The morning call., 1892-11-03
THOSE RAILROAD LANDS.
Southern Pacific Officials Are
Reticent.
SETTLERS MAY REST EASY.
Some Pointers Obtained Outside of the Raj
road Ofhce-Where the Lands Are
Located

Inc dispatch from Washington. exclu-
slveIy published in yesterdays CALL, as to
the incorrect entries of indemnity lands by
the southern Pacific Railroad, as result Of
wnlch millions OF acres will be thrown open
LOT settlement. caused the greatest con-
stern ltion In the company's land office at
fourth ana townsend streets and the clerks
lad buster day than they have had for
years.
There are two Offices in the building de-
voted 10 land affairs-one that of the Gen.
trail Paclhc in charge Of w. ii. Mills, the
other that of the Southern Pacific in charge
OF jerome Madden. The Central Pacific's
land interests extend from Sacramento to
ogden eastward and TO the Oregon line on
the north.
The Southern Pacife's land interests ex-
tend from San Jose to Yuma on the south
and to The Needles on the east
Mr.. Madden was very retcent when
shown the article in THE CALL and refused
to say more than that there is nothing
wrong with the indemnity lands"
AS Mr.. Mills was out of town there was
potnlng lett for The CALL reporter out to
WORK up the story independently. In this
way an insight was obtained into the matter
OF southern Pacific lands which certainly
could not have been obtained from railroad
officials.
mere IS commonly prevalent idea that
all lands for twenty miles on each side of
Inc tracks OF the Central Pacific and South
ern racine roads became the property o.
THESE corporations when they obtained the
power from Congress to construct the roads.
ms Is only true 10 certain extent ana it
IS the essence of the whole question to IN
derstand the circumstances under which the
land grants were made.
On tue Incorporation of the Atlantic and
Pacihc Railroad on July 81, 1866, under the
terms oil section B, act 1921, the company
was granted. Tor the purpose of securing
sale and speedy transportation OF mails,
troops. munitions of war and public stores,
twenty alternate sections per mile on each
Side Oh the track and ten alternate sections
| per mile beyond these. The object of the
grant OF the alternate sections was this:
W heneVer one Of the original twenty
alternate sections was found to be covered
by prior claims, then the company was at
liberty TO select an equivalent ia any of the
ten alternate sections adjacent TO and out
side OF the original twenty
NOW the astute officials Of the road we're
not long In finding out that all the best
lands along the road in the southern coun.
ties were already covered by the following
Claims: swamp land, homestead, pre-emp-
uoD. state selection, desert entry, Govern
ment reservation and Spanish grants.
They accordingly went 70 work 10 secure
all the best sections in the outside ten miles
all along the line. But the task was not an
easy one Between the sections here and
there on the inner line and the sections here
I and there on the outer line the railroad
Claims In the mountain counties Of South
erD California have very much the appear
ance oil patchwork quilt, and il would not
be at all extraordinary If the filings on these
indemnity lands" should turn out to have
been very hastily and imperfectly made or
not made at all.
1t is pretty certain that large number of
the mlerfect titles are in Southern Caiifor-
MA, but there may be a few along the line
Of the Oregon road.
Whether intending settlers will act wisely
In gong on the disputed lands Is another
question ihe line running east 10 Molave
and The Needles trayerses a country which
is practically desert. So with the more
southern line passing to Fort Yuma. This
grant was obtained By the company in 1871
on The representations of Grant and Shrr-
man that military road was required to
connect the Pacific Coast with the forts on
the Mexican frontier down TO Ii Paso, and
especially TO furnish prompt transportation
| Tor troops in the event OF upIis!ngs of the
Apaehes and other Indian tribes. The
e0ussry between Los Angeles and Fort
Yuma and about the outfall OF the Colorado
River is largely desert land.
IL is certain, however, that the Southern
Pacihc company recognizes the extreme
probability CT many of It's titles being va
Gated. and Is moving swiftly TO patch I'D
defects before IL is too late.
Mr. Madden wishes TO be put on record
as saying That he has charge of the land
grant commencing at San Jose and thence
extending south TO Fort Yuma and east TO
The Needles on the Colorado River, and that
there Is nothing wrong with the land grant
In any way. Also that all selections of
indemnity lands were in accordance with
the existing regulations when they were
made. and that tracts lost within the
limits of the grant were duly specified for
every selection OF indemnity made by ham,"