Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-04-09

convince US that the Executive depart
ment of the Government will recog-
nize the claim of the Vicksburg,
Shreveport & Pacific Railroad compa-
ny to the land grant in North Louis
lana.
We feel justified also in announcing
to you that it is entirely unlikely that
Congress will declare the forfeiture of
the grant or take any action in that
direction.
The railroad company have signi6ed
to US their intention and desire to rec
ognize the rights of settlers, and sub
mitted the annexed document as en-
bodying what they are willing to do.
The terms announced are the best that
can be had.
Before accepting or refusing the
proposition, we beg to submit it to you
for consideration, requesting the press
of North Louisiana to publish this
letter and the proposed agreement, re-
producing same from the Shreveport
Times. Correspondence from settlers
on the grant, from occupiers of land
included in the grant, and from other
citizens giving their views on and in
dicating their wishes concerning said
proposition is solicited.
Yours respectfully,
/. N. q. BLANCHARD,
j. FLOYD KING.
The agreement submitted by the
officials of the road as embodying what
they are willing to do in the matter,
reads as follows:
PROPOSED AGREEMENT.
This agreement made and entered
into this - day of -, A. D. 1886,
between the Vicksburg, Shreveport
& Pacific Railroad company, of Louisi-
ana, by its attorney in fact, NJ. D.
Brainard, of the city of Washington,
party of the first part, and Newton c..
Blanchard and j. Floyd King, members
Of Congress from said State of Louisi-
ana, acting for and on behalf of Ger
tain actual settlers and occupants, par
ties of the second part, witnesseth:
That for and in consideration of the
sum of one dollar in hand paid by the
said parties Of the second part, the re.
ceipt whereof is hereby acknowledged,
and in further consideration of the
withdrawal in writing addressed to the
United States land department by said
parties of the second part, Of all pro-
tests against the issuing of proper
evidences of title to said company by
the land department of the United
States to the said land grant-and in
further consideration of the desire on
the part of said company to adjusts all
differences with actual occupants and
settlers in a spirit of fairness, it is
hereby agreed and stipulated as fol.
lows:
The actual occupants and settlers
who have prior to July l. 1885, made
actual settlement upon any Of the lands
of said company lying between Mon
roe and the Texas State line one-half
mile outside OF the corporate limits of
any town, and beyond a half-mile from
any railroad station, and not to EN-
brace the right of way for the main
line or any side track, and have been
actually residing thereon or occupying
the same for not less than three years
shall he allowed the right to purchase
from said company the lands so settled
upon or occupied, but not ito exceed
100 acres to any D claimant, at the
price of 81 per acre in the following
manner to-Wit:
The land commissioner of the COM
pany shall give notice by publication
for ten days in a daily newspaper
published in each parish in which any
of the lands aforesaid are located, and
should any parish not have a news
paper published within its borders
then said notice shall be inserted in a
newspaper published nearest the lands
aforesaid, stating that the company is
ready to receive applications from
actual settlers OF occupants for the
purchase Of the lands settled on or &C.
cupied by them; and also indicating
the person and place to whom and
where the said application should be
made. In case no daily paper is
published in any of the said parishes
then publication shall be made in a
weekly newspaper once a week for
two consecutive weeks in manner and
form aforesaid.
1t is further agreed THAT actual set
tiers shall have twelve months from
date Of said publication of notice in
which to purchase said lands and the
terms of sale shall be one-third Of the
purchase money to be paid in cash.
and the balance in one and two years
from date of sale, with seven per cent
interest per annum, the company to
give bond to convey fee simple titles
With covenants Of warrantee on paw.
ment Of the purchase money.
1t is further agreed that satisfactory
proof of actual settlement or occupa.
ton shall be made by each claimant :
and if any claimant shall fail to make
the first payment in cash in one wear
from the date of said publication afore.
said, then his claim to purchase anv
land under this agreement shall be-
considered as stale, abandoned and for.