New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-31
SETTLERS, TITLES VALID.
OUTCOME OF THE INTERIOR DEPART
MENTS UNION PACIFIC AND
OTHER SUITS.
A LAND GRANT DECISION OF GREAT IMPORTANCE
BY WHICH 10000 HOLDERS OF HOME
STEArS WILL RFNFEIT

BY WHICH i0ooo HOLDERS OF HOME
sTEADs WILL BENEFIT.
Washington July 3o.-The Secretary OF the In
terror recommended to Attorney General Harmon
the dismissal Of a number Of suits pending in
the United States Courts OF Nebraska, Wyom .1g
Colorado and Utah against the Union Pacific Rail-
road and about ten thousand settlers along the
line Of the road TO recover title TO lands said TO
have been enormously patented to the company.
These lands supposed to be embraced within
the limits OF the grant made by Congress TO the
company. and were patented to II some .cars aso.
The settlers whose little homesteads have since
been put In litigation purchased their lands from
the company and secured the necessary patents.
But the Land Office here. after issuing the patents.
made the discovery that they were worthless. FOR
the reason that the company. rs the Land Office
alleged. was not entitled TO the lands decided, and
therefore the certifcation had been erroneous.
Then the Interior Department began suit to re-
cover these lands.
Under the law In force prior March 3. 1896 II
was necessary, IN order title, TO in hide
the settlers defendants in these suits. The act
passed that date however. provided that the
Government might enter suit against the railroad
company for the value Of the lands found to have
been erroneously certified. and that nroccnt pun
chasers from the railroad company might receive
new patents upon filing proof that they were limo
cent purchasers.
General Solicitor Kelley. OF the Union Pacific
days, and has agreed in behalf of the company, to
pay the costs OF the present suit. and thus re-
leve the settlers Of all expense incident 20
vice OF summons up TO this time. The pres
ent suits will be dismissed. and suits will
be brought against the company alone to recover
the value OF the land. Meantime, patents will be
issued to the settlers upon their fling the proof
quired by the act OF March 3, 1896. aud they will
thus be quoted in their titles
Attorney General Harmon later to-day directed
that the suits between the United States and the
Union Pacific Railroad Company and the settlers
be dismissed.
The Secretary OF the Interior this afternoon in
formed the Commissioner Of the General Land Of
fce that II other companies agreed TO settlement
OF their suits In where land was enormously
patented 10 railroad and wagon-road companies
OF the Union Pacific Railroad, he would make
similar recommendation for the dismissal of the
suits and the quietng Of titles The railroads thus
affected the Central Pacific. St Paul and Sioux
City. Union and Pacific and Sioux City; California
and oregon Company, successor to the oregon CEN
trail Military Road Company; St Louis and San
Francisco Railroad Winona and ST; Paul, Missouri;
Kansas and Texas and Leavenworth. Lawrence and
Galveston Railroad Northern Pacific Railroad,
Southern Pacific Railroad. Oregon and California
Railroad. New-Oreans and Pacific Railroad anu
the Wisconsin Central Railroad
The decision arrived at by the United States TO
quiet the titles OF all the settlers these various
land grants which have been in litigation for years
and TO hold the railroads alone responsible is re-
garded OF the most important acts ever
taken in regard to land grants