The Red Cloud chief., 1885-10-23


see how any one couldf dispute The fact
OF their being such. Indecd it was only
by asserting that Tia hr rights We're Sc
cured 10y that clause Of the resolution
that enough mcmbcrt Of the House and
senate who were not absolute tools or
partners Of the consiirator- were N
dnc"i to vote for the resolution to Sc
cur" IL passage.
BESIDES tins, the railroad company,
when Is officers first decided 10 make
IN effort 10 seize upon the land in the
vicinity OF the Slough, had issued err
ula urging people 10 come and take
up land there, promising them that a.
So"n - the company received patents
Tor the and from the Government II
would deed to the settlers, upon pay
mcnt "f Tn" price of wild land; or AT
two and a halt dollars per acre for bar
rem plans, such - most Of the land at
the Slough waS; and that in 400 case
would a price exceeding ten dollars per
acre bc charged, even for tmbcrcd
land.
\ largc portion of the settlers now a
the Slough had come IN compliance
with this invitation and agreement "n
III" part pf IN" railroad company, and
they ~iiIi relied upon thc promise of the
company, OF thought the courts would
compel II 10 comply with the promise
set forth Ia It's circulars-a promise
which became a binding contract when
the -"itlcrs, acting upon il. came upon
ia" lane and began 10 improy" il.
The officers OF the company had,
however, no intention OF complying
will thc promise. and their s;lcccS> in
hribIng Congress he'd them To feel that
there was nothing to he feared from
lin" courts. They demanded the full
vale" of all lands. including improve
mcnts, and claimru that the words
actual settlers in the resolution of
Congress referred 10 such a. Govern
mcni had Granted patents To before the
passage ot the act making the grant Of
land 10 the company; which MAS be
lore the first settler came Ia the Slough.
and WAS of lands along the line pro-
posed in their charter. distant one hun
drri and iiitv miles and on the other
SD al a range Of mountains.
BurIn" all this time the settler; had
held frequent meetings and cndcavnrcd
IN every l""al mannc known la them
la defend heir rights. EraStuS Hem
min"way was always in attendance
upon these meetings. and although he
, said bat little. what he did say was 81
walS 80 ihc point. clear and iorcible.
and hc came lo be- regarded ly all q
one whose Judgment WAS If value. and
WI" vas ever prompt with his portion
OF the money found necessary To b.
raised from time Id time IN defense oi
Their homes.
At last. and after repeated meetings
and much di~cu~Sion, II WAS decided Ia
make an offer L. compromise with The
company aS the cheapest way out o.
the difficulty. and a letter va Addressed
10 its chef officer. stating thai while
they did not recognize either the legal
ar equitable claim of In" company la
their lands. Vet for The sake of being a,
peace the would all pay the prices
which those who came hN invitation ot
the COMPANY had been promised the
land AT: ar the price which a diSintcr-
cSicd committee would say the lands
without the improvements were now
worth; or the pri'" 1t which the com
pany WAS now Offering L. sell raw land
of similar quality. This would compe.
those who took homestead and pre-
rmption claims before the company
made any prctcnSe of being entitled 80
the land while il still proicSS,d 10 81
intending 10 build its road and take the
lands upon the line laid dow, in lis
rhartcr-to pay from two and . half to
ten dollars Der acre for what thoy
should have had for nothing n home
..,, i.-- Ar.,, ,,.,pnhnf nf one dollar
and 4 quarter per acre 10 the Govern.
mcut IN ease they claimed as pre-
cmrtor>. iiut all were weary OF the
long contest and preferred peace 1t any
price short of bankruptcy. rather than
4 continuation of the troubles.
In reply {" this offer of the settlers
the President of the company responded.
saving that they were willing 10 do
what should appear right. and request
ing the settlers 10 select 4 committee
from among themselves 10 come to san
Francisco 10 corfrr with the representa-
tiycs nf the COMPANY. This letter vas
read al 4 REGULAR meeting of the Set
tiers League. and a committee imme-
diatclv selected and authorized TO act
for the whole. Among those chosen
for this duty were Era>tuS Hemingway
and his ucichhar Mr.. Johnson. The
committee proceeded To San Francisco.
put up Al a hotel and notified the rail-
road officials of their presence and
readiness [ confer. Instead IF proceed
ING tu the conference. however. II of
the officials went before the authorities.
Sworc out warrants and had them all
arrested and conveyed 10 Jail. where
they wcrr locked up and forced 10 re-
main until morning. and the business
men of the city were notified that il
Was the viii of the railroad company
that no II should 20 bail for the ar
rested men. and that the company
would ruin the business of any one who
dared ~ DO ~.
After living in jail ali night they were
taken before the coUrt and dismissed
withoU; a hearing. and in spite of their
protest and demands To be given an OPP
rortuniiy 10 explain 10 the court the
circumstances of their arrest. and so
were forced Ia return 10 their homes
and their waiting ~neighbor> and report
that 100 mercy WAS 10 be expected from
those who had conSr.ired 10 reduce
them L. >eridom upon their OWE lands
Sill these men rcta ned possession Of
Their homes. and though they had
ceased making improvements. were
ablr To obtain subsistence therefrom.
Time passed, and the railroad COM
panv obtained from the Government
patents for the amount of land specified
in the original grant. The road WAS
not completed As the law making the
grant required that it should be before
the patents should issue. one hundred
and ten miles of il being then. as now
ISs4). untouched. and no portion of it