Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1892-06-23
The N. p. Lam Grant.
Communicated

The N. P. Land Grant.
Communicated
ED. HERALD:-On my travels over the
northwestern part of our grand state !
was very much surprised to find the
greatest ignorance in regard to the fraud
and illegality Of the Northern Pacific rail-
roads land grant, and this is not at all
strange, as l have never seen the land
grant exposed In any Of our public papers,
although have been resident of this
state for the past nine years. Our free
press seems a one-sided affair.
AS long as our citizens refuse or neg
leet to interest themselves in general pub
lie affairs there is very little hope of re-
form and the outlook for the future is in
deed dreary. If no concessions are made
to the wrongfully oppressed, the injustice
done and sowed will bring forth its fruits
plentifully. Woe to the party that has
to do the reaping There is nothing
holier than an inheritance, and more SO
an inheritance such as the ''public do
main." So as to enable all true Ameri-
cans tn form their own opinion, shall
give all those parts of the acts and reso-
lutions of congress bearing on the subject
of the land grant OF the Northern Pacific
railroad.
|. Act of July 2, 1864, ,13 Stat, 1866. y
"And said corporation is hereby author
lied and empowered to lay out, locate,
construct, furnish, maintain and.enjoy a
continuous railroad and telegraph line,
with the appurtenances, namely, begin
ming at point on Lake Superior in the
state OF Minnesota or Wisconsin, thence
westerly by the most eligible mail route
as shall be determined by said company
within the territory Of the United States
on line north OF the 45th degree of lati-
tude to some point on Puget Sound with
a branch via the valley OF the Columb ia
river, to point at or near Portland, in
the state of Oregon, leaving the main
trunk line at the most suitable place, not
more than 300 miles from it's western
terminus.
Sec. 3. And it further enacted that
there be and hereby is granted to the
Northern Pacific railroad company, its
successors and assigns, for the purpose of
aiding in the construction of said railroad
and telegraph line to the Pacific coast and
to secure the safe and speed transporta-
ton of mails, troops, munitions of war
and public stores over the route of said
line of railway, every alternate section of
public land not mineral designated by
odd numbers to the amount of 20 altern-
ate sections per mile, on each side of said
railroad line as said company may adopt
through the territories of the United
States and 10 alternate sections of land
per mile on each side of said railroad
whenever it passes through any state, and
whenever on the line thereof the United
States have full title not reserved, sold,
granted or otherwise appropriated and
free from presumption or other claims or
rights at the time the line OF said road is
definitely fixed and a plat thereof fled in
the office of the commissioner OF the
general land office; and whenever prior
to said time any of said sections or parts
of sections shall have been granted, sold,
reserved, occupied by homestead settlers
or pre-empted or otherwise disposed OF,
other lands shall be selected by said COM
pany. in lieu thereof, under direction OF
the secretary Of the interior, in alternate
sections, and designated by odd numbers,
not more than 10 miles beyond the limits
of said alternate sections"
Section enacts Grants made subject
to condition that whole road be COM
pleted by July 4, 1876.
2. Joint resolution of May Z, 1865,
(15 Stat. 355. )-Sec. 2, extending time for
completing road two years.
Joint resolution Of July 1, 1868, 10 Stat.
255. Amending act OF July 2, 1S64.-Sec.
8 to read as follows; "That each and
every grant, right and privilege herein,
are so made and given to and accepted
by said Northern Pacific railroad COM
pany, upon and subject to the following
conditions, namely: That the said COM
pany shall commence the work on said
road within two years from and after the
second day OF July, 1868, and shall COM
plete not less than 100 miles per year
after the second year thereafter and shall