Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-10-24

the indAuuity limits Of the msin ilne-
rhe ,hrexdness displSyed IN tse iaiiiA-
tory steps 10 easily det-cted 10 toe
methods adopted 10 concssl II:
Aay aninatioa which would
.nnv the status OF the LANDS.
xou,d txpo.e the frsu5, and Is
vas necesssry 10 adopt 50 ID q pr-ei,cs
"a uosid NOS briog TO the surface fas
material facts. The very nature OF ter
Grants - s1st as to make it iDpi>si Ole
TO properly adj iss tseu without sss.r
tanning the starcs Of sscn trsct IN the
Granted limits q the dsss OF the grant,
and A the date Of definite location OF
roads. the location and status Of the In
deunity lands ut tbs data Of selection,
and the date Of the ipIation OF toe ses-
tlsr's claim so,snd the eh sfacssr OF srca
lands a. form the basis for she sel.c-
tions uuder the scs Of June 30. lsaA.
These are the essential facts. oat they
do not sppear on the List OF sslectioos
submitted for approval. In the decision
thereon ii appears thas by coucealina OF
keeping Ia the dark the essential fssts,
and by ignoring the character OF the
grants and the plain provisions OF the
Law. the railroad division OF the Cen
er.l L md OHise has 50 ,osedsd In al
iosina railroad corporations 70 obtain
patents for lands which were not grant
ed, and In amounts which we're
LAHoxLx N LxcEss
OF the quantities anthorix d. Neither
the Com missioners nor the Secretaries
vere advised Of the facts. The
whole responsibility was left to one or
two clerks, Who made such examina-
tons ss best suited their convenience
and purposes. No written statement OF
the result was required or made. and
the facts upon which the rights OF the
companies depended were thus ignored
and concealed. In order to more
sffeotuslly conceal the true status OF
the land grants, they were treated ss
grants Of specific Quantities. and est.
mates Of the quantity of land granted
were made ana published. These esti-
mates are false and deceptive. and were
made without taking int consideration
the Limitation a. to vhere the III
dsmnity lands were to Be selected and
other restricting clauses Ia the grant.
they have been used for the
purpose Of inducing the public to be-
lieve that the companies have not re-
oeived the quantity Of lands granted.
These frauds would have long since
oeen exposed, bat for the fact that the
companies have had sufficient ind aeBce
and power to keep the adjustment OF
the grants 10 the hands Of their friends.
There are clerks nov in the Depart
mems Who are responsible fer mauy OF
these Irregularities. Maps are mad
showing how false lines were run ID
.urveyiug the bends and crooks Of the
grant. whereby large amounts Of laBds
sere taken. II ia understood that the
reI ort will recommend that suits BE-
brought to recover from the rail
road comp anies the lands patented
It them in exces, Of their grant.
and where they have Alreadv cold
the lands thus fraudulently obtain
Ell the Government should re-
sover ] alignment for their vslue. One
outcome OF this will bs TO op-n ths door
I'd q multitude of suits b, settlers who
nave bought rslipqaisaments Of vsiv
ers from railroad oompapies. Whsn
he amennt Of any railroad oompsnv' =
loses Of lands Ia placed, aud the
smoans Of lands patented In lieu OF
thesn are sscsrtained, il tue latter FL
s-eds the former it ia clear that The
COMPANY bad no right to sell waivers
This Oil give the sstiier Who has psii
FOR soch relinqui. hment a chance to sue
Tor bis iooney. O u,lly such waivers
nav. been sold for about the Govern
m mt price Of the land.