The oasis., 1893-12-14
THE PERALTA GRANT.

uiCh iii lhic Nt'tiNH VI iilC Iiitt'
 States is the individual who signs him
 self "J. A. Peraltareavis.r For a long
 time the gratuitous left handed ad
 yertising given him by the press of
 Arizona has been omitted. But with
 his return to the Territory two or three weeks ago. it was resumed: and
 nearly every paper in the territory has
 taken a fling at the man and his schemes. Whether all the unkind
 things said and written about him are merited or otherwise will depend
 greatly upon the decision and decree
 shortly expected. of the land court in
 the matter of the validity of the grant
 under waich he lays claim to several
 counties in Arizona and New Mexico.
 With the validity of that grant this
 article has nothing to do. That is to
 be settled by a court of competent jurisdiction. specially created by the
 United States to pass upon such Ques- tions.
 The very fact that the claimant has some of the heaviest legal talent in the United States prosecuting his claim in the court is of sufficient grav- ity to give both the claim and claim ant courteous consideration. Such men as Robert C. Ingersol and Roscoe Conkling the latter was an attorney in the case during his lifetime do not hazard their professional reputation by embarking in cases that are chim- erical. Another fact entities them to respectful considerations and that is that the claimant pays his way, and pays it with his own money and that of his business associates, who are numbered among some Of the ablest business men in the country.
 Now if the court of private land claims decrees that the Peralta grant is valid, and rests in the c.aimant, the people living on the area claimed will have vital interest in knowing just where they stand and what their rights under the grant, the acts of establishing the court, and the decrees from that bench. With the object 0f presenting to the pubic all the questions involved, TIE OASIS secured protracted interview with Mr. Peraltreayis during his recent visit at Arizola, and the present ar ticle is written as the result of that 
 The documentary evidence on which ! the Perata claim is based, and the re- cords in the public archives at the City of Mexico and Madrid Spain. have been widely ventilated and need DO further allusion here. That such re- cords cannot be questioned has been | laid down by the courts in the Ago i iones grant matter. But for the pur- | poses Of this inquiry there is no need | of speculation upon that or kindred [ questions. The question here under discussion is: What are our rights [ if Mir. -Peraltareayis makes his claim ,tick?"
 In the interview with the gentle man he explicitly asserted that under i an act of congress. approved in 1887. ! it is provided that where the govern ment has disposed of lands to settlers | who have improved them in good faith. ! and such lands are afterward decrecd | within the limits Of a private land grant. the claimant shall recognize the | title given by the government, and | the government and not the settler shall pay him for the land The claim | ant further stated that under that act { when water has been appropriated 10 . make available such lands for settle mcnt the successful clainiant will al- !