Arizona silver belt., 1889-01-26
THOSE INDICTMENTS AGAINST THE MIN.
 EgAL BELT DIRECTORY.

In view of tho recent indictments found by U, s. Grand Jury, at the instigation of special agent of tho land office, against certain mem bers of the Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad G., for alleged cutting of government timber, the following letter proves in- tsrssting whsH viewed in the light of law, authorizing the cutting of tim ber, and the action of the jury prefer ring tho indictments which placed tho directory under the judicial harrow. The letter reads as fellows:
 DEPARTMENT OF THE INFERIOR,
 GENERAL LAND OFFIcE,
 WASHINGTON, D, C., Oct, 12, 1888
 J. W. EDDY, Pres. Arizona Mineral Belt R. R., Boston, Mass. Sir: You are advised that on the 1st inst, the Hon. Assistant Secretary of the lnte- risr approved the articles et incorpe- ration of the Arizona Mineral Belt Railroad Company, under the provis- ions ei the right of way act ef March Sd, 1875; the said papers have accord ingly been placed on file.
 Also two maps showing the definite locations of said compuny's read, lst From Flagstaff to section 6, township 19, N range 9 E., Gila and Salt River meridian, distance of 20 miles, and Ed from the point last named to a point in section P, township IF, N. range 9 E., Arizona, a distance of 20 milss.
 have this day transmitted copies of said maps tv tho Register and Re- ceiver, Prescott, Arizona, with tho necessary instructions.
 Very respectfully,
 T. J. ANDERSON,
 ting-ComniiSsionsr.
 Act of Congress, March 3, 1875:
 Sec. l. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives, etc, That the right of way through the public lands eff the United States is hereby granted to any railroad com pany ouly organized And "to take from the public lands adjacent to the line sf said road ma terial, earth, stone and timber. neces- sary for the constructisn Of said rall- read"
 See 4. That any railroad company desiring to secure the benefits of this act shall within twslve meaiGS after the location of any section of twenty ailss of its read, if the same be upon surveyed lands, aad if upon nnsur- veyea lands, within twelve montks after the survey thereof by tue United States, file with the Register of the Land Office for the district where Such land IS located, profile of it's road, and upon apprsval thereof by the Sac retary of the Interior the same shall be noted on the plats sf said office; and thereafter all such lands syer which the right of way shall pass shall be disposed of subject to such right of way"
 As shown by the Acting Comms- sIonsr's letter, the law of March 3a, 1875, in regard to the filing of copy of articles of incorporation and due preef of its organization under the same, was compiled with by the A, NJ. B. R. R., alss the filing of maps oftwe sections of read ofstwenty miles each, all of which is acknowledged and ap- proved by tho Secretary of the Inte- rior. The tive maps mentioned n the Acting.Commissionsrs letter, herein referred to, as commencing at Flag staff and terminating in section 2, township 17, \. range 9, E., (tiled re- spectiyely in February and May 1887, construction work having begun in December 1SS6l, 1t seems should have of itself been sufficient te have pro- tocted members of the directory of the road frsm the annoyance and expense of an indictmsnt The finding st the indictments was subsequent to the approval by the Interior Department, of the articles of incorporation, and absut 50 days after tho trRusmlssal of the tBo maps designating tue survey Of the right of way of said road to the Register and Receiver of the land ef- fec in Prescott, Arizona