The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-04-15
CAUGHT IN A BIG STEAL.
Attempt TO Plumber the Nation Of co.,
coo Acres OF Land.
The Old Emissaries of the Southern Pacific
Railroad In the Land Once Used
as GO-BstweeDs Chsndler's
Order Regarding wives
of Naval Offieers.
New Yo-A World washington gpecial. !

New Yo:k World Washington Special
Every day new proof is brought forward to
show the wisdom Of the change in the admin
istrstion OF national affairs. Each day new
evidence is brought to light showing that the
changes in the personnel Of the departments
can hardly be too sweeping or radical If
thorough reform in the administration OF
public affairs Is 10 be secured. The other
day a dispatch was given in the World des-
criping the radical steps being taken by Gen.
eral Sparks to protect the interests OF the
Land Office from the corporation interests
which have so long controlled it. Their 50.
dacity in holding on to the very last mo-
ment is something very extraordinary.
Yesterday General Sparks found evil
dence of an attempt to steal over half
million acres OF land right out from
under a contrary order of Secretary Lamar's
a few days before General Sparks gained
possession Of the Land Office. For numb Or
of years the Southern Pacific has claimed
IL. eco 000 acres assigned to them by the Tex.
as Pacific Railroad. Congress at the last ses.
sion declared this grant forfeited, and d.
rected that the land should be restored to
the public domain. Upol March is Secre-
tsry Lamar issued an order directing the
Registers Of the various land Offices through.
out the country to hold these lands subjec-
TO entry and settlement. In the surv y OF
the Southern Pacific Road it laps at the mo-
ton with the Texas Pacific Railroad IL such
q manner that for T number OF miles il runs
/ across tie lands OF the Texas Pacific grant.
After Mr.. Lamar had Issued his order the
agents OF the road, anxious tosave something
out of the wreck of $4,000, 600, applied
through their old friends in the Land Office
10 have the lands adjoining their road where
/ it laps upon the Texas Pacific line exemp pied
| from the order.
Such an exemption was made and was
issued March Is by the acting Land Commits
sicper, Harrison. The tract exempted en-
braces nearly 100000 sores of land. This
violation of Mr.. Lsmsr's order was very
| quietly accomplished. 1t was only yester-
day tbst General Sparks discovered it. He
called upon Mr.. Harrison to explain his
issuing such an extraordinary order. He
| said that he had signed it merely in a routine
| way. This is 8 favorite defense for every joo
unearthsd in the departments. The order
was traced back to the Chief Clerk and the
| head of the Railroad Division in the bureau.
Neither one Of them would assume the re-
sponsibility of the order.
| General Sparks intends to care lilly inyes.
tjgate the whole subject and ind out who is
responsible for It, Here under the beautiful
workings of the civil service the expert
| SCENTS of the plupderers of the public lands
have been left in the departments in such
| positions that accident only disclosed their
| attempt &c take out over half million acres
of land contrary to the order of the hesd OF
that department throwing these lands open
| to public entries There no defense to be
made for such an attempt. 1t was as delib
crate a theft as was ever planned, for il the
| order could have stood undlsturbed for a
number Of years it would have given the
Southern Pacific Road q good claim 10 title
in the courts. What is true of the Land
Office js probably true of any one of the
great bureaus of the Government where the
corporations of the country have had la-gs
interests at stake.