The record-union., 1891-11-23
A NEW CROP OF CALIFORNIA
CLAIM HUNTERS.

CLAIM HUNTERS.
The last session of Congress reserved
from the operation of the homestead laws
or any other manner of Government dis
position, about 100000 acres surround
ing the cession heretofore made by the
Government to the State of California OF
Yosemite Valley. The eastern end of this
grant reservation covers the watershed OF
the streams which feed the falls in the
Yosemite Valley. There are, however.
about six townships of land in the south
western portion which are in no respect
unusual either as to scenery, forest or other
reasons justifying a reservation and con-
sequent displacement of settlement Be-
yond this, there are reasons why the Gov
ernment should at once revoke its reserv-
alton of these ships, chief among
which is that the Yosemite and Coulter
vile Turnpike Company's road lies be-
tween its borders, and this concern will
Immediately prefer a claim against the
Government of the United States for hav-
ing built road some twenty-five years
ago; and DR.. McLane, the chief owner in
this road, is already booted and spurred
for the fray. In addition to the Coulter
vile towpath, there is the Yosemite Turn
pike Company's road, eighteen miles OF
which lies within this tract; and also the
Big Oak Flat road. Each one of these
concerns has received money from the
State Treasury, not one dollar of which
they deserved, and the reservation of the
six townships mentioned gives them a
new claim against new defendant.
The geologist, John Muir, is also in
teresting himself in the matter of retain
ing the reservation of these six town
ships. Mr.. Muir is introduced into the
case for the purpose of giving the reserva-
ton a Kind of mountaineer respecta-
bility. Mr.. Muir, however, is not in
ignorance of the fact that these stage
companies, who many years ago built
roads from which they have derived
large profits ever since, will have pre-
tense of claim against the Government
Even if their claim should be allowed,
and they should be paid for the roads.
they will have the same use of them they
have now. The State gave DR.. McLane
$4,000 for a worthless fragment of the
Coulterville road lying within the Yo-
semitic Reservation.
We venture the precidtion now, and are
in possession of information which justi-
hes the prediction, that a claim of from
forty to fifty thousand dollars will be
alleged by the Coulterville concern for
that portion of its road lying within the
Yosemite reservation recently made;
the Yosemite stage road can be depended
upon for forty thousand dollars more,
and the Oak Flat trail will come in for
at least forty thousand. The basis of
these claims is that these people, without
procurement of the Government of the
United States, built roads upon which
they charge tolls. There was promise
of profit in their construction, growing
out fthe fact that the scenery to which
they led was somewhat sublime.
The Government made the reserva-
tions for the sake of preserving the
scenery which attracted visitors and gave
these turnpike roads prospective profit.
Just as soon as the Government reserves
the country through which these roads
run, that the object of their construction
may be preserved, claims will be prefer
red for indemnity, and at rates and in
sums which represent vast profit on
their construction. The Congressman
who favors the retention of these six
townships may just as well engage his
political shroud and coffin. There are
other places in the State presenting far
more striking features of natural scenery
than the six townships mentioned Let
the Government simply restore to occu-
patton and settlement these six townships
through which these three stage roads
run and make new selection in some
new locality. The region around Mount
Shasta is far more deserving the attention
of tourists and the lovers of nature than
the six townships under consideration,
and it is region where private claims
may be avoided.
The cession to the State of California of
the Yosemite region has been prolific
source of fraudulent claimants for the past
thirty years. The extinguishment OF
private right in these cases presents the
most disgusting and revolving features.
The whole brood of private claimants are
as despicable as they are dishonest. The
number of private claims now being
trumped up relating to the new reserva-
ton around Yosemite leads very strongly
to the suspicion that the reservation was
procured in the interest of these claim