New-York tribune., 1886-02-10
ANOTHER SOUTHERN SUHEME
uNEARrHIyG AN OLD MISSISSIPPI GRANT.
PECULIAR ACTION OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON
PUBLIC LANDS.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

PUBLIC LANDS.
tpY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.
w AsuINGTON, Feb. 9.-Ihe House Com
ee on Public Lanas has lost much OF the fiery seal
which marked the beginning OF its crusade against land
grants to railways to arouse suspicion that some OF
its members are longer true reformers. his sus-
pcon is streng gthened by the peculiar conduct OF the
Committee in regard to the anquated land grant 10 tho
State OF Mississippi to aid in the construction OF 'o
Gut and Ship Island railway between Jackson the state
capital and the Gulf OF Mexico As 1t seems pfopao'c
That an investigation ordered by the Mississippi Lesisa'
ure last Tuesday may result in exposures that VIII DO
dsagreeablc certain Mississippi Democratic s'"'eSne
some OF whom are members OF Congress, oriei s'ae
ment Of facts will he OF interest.
About thirty years ago Congress granted 70 the State OF
Mssisspp TO aid in the construction OF the rou a'oi
nate sections of public land in strip six miles wide'
amounting TO some 100000 acres. The projected iihe
extends through region heavily tmoereu Wlth pune anu
the land therefore has become valuable one ctnuinon
OF the grant that the road should be co hpeleu
within ten years. that is, before August IL, 1866.
nan OF definite location filed i'll 1889 In behalf or
corporation which the state had granted charcr ana
the lands were withdrawn from sao and entry. N"t
s oke of work done before the wal Several years
after the war closed all public lands Mississippi were
thrown open to settlement by an act OF Congress a
dozen years passed before another step was taken lhen
4, occurred TO certain enterrsng Mississippi politicians
that they might succeed in obtaining possession OF the
valuable grant. The old corporation was dead and It's
charter worthless. so a new company was organized
and brand now charter obtained from tho state In Feb
ruary, 1889. Among the incOrpOrators were Oeherai
Writ Adams Of Confederate cavalry fame and T. BarkS
dale who is now a Representative In Congress Tic
charter liberal exemptlng tue STOCK railroad
and all other property from taxation during pefOd OF
twenty years aud permitting the company to charge
high rates for the carriage freight and passengers
On March O. 1882 the Mississippi Legislature memorial
ized Congress OF extending and reviyng tie
granting act OF 1856. In July, 1852. President Wit
Adams applied the Secretary of the Interior to have
the lands again withdrawn sale and entry, but upon
the report OF Commissioner Mcfarland and In vie" OF
pending legislation declare the grant forfeited secre-
tarv Teller on October 20, 1882 denied the application
No further efforts in that direction wers made for nearly
two and u work on the road was rot begun
The promoters OF the enterprise were more anxious to
possession OF the lard grant than they were to
build railway again they turned their attention To
the State Legislature from which they obtained the
privilege of buying large and valuable body of swamp
land for two cents acre and the further privilege o
buying all the swamp lands belon Ing to the State and
lying within the limits Of the old grant at 90 cents an
acre they were given control of the State Penitentary
and the OF all the cOnvcts TO work on their railway
and authorized to for the same in the first
mortgage bonds" Of the company at the market
Irice -" the company was made the legal sue
OF the dead corporation created by the acts OF
1854 and lS5S, AMI empowered TO use aud ENJOY
possession OF its field notes, and surveys which
Cult and ship Island Railway down TO October last.
The several acts passed in March 1884
On March 2S the Secretary OF the Interior received an
urgent letter requesting the withdrawal OF the old grant
from sale entry until Congress should have au OPP
portunity to decide whether i would extend the grant
The letter was signed by Senator Lamar now Secretary
OF the InterOr Senator George, Representative Null
drow Assistant Secretary Of the interior snd Rep
Iesentaves Van Eaton. Jeferds, Money, Singleton and
Barksdsle-the ast-named being one OF the original
neOrporaOrs OF the proposed beneficiary as well as one
of Its stockholders said that several OF the others
were stockholders also TIE strong OF influential
politicians accomplished what President Adams had
failed do two ye1Is eaIeI and ou June 49, 1854 the
lands were withdrawn fIom market condition that the
railway company should file formal renqushment to
all lands entered and held by 1Jna de settlers Con-
eress was t in session and the House had passed bill
TO forfeit the grant before letter Of the Mississippi
Senators and Representatives was written. Mr. Barks-
dale delivered long speech against tho measure. The
bil failed III the Senate.
The field OF battle at beginning OF this session
the House Committee Public Lands, OF which that
devoted friend actual settler ana mPlscable foe
OF railroad corporations Thomas T. Cobb Of Indiana, is
chairm8n one of the INST bills referred to II was
Identical With the bl unanimously reported by the same
cOnmittec In the last Congress. which was passed by
that body 1t provided for the forfeiture OF 'ne grants 10
or eight southern rompanie an 9f w.ieh we're
made before the There was referred 70 the Com
man Bark-dac 70 extend the grant for six yenrs On
the second dag OF the session Mr. George had introduced
the surprise o nearly everyho ~ when m bill to forfeit
The eight grants taken IN tho House ten days ago
IL was discovered that the Comntee h3d recommended
an amendment omtiuc the Calf ana 81 p Island grant
Mr. Van Eaton, OF Mississippi, member o. Tho Com
mttee said this recommendation was nnaniinOIs.
statement which WAS denied 10y Mr. Anderson, OF
Kansas. another mcnoer Oi the Committee. to whose
efforts subsequent defeat OF the amendment by tue
House mainly due. Chairman CoJl, the friend
o. tho people,. justified the amendment on the 2fonnd
OF a desire not TO rncumber tho bill Tho amendment
WAS rejected "A vote OF l19 TO So hut TIE friends OF
the grant in the senate are confident th"t thcy can
secure It's restoration or defeat the bill itself.
They required to face new danger The !
Mississippi Legislature, although soil ly Dem0crduc ana
hitherto plant in the hands OF the promoters Ot the
scheme, has voted special COMMITTEE to nVesi9ate
the BOllors OF Ock la the tulf and ship Island Railway
ami TO the amount Of stock tue amount PAID
thereon. and ihe general management and prospects OF
the enterprise motion To reconsider tine vote by
which the inv, sticatiOn ordered provoked hot dis
hut IL defeAten. II Is UNDERSTOOD that the
proposed Investigation causes much unca-lncSs among
certain prominent Mississippi politicians IA Washington
who dSagfceaDle diScOsurs Not lnie ul the ROAD
has been built, but Mr. Van Eaton asserts that work
begun three or four months ago.. ana that hands
work on the line OF the survey"
Further developments Ot THIS scheme VIII be awaited
with interest
REVISING HIS INVALID PENSION ESTIMATES.
WAsHINGTON, Feb. 8 Especial. D.-COmmis- |
sOner Black admitted the House Committee Iuva-
lid Pensions to-day that his first Innate OF tho cost In
yoyed in The proposed bill 10 extend the period during
which appcations for OF pensions may he
filed Incorrect and probably excessive lie thought
the total additional amount required to equalZo the
pensions OF all soldiers aul widows under the Arrear-
ages Act would excccd S220 100000 and the pay
would be spread over period OF several years.
with the present force clerks and examiners the
amount OF claims adjusted and paid could |
not be increased. but If 800 more clerks