
until they did so they could have nc
legal or equitable rights thereto. They
had decided, however. to obtain the
lands without complying with the terms
of the grant, and their policy was to
harrass the settlers by threats, and in
every way possible to incite them to
such acts of violence as would bring
them in conflict with the State or local
authorities, while the officers of the
company stood ready to appease any
public sentiment that might be stirred
! up against themselves by asserting their
readiness to submit to arbitration or
the decision of the courts, and it was
in pursuance of this policy that they
made no immediate attempts to enforce
their orders to pay or vacate.
When it became evident that they
were to be forced into a long and ex-
| pensive contest in defense of their
homes, the settlers had formed them
selves into a league, for the purpose OF
employing counsel and taking whatever
other steps were possible for the pro-
lection of their rights. An appeal was
made to o. III. Browning, then Secre.
| tary of the Interior, at Washington, for
his decision regarding the claims of the
| company and of the settlers. Mr..
| Browning examined e matter careful
| ly, listened patiently to the arguments
| of the attorneys of the railroad COM
pany and decided that the company
had not built their road UPON the line
| specified in their charter, but had in
stead built one hundred and fifty miles
| distant from that line, where they had
no authority for building, and conse-
| quently could have no possible claim to
| any portion of the grant At the same
| that he rendered this decision Secretary
Browning ordered the Land Commits
| sioners to consider the lands in Cali
fornia claimed by the railroad company
| opened for settlement, and to allow those
claiming them under the homestead
and pre-emption laws to prove up anC
obtain their patents from the Govern
ment.
| This decision was received by the
settlers at the Slough with glad and
| grateful hearts. 1t secured them in
their natural and acquired rights, and
was accepted as proof that the authori-
ties at Washington were beyond the
power of the corruptionists. and that
the General Government would contin-
ue to respect the rights of the humblest
of her citizens equally with those of the
wealthy and powerful.
With their love for and pride in their
| country and its Institutions strength
ened by the justice of this decision OF
one of its officials, those who were in 8
condition to do so at once prepared
| their papers for proving up. but before
| they could secure their patent from the
| Government word came that MIR.
Browning had withdrawn the lands
from market and that they would not
| be permitted to receive their patent un.
| til further notice.
The cause of this action on the part
| of the Secretary of the Interior was the
| receipt of a request from prominent
| politician, who was Major-General in
| the Union army. whom the railroad
| company had induced to intercede fo1
| them, asking that further opportunity
of presenting evidence to show that
| they were entitled to the land in ques-
ton be given them. This was but
| trick of the conspirators to obtain time.
prevent the settlers from at once receiv-
| ing their deeds from the Government,
| and give themselves opportunity to
learn where an influence could be found
| or purchased sufficiently powerful to
secure permanent reversal of the de-
| cision of the Secretary. The Presiden-
tial campaign was coming on and they
hoped for a change OF some kind that
would enable them to accomplish thei1
dishonest purposes.
The settlers, although anxious and
uneasy in their minds, believed that the
Government would ultimately deal just
ly with them, tended their orchards and
vineyards as usual, and added new fields
to the territory already irrigated.
The election came and passed. Gen
eral Grant was elected President and
j. ID. Cox, of Ohio. was made Secretary
| of the Interior in place of MIR. Brown.
ing:
To Mr.. Cox the officers of the railroad
company applied for a favorable decis-
ion upon their right to the lands in
| question, bringing every influence pos
slble to induce him to do so, but with
| out success. Mr.. Cox decided as Mr.
Browning had done, that the company
had no right whatever to the land, anG
ordered it again opened to pre-emptioL
and homestead, and this decision wa,
sustained by the Attorney General o:
the United States, Hon. Charles Dew
ans.
1t is probable that the leading con-
spirators and owners of the railroad
had anticipated the nature of the de-
cision and decided in advance upon
| their course of action. By means which
| may sometimes be better known to the
public than at present, they procured
the introduction into the United States
Senate of Il joint resolution authorizing
| the railroad cOmpany to build its road
las near as may be- ON the line speci-
fed in the charter from the State OF
California, and providing that when the
road should be built in compliance in
other respects with the law making the
grant of lands, the Secretary of the In
terror should cause patents for the same
to be issued to the company, express
ly saving and reserving the rights Oh
actual settlers"
This resolution was referred to the
Senate Committee on Pacific Railroads,
whose chairman was friendly to the
road. aud who Immediately wrote tc
Secretary Cox, suggesting that he
withdraw his order permitting the
settlers to prove up on their claims un-
til the committee could report, and
the Senate and House act upon the
resolution.
Mr.. Cox complied with the re
quest, again withdrew the lands from
market and again the Mussle Slough
settlers were refused permission to pre-
sent'their proving-up papers and re-
ceiye a title to their homes.
No sooner was this accomplished
than the attorneys for the railroad COM
pany, in the Senate, in the House, and
in the lobby beUan the work of sacur