Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-05-10
WASHINGTON.
The Railroad Lands For.
feiture Bill Passed.
SENATE UNDIVIDED THEREON.
international COPYRIGHT Bill
II Also on the Finished List
Department Notes.
Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.

Associated Press Dispatches to the HERALD.
WAsHINGroN, May 9-In the Sen
ate, among the bills reported from
committees and placed on the calen
dar were the following Senate bill
for the appointment of commission
toselect place for a naval station OF
the Pacific Coast; Senate bill to trans
fer the survey Of coasts to the Navy
Department.
Sherman, from the Committee on
Foreign Relations, reported back adj
versely the resolutions offered BY
Riddleberger for the consideration ol
the Fisheries treaty in open session,
and also the resolution offered by
Hoar that the report of the debate and
proceedings OF fisheries treaty be
subject to the order OF the Senate for
its publication. The resolutions will
be taken up for action tomorrow.
The Senate then resumed consider
alton OF the Railroad Land Forfeiture
bill. Some minor amendments were
adopted, and the bill passed without
division.
The first section declares forfeited
to the United States, all the lands
granted to any State or to any corpo-
ration to aid in the construction OF a
railroad, opposite to and co-terminal
with any portion OF such railroad not
now completed and in operation, for
the construction OF which or benefit
of which the lands were heretofore
granted, and all such lands are de
clrred to be part Of the public domain
The act is not to be construed as a
forfeiture OF the right Of way or depot
ground OF any railroad company here
tofore granted, nor as limiting the
rights granted to purchasers or settlers
by an act to provide for the adjust
ment Of land grants made by Con-
gress to aid in the construction OF
railroads and the forfeiture OF lands
and for other purposes, approved
March 3, 1887, or as repeating, alter.
ing or amending that act, or as in any
manner affecting any cause of action
existing in favor of purchases.
The second section authorizes per-
sons in possession of any such lands
(prior to the 1st of January, 1SSS), to
purchase them (within two years.,
from the United States in quantities
not exceeding 800 acres, at the rate OF
$3.50 per acre.
The third section refers to the lands
of the Northern Pacific Railroad Com
pany, heretofore forfeited, and gives
persons in possession OF (prior to the
lst Of July, 1879, like right, and con-
firms to the city Of Portland, Oregon,
right-of-way and riparian rights for
water pipe line.
The fourth section reserves the
right to forfeit other railfoad grant
lands for failure, past or future, to
comply with the conditions.
The fifth section exempts from the
operation OF the act certain grants 10
the States Of Mississippi and Ala
bama.
The sixth section fixes the price OF
the even numbered sections of land
within the limits OF the forfeited land
grants, at 81 20 an acre.
The seventh 81 ction repeals certain
sections of land grant acts for Min
nesota and Iowa.
The last section refers specially to
the lands Of the Portage Lake Canal
Company.
After some debate, the International
Copyright bill passed ON a vote of
yeas 35, nays 10. The act is to go
into offaaf I,,lv Of 1899