The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-12-25
DAKOTA LAND MATTERS.
opinio ms of Officials and Others in Regard
to the Traill Co, Case.

opinio ms of Officials and Others inR Regard
to the Trail Co, Case.
BISMARCK, Special Telegram, Dec. 49,
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 80, 900 patents will ruin thousands
Of settlers, said:
If suspension of a 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. I have personal
knowledge Of several hundred of these suspend
ed entries, and general acquaintance with
many more, and have not heard of a
single settler standing in fear Of
ruin. Ruin is a big word. The entryman
who has earned his land is more Indifferent
about his than his jealous friend. He knows he
will get his further evidences of title when
the government gets around to it, now as
In the past. The bismarck district may
be an exceptional locality, and the ruin
feeling not spread among it's settlers. Certain
IL Is they have not got IL. They have never
been more prosperous than in the current year,
and they are witnesses that new people and inn
proVements have been more numerous and sub
~stantial than any previous year. Last year
loans were hard to get, but / have vet to.
hearing OF any permanent settler falling 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
money lender is alarmed, there cannot be much
danger. The system of inspection inaugurated
in 1888 has been successful in wedding out non
residents, and the special agent is the most val
liable adjuncS of the service. He is no unwel-
come spy to the farmer. The man
who lives on his land summer and
loudest protestant against the surplus laws and
easy requirement OF title Hereunder. He
wants neighbors and farmers, and not ex--
cursionists and visitors. His choice should
govern.
FROM THE GENERAL LAND OFFICE
WASHINGTON, Dec. ~16.-Inquiry at the gen.
eral land Office to-day concerning the de-
cision elected SUBSTANTIALLY the following
statement:
In 1870, when m ing the appropriation for
the survey OF land, granted the Northern Pa
cifc, congress added a proviso that before
title shall pass from the government, there shall
first be paid into the treasury OF the United
States, the cost OF surveying. selecting and
conveying the same by the company OF
party in snterest. The Northern Pacific
upon it's lands in Dakota bat has left the title
IN the government, thereby relieving the COM
pany from the cost of making the surveys and
from the burden of local taxation. Even il con-
gress should declare a forfeiture of the entire
Northern Pacific land grant, for alleged nom
compliance with some OF the terms of the char
ter, thu bona fide settler would in no manner
suffer, as his claim Is held to be superior to all
others, and that hardship would result only to
land spectators and owners by purchase from
the railroad company Of large tracts. In these
cases recourse could only be had upon the rail-
road company.
SECRETARY JENK's SAL.
WAsHINGToS, Special Telegram, Dec. 10
The Trail county tax case involves the same
question with regard to title hat came up
In the Homestake mining company'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
rs they have been for the last ten years. There
will be legislation this winter probably: at
least there should be, providing a way TO
which no patent is asked. Such lands
should not escape taxation, while settlers on
government lands prove up and pay their taxes
IL should be fixed that as soon as the land Is sold
by the railroad, from that moment taxes should
accrue. Certainly they should be taxed as soon
AZ certified to the purchaser, or IL the govern
ment officials can identity the land IN any way
rs belonging to individuals rather than the rail-
way, then taxes should be levied upon them"
SAID BY COL FRA
NEW YORK. Dec 16.-Col George Gray,
general counsel for the Northern Pacific,
interviewed to-day, said:
The Trail county case is in no respect diff
ferent from the two cases decided by the same
tribunal in which the Union Pacific road was a
party. In none of the cases was the title OF the
| railroad companies involved, but m AZ
congress had pronounced that the patent to the
lands should not obtain until they had
been surveyed and conveyed by the railroad
companies or other parties interested, the
supreme court held In all cases that that reten-
ton OF patent was a security for the payment Of
costs. and the United States, having q legal title
and that much OF interest In the lands. no state
or territorial authorities can tax the lands. The
| title to any acre OF land in Dakota Territory
held by the Northern Pacific company, or sold by
1t. Ia In no manner whatever affected bv the de-
| cision. The company has always been willing to
pay, but the want OF surveys and the general
Inactivity OF the officials in the land Office have
prevented payments being made.