The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-07
THE roo. 600 ACRE JOB.

With several Republican organs Mr..
hughes Easts appointment seems to have
overshadowed the giving away of zoo, 900
acres of public lands by Teller, the last Re-
publican Secretary of the Interior. The
organs are backward in referring TO the mat.
ter. but the Republican Senator, Van Wyck,
of Nebraska, yesterday called the attention
of the United States Senate to it,
and although its immediate consideration
was objected to by Senator Eimunds we
will probably get to the bottom of the job
before many moons. About two years ago
jay Gould, with some other railroad monop-
olists, were discovered secretly working up
a scheme TO get possession of this vast
amount of Louisiana lands. As the Sentl-
mel stated yesterday morning, it is worth
from S125 10 50 90 per acrs. The entire
track is valued in the neighborbood of
$1,000 GOO, or perhaps a halt million more
dollars might be added. Gould
and his crowd probably secured the
services Of the very man they wanted, and
be it rendered that his name is Teller, and
he was until March 4. the Republican Sec
rotary of The Interior. He now goes into
the United States Senate. 1t was only the
other day that very serious charges were
made against him By the Republican Sena-
tor from Colorado. Mr.. Hill. They were in
re ation to some very grave transactions con-
corning lands in New Mexico. Mr.. Hill de-
msnded the papers in relation to the affair
from the Secretary of the Interior, but he
delayed until the very last days of the ses-
sic n, when his term of Office was about to
expire. Mr.. Hill will probably not let the
matter rest, however, and in the meantime
Mr.. Van Wyck's resolution talks as If it in
tended "busin ess" on this last 100000 acre
OBJ. The only explanation that We have
seen concerning the matter 10 contained in
the following special dispatch to the Chicago
Tribune:
This Is one OF the grants which were never
earned and which the present company claims
oy way OF assignment. William II. Barnum mas
been one OF the prominent owners OF the charter
much Of ii valuable. Questions relating 70 this
lsnd grant have been repeatedly referred 10 Con-
gress for action, but they were not reached. The
position CT the Interior Department has been that
no action should be taken 10 the granting OF
the paterts until Congress should determine
oIfesed coDsTess t mot Choosing R0u 10 aet
upon II, if the Secretary of the In
ftIlOII III the tlOclllB udye Ol Ills hOIllulSlId-
tlcn did direct that the patents should issue. he
las The opinion OF Attorney General Brewster to
fall back upon, who declared last summer that the
sIsnt WIS grant OF lands in present.; that the
assignment OF the old territory was valid, and
that the lanes consequently belonged 20 the road.
If the patents have been issued, Congress next
winter will undoubtedly make inquiries regard
inc il, but ii is difficult to see what Congress can
10 about it. The Senate, in special session. has
no power to do legislative business, and the pat.
tents once having passed under the opinion OF
the Attorney General, and Congress not having
declared forfeiture, IL is probable that the
United States Supreme Court would declare that
they gave valid title TO the land
II every thing is correct, fair and SQUARE in
this transaction, as intimate5 in the
cooked dispatch, why did Mr.. Secretary
Teller allow the matter to slumber until the
very last days OF his official life, then qui-
city, without saying word to President Ar
thur or to the Congress which expired March
4, issue the patents for this immense amount
of land, walk out OF his Office. hand the key
over to his succs ssor, and exclaim: "Well,
what are you going to do about it?'' The
Senate and House are tied hand and foot,
and the Supreme Court is expected to in
dorse the job. We do not believe that we
are very far from the jobbers in the scheme
when We name Gould, Huntington, the
Serty syndicate and Leland Sandtord, the
ew Republican seventy-fve millionaire
from Californls