Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-08-01
TEE n, y. n L. LANE GRANT.


II
We we're In hopes that By today Il
Lext ruling OF the Z. S- ConmfasioneI
Fasiio Lands would have come q
1ano wnsrean be deelArB lieo Land
I fSfIeitea- We eannot be eegtsin as te
tee details antil fall explanatiou
comee 70 nand- IL ID presumed ths,
nefeaitef cFtizsn may enter odd GO
t.ons anywhere outside of toe original
kkant, forty miles from the track: and
u as believed that hs has decided that
-1ne OF tne lIea lands have been prog
eriy reserved from ssttIensnf for s6e
reason that lieu lands cAn properly be
reserved under the charser oaiy aft.r
the entire iine Of ths road - been
definitely fxed. Tue company has nos
pet definitely fxed the entire line. and
seems disposed 10 hoat its grant from
one route 20 anosher, and Ia tie mean
time 90 into local lana offisss and re-
serye lieu landa, which II In violation Of
ths terms Of the ehaztsr, which Is in
thess words:
Section three provides that "a Yheu-
ever prior - said time fsbe definite az
ine OF the entire line and cling 4 Ola,
OF its prohle In the Office Of the Com
Enissionsf Of the Gensrai Land Officel
any u said sections or parts of SECTIONS
within the regular grant, shall have
been granted, cold. reserved. ocsupied
by homestead settlers. or prs ampEed OF
othsfw disposed Of, other lands SHALL
b0 aeieotsd By said eompany in Iieu
tneraof, under the direction Of the Sec
fcsary OF the Interior, In alternate sec-
tionss and designated by odd aambeFs
not more than ten miles beyond the
limits Of the said terantl alternate
aections.m
tins oniy saving inference thas the N.
p. r. h Co. can draw for itself Ia thas
II miget have been coustrned that the
company could withdraw from settle
meat lieu lands In sush land districts as
the road was definitely fixed through,
bat the charter does not express any
thing Of she kind. IL clearly sara that
the entire line mnst be hxed first, and
n0s oaly %. bat that the company must
make On exhibit 10 the Secretary Of the
Interior Of lands lost By settlement
within the original grant. and that then
he shall set out other lands eQuivaIent,
tgat not more than ten miles outside the
original grant. Therefore any 90 called
withdravai at the local land offiess by
tbs company is simply sn attempted
pieee OF sharp practice to Deter the
settler from losating. and really eeunts
Tor nothing. IS
The land once al Spokane Falls has
refused 10 ressive niings Of settlers On
odd sections within fhe indemnity belts;
but the Yakima land Office receives
snoh hiings Of settlers On sny odd SEQ
tions mot fled on by the railroad oom-
pany.
In this part Of the country the CON-
pany fled chart Of its line by the
skaQit pass in 1878; another By the
Priest Rapids and Suouualmie route In
1873; and the fling by the Yakima
foate was not made until last year; and
clearly any seftleF who has hled or
sought 10 die NOS only within the in
deunify belts but within the original
grant on any Of these three routes prior
to the last location Of the company, in
1884, 10 solid: for the railroad e0mpany
casnot get its hands upon route on
which it did not build, and IL did
not locate the roete upon which it
did build from Rasco west until last
year.
Not only 60. bat With Democratic
administration opposed 10 stretching
the rights Of monopolies, and with the
Supreme Court backing 10, IL 10 believed
that the Goyegnment will declare that
In consequences OF the time having long
aince expired before the commencement
OF construction on the Cascade divi-
sion, IN which the company was allowed
by charter and amendments 20 com-
piete its entire line. the company Ia
entitled TO NOT oue foot of the grant |
west OF Pasco; and IL Ii thought thaf
when the matter comes before Congress
In proper order, that body will declare
the grant forfeited west Of Pasco
Junetion.
II the Governments protects the peo-
pie a. IL should. the company will lose
all of the lands west Of Pasoo, aud all |
the indemnity lands between Sc. Paul
and Paaco; and, besides this, will lose |
all odd seeiions east OF Pasco on which |
settlers had fled prior 10 the defniss
location Of ,he line through the respee-
tive neiRhbsfhoods aud this will asoaHt
to loss OF over one-third Of the sntire
land grant.