The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-02

R1iinEs Made fu Several Important
Local Cases.

hHIuEn n ade seYefA
Local Cases.
Commissioner Lamoresux, of the United
States general land Office, has notified the
register and receiver of the local land
office to transmit to him Immediately all
papers and records in the case of John H.
0.eott vs. Edward Blewett. f. l.. Wood
aud James A. Gould. the land, which is
the west half of the southwest quarter.
section 25. township 81 north, range
east. in Snohomish county. has been in
litigation since lss9. and is regarded as
very valuable piece of property.
The records IN the case show that on
December 81 issa, o.cott filed his timber
land application for the quarter section IN
controversy and few weeks later Edward
BIewest and f. L. Wood filed their coal
declaratory statement on the same piece
OF property. alleging that il was more
valuable for its coal than for
its timber. On November 3.
1898. the local Office allowed
James f. Gould TO make homestead
entry for the tract on the ground that 80
far as the records disclosed. the entries of
Olcott. Blewett and Wood were ali ex-
tinguished."
On November s. 1898. 0icott wrote in
quiring about the case and then, upon
investigation, il was ascertained that on
December 5. 1890, a verbal stipulation had
been entered into continuing the contest
indefinitely, or until the coal claimants
could develop the prospects of the land.
Thus il appears thar the case Is still pend
ing under this stipulation. In his letter
the commissioner says the department
holds an agreement of counsel to the in
definite posrponement of q hearing TO be
in effect discontnuance of the contest,
but before Mr.. Lamoreaux renders nal
decision in the case he wants TO examine
the records and all the papers bearing on
the controversy. AS the case now stands,
however. he taxes cognizance of certain
facts. and announces that the tim Der law
claimant, having prior right to the land.
is entitled to make final entry; that the
homestead entry of Gould, having been
enormously allowed, embracing land in
Guided IN an existing entry, Gould could
acquire no right 10 the tract by virtue of
his entry.
In the appeal of Sylvester :. Stevens VS..
Alfred Densmore. involving the east one
half OF the southwest one-quarter and the
west one-half OF the southeast one-quarter
of section IL, township 81. range q east,
situated in Snohomish county, Edward A.
Bowers, assistant commissioner of the
general land office, has affirmed the decis-
ion of the local office. allowing Stevens to
make final proof over the entry of Dens-
more.
Densmore, on March Is, 1892. pre-
empted the land in controversy, and on
September 3d. ls92, Stevens filed HI, tim.
Der land applications on the same tract.
He show ed that Densmore had made very
few improvements in his claim, and also
proved to the satisfaction OF the land office
and the interior department that the tract
was more valuable for its timber than for
agricultural purposes. The interior de-
partment also held that Densmore had not
complied I'm several respects with the pre-
emption law when he made his fling.
Assistant Commissioner Bowers, of the
interior department, has instructed the
register and receiver of the local office 10
notify John Johnson, an indian of Quill
layute, to show cause within thirty days
why his homestead entry for lot IL, sec
ton IL, township 3, north range IL west,
in Clallam county, should not be can
celled in favor of the homestead entry of
Jeptha Robinson. . white man. Robinson
lied on the land March %, 1891, and on
January -, 1898. the Indian appeared on
the scene and filed on the same tract.