The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1888-05-18
THE LAND FORFEITURE slLL

Provisions Of the Railroad Land Forfeiture
BlIl ~ Passed by the senate.
WASHINGTON, May 1O.-The main feat.
ures Of the Railroad Land Forfeiture bill
a. passed by the Senate yesterday are:
The first section declares forfeited to the
United States all lands heretofore granted TO
any State or to any corporation to aid in the
construction Of railroad opposite to and CO
terminus with the portion OF any such railroad
not now completed and in operation for the con-
struction or benefit OF which lands have here
tofore been granted, and all such lands are de-
clared to be part of the public domain. The
act is not to be construed as FORGETTING the
right OF way or depot grounds Of any rail
road company heretofore granted nor AZ
limiting the riRhts granted to purchasers
or settlers by ian act to provide for the
adjustment OF land grants made by Con-
gress to aid in the construction OF railroads
and for the forfeiture of unearned lands and for
other purposes" approved March 3, 1851, or as
repeating, altering, or amending that act, nor -
in any manner affecting any cause of action ex-
cepting in favor OF any purchaser, nor Is II to
empt the lands Of the Ontonagon and Marquette
Company, fifty miles north OF Lansing. Tho
second section authorizes persons in possession
Of any such lands prior to January J. 1889 to
purchase them within two years. from the
United States in quantities not exceeding 30
acres, at the rate Of '25O per acre. The section
is not to apply to lands in Iowa on which any
person has made q presumption or homestead
settlement The third section refers to lands
OF the Northern Pacific Railroad Company here
tofore forfeited, and gives persons in possession
OF them (prior to July /. 1850 the like right,
and confirms to the city Of Portland, Orc,
rights Of way and riparian rights for q water
pipe line. The fourth section reserves tho
right to forfeit other railroad grant lands for
any failure. past or future, to comply with the
stipulated condition. and also provides that the
act shall not be construed to prejudice any right
Of the Portage Lake Canal Company or the
Optonagon & Brule River Railroad Company or
any person claiming under them to apply here
after to the courts or to Congress for any legal
or eQuatable relief to which they may now be
entitled.
The fifth section exempts from the operation
Of the act the grant to the State OF Mississippi
for the Gulf and Ship Island railway and the
grant to the State Of Alabama for railway
from the Tennessee river at Gunter's Landing
to the Coosa river at Gadsden. The sixth Sec
ton fixes the price Of the even numbered Sec
tons OF land within the limits of all forfeited
land giants at Il 9 per acre. and the seventh
repeats certain sections OF the land grant acts
for Minnesota and Iowa SO far as they require
the Secretary Of the Interior to reserve any
lands but the odd sections within the primary
or six miles granted limits. The las! section
refers especially to the lands Of the Portage
Lake Canal Company and is in these words:
That in all cases when any of the lands for
feited by the first section of this act or when
any lands relinqushed to or for any cause re-
served by the United States from grants for
railroad purposes heretofore made to the State
OF Michigan, have heretofore been disposed OF
by the proper officers of the United States UNI
der color Of the public land laws or under State
selections in Michigan and confirmed by the
Secretary Of the Interior. where the consid-
Grafton received therefor is still retained by
the Government, the right and title Of all per
sons holding or claiming under such dis
posals shall be. and is hereby confirmed.
Provided. however. that where the original
cash purchasers are the present owners, this
act shall be operative to confirm the title only
of such said cash purchasers as the Secretary
OF the Interior shall be satisfied have purchased
" ithout fraud and in the belief that they were
thereby obtaining valid title from the United
States. Nothing herein contained shall be con-
strued to confirm any sales or entries OF lands
upon which there were bona fide presumption or
homestead claims on January l. 1883. arising or
asserted under color Of the laws OF the United
States. and all such homestead claims are here
by confirmed