St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-05-10
The PUBLIC DOMAIN.
The Land Forfeiture Bill
Passes the Senate
Yesterday.
Restoring UnearneduRailroad
Lands to the Public
Domain.
The House Passes the Inter-
national Copyright
Bill.
Democrats Hold a Harmo-
NOUS Caucus on the
Tariff Bill.
Special to the Globe.

WASHINGTON, May 9.-The senate to-
day passed the land forfeiture bill,
after some discussion and amendments.
The me- features of the bill as it now
stands follows: The first section
declar> feted to the United States
all lands heretofore granted to any state
or to any corporation to aid in the con-
struction of railroad opposite to and
co-terminus with the portion of any
such railroad not now completed and in
operation after the construction or
benefit of which lands have here
tofore been granted; and all
such lands are declared 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 railroad COM
pany heretofore granted, nor as limit
ing the rights granted to purchasers or
settlers by ian act to provide for the
adjustment of land grants made by
congress to aid in the construction of
railroads and for the forfeiture of I'M
earned lands, and for other purposes"
approved March 8, 1887, or as repeal
ing, altering or amending that act,
nor as in any many affecting any cause
of action existing in favor of any pur-
chaser; nor is it to exempt the lands of
the OntOnagOn Il Marquette Railroad
company fifty miles west of Lansing.
The second section authorizes persons
in possession of any such lands (prior to
the 1st of January, 1889 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 section to
APPLY TO LANDS IN IOWA
on which any person has made a
presumption or homestead settlement.
The third section refers to lands of
the Northern Pacific Railroad COM
pany heretofore forfeited, and gives
persons in possession of them (prior to
the 1st of July, 1855 the like right, and
confirms to the city of Portland, Or,
rights of way and riparian rights for
water pipe line. The fourth section
reserves the right to forfeit other
railroad grant lands for any failure
past or future, to comply with
the stipulated condition; and also pro-
vldeS that the act shall not be construed
to prejudice any right of the Portage
Lake Canal company or the Ontonagon
and Brule River Railway company, or
any person claiming under them, to
greSs for any legal or equitable relief to
which they may be now entitled. The
fifth section eXempts from the operation
of the act the grant to the
state of Alabama for a railway
from the Tennessee river at CUNT
er'S Landing to the Coosa river at Gads-
den. The sixth section fixes the price
of the even-numbered sections Of land
within the limits of all forfeited land
grants at Sl.25 an acre. The seventh
section repeats certain sections of the
LAND GRANT ACT FOR MINNESOTA
and Iowa as far as they require the sec
rotary 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
company, and is in these words: THAT
in all cases when any of the lands for
feited by the first section of this act, OF
when any lands relinquished to or for
any cause reserved by the United
States from grants for railroad purposes
heretofore made to the state of MIchi-
gan, have heretofore been disposed of
by the proper officers of the United
States, and under color of the
public land laws, OF under state
selections in Michigan, and con-
firmed by the secretary of the
interior, where the considera-
ton received therefor is still retained
by the government, the right and title
OF all persons holding Or claiming under
such disposals 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 without fra d
and in the belief that they were there
by obtaining valid title from the United
States. Nothing herein contained shall
be construed to confirm any sales or en-
tries of lands upon which there were
bona fide presumption or homestead
claims Jan. /, 1888, arising or as
serted under color of the laws of the
United States, and all such pre-
emption and homestead claims are
hereby confirmed" Mr.. Call moved to
reconsider the vote so that he might Of
fer an amendment referring to lands in
Florida. After argument and without
action the senate adjourned, leaving the
land forfeiture bill to come up again to-
morrow on the motion to reconsider.