Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-05-12
FORFEITURE BILL.
PROVISIONS or THE MEASURE, AS
AMENDED AND PASSED.

The Senate Debate ON the Fisheries
Neutrality-suspicious. sestt, of Pennsyl-
ranta, Makes a Remarkable Speech on
Tie Tariff Eii.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Land for
FIXTURE bill having passed the senate it
viii probably become a law, and its pro-.
visions, as amended, are OF special in
~terest.
The first section declares forfeited to
the Unite5 States all lands heretofore
granted to any state or to any corpora
ton to aid in the construction of a rail
road opposite to and coterminous with the
portion of any such railroad moi now
completed n in operation, for the con-
structicn or benefit of which lands have
heretofore been granted; and all such
lands are declared To be a part of the
public domain. The act is not to be CON
strued as. forfeifing the right of way or
depot ground of any railroad company
heretofore granted, nor as limiting the
rights granted to purchasers or settlers
by A act to provide for the adjustment
of land grants made by congress to. aid
in the construction of railroads, and for
the forfeiture Of unearned lands, and for
other purposes approved March3, 1887,
or as repeating, altering, or amending
that act, nor as in any manner affecting
any cause of action existing in favor OF
any purchaser, nor is it to exempt the
lands of the Ontonagon aud Marquette
Railroad company fifty miles west of
Lansing.
The second section authorizes persons
IN possession of any of such lands (prior
to Jan. ], 1889 to purchase them with
in two years. from the United States in
quantities not exceeding 800 acres at
the rate of 81. 80 per acre. The section is
not to apply to lands Iowa on which any
person has made a presumption Or home
stead 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 1, 1885,
che like right and confirms to the City of
Portland Ore, rights Of way and riparian
rights for q Water-pipe line.
The fourth section reserves the right
to forfeit other railroad grant lands for
any failure, past or future, to comply
with stipulated conditions; aud also pro-
vides that the act shall not be construed
to prejudice any right OF the Portage
Lake Canal company or the OntonaGon
and BTule River railroad company, or
any person claiming under them, to APP
ply hereafter to the coult is or to congress
for any legal or equitable relief to which
they may be now entitled.
The fifth section exempts from opera
tion of the acts the grant to the state OF
Mississippi for the Gulf and Ship Island
railway, and the grant to the state of
Alabama for a railway from the Tennes-
see river, at Gunter's landing, to the
Coosa river, at Gadsden.
The sixth section fixes the price of the
even-numbered sections of land within
the limits OF all forfeited land grants at
1870 an acre.
The seventh section repeats ~certai1l
sections OF the Immigrant acts for Minne-
sofa 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 last section refers especially to the
lands of the Portage Lake Canal COM
pany, and closes as follows:
Nothing herein contained shall be
construed.to confirm any sales or entries
of lands upon which there were bona f1de
presumption or homestead claims Of Jan.
IS, 1888, arising or asserted uner color
of the laws of the United States, and all
such presumption and homestead claims
are hereby confirmed