Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-02-12

time anu III tue nauutl plOfsutO Oy
law.
FoRFETTURE OF THE NORTHERN
PACIFIC GRANT.
Be 1t enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Con-
gress assembled, That except as to
all lands granted for that portion of
the road of the Northern Pacific
Railroad which was completed be-
fore July 4th, 1877, and also except
ing the right of way, with necessary
lands used in operating said railroad,
the grant of public lands made in
aid of the construction of the said
Northern Pacific Railroad by act of
Congress approved July I'd. 1854, and
the several acts amendatory thereof,
be, and it is hereby, declared for
feited and determined; and the said
act making the grant is, 30 far as
said grant is concerned, hereby re-
pealed, and said lands are hereby
restored to the public domain, for
sale and settlement under existing
laws of the United States; and all
of said lands shall be held treated as
though said grant had never been
made: Provided, That wherever
said Northern Pacific Railroad has
obtained from the United States pa
tents to lands lying opposite to and
coterminous with that portion OF
its road constructed after the 4th day
of July, 1877, said patents 30 obtain
ed are declared TO be fraudulent and
void; and the Attorney General of
the United states is directed to
bring suits to set aside. annul, and
cancel all such patents so declared
to be fraudulent and void; and in
case said railroad shall have con.
veyed such land or lands to Other
parties, then the said Attorney Gen
eral is hereby directed to commence
and prosecute suits against the said
railroad to recover the value of the
said lands SO transferred; and al
sums of money collected under this
act shall be paid into the Treasury
of the United States: And provided
further, That in case any of the
lands embraced within the terms OF
this act to which said railroad com
pany would have been entitled haG
tbs said road been constructed al
provided in the act making the gran,
have been sold by said company
prior to the date of the passage o.
this act, the party or person so pur
chasing any Of said lands, his heir.
and assigns, shall have the right t.
the lands so purchased to the exten
of six hundred and forty acres, upor
making proof of the fact of such
purchase before the register at IN,
local land Office of the distric
where said land may be located; snd
upon proof as above within twelv,
months of the passage of this act
patents shall issue to the parties en-
titled thereto for the land.
Sec. 2. That all persons VIII,
have made actual settlement or bav,
made valuable improvements upoI
the odd numbered sections adjacen
to the said road or branch thereof
with or without contract of purchas
therefor. with q bona fide intent I,
secure title thereto by purchase from
said Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany when the said company hst
earned the same by compliance witt
the conditions and requirements o
said act, or to acquire title TO tn
same under the public land laws O
the United States, and being q cit
zen of the United States, or havin
declared his intention to become on
In compliance with the naturalizs
ton laws of the United States, sha
be entitled to enter one quarter SCI
ton, of one hundred and sixty acre
each. of the lands so settled upo
or improved by such person, unde
the presumption or homestead Law
of the United States; and in cas-
! such person has exhausted his or he
right under said laws, then and i
that case such person may enter on
quarter,section, of one hundred an
, sixty acres. of the land so settle
J upon or improved, by paying Their,
for one dollar aud twenty-five cent
per acre.