Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-10-02
rnn Las d GRANT.
A Probability That the vexed Question u
Nearing FinaI Settlement.

A telegram has been received here from
Attorney Alfonso Hart, OF Warrington, ID.
c., who Is associated with Mossrs. Long b
Fort aud veedsr q veeder In the prosecu-
ton of the Las Vegas grant case, stating
that the court OF appeals has Just affirmed
the decision OF the supreme court of the
District Of Columbia. The readers OF THE
Optic will remember that this isa case
brought about q year ago by the attorneys
above named in the supreme court Of the
District of Columbia against the then Sec
rotary of the interior, Hoke Smith. The
former secretary OF the interior,
General John W. Noble had
decided that the Las Vegas
grant was to be tho town Of Las Vegas but
in that extent 10 was limited to the small
allotments which had been made along the
rivers and at other places, from time to
time, and he promulgated an order direct
ing the surveyor general of this Territory
to survey out of the general body Of the
land these small holdings, and expressed
the intention when this small portion was
segregated from the larger part, to have q
survey made of the remainder as . part OF
the public domain.
1t was believed by those representing
the interests Of the town of las Vegas,
that the secretary's decision, so far ss II
limited the amount Of the land granted,
wal erroneous, and that the grant to the
town, instead of giving those small allot-
ments only, consisted of about SOC, 900 acres
with we'll established boundaries, and
therefore an action was brought in the
supreme court Of the District Of Columbia
the interior, to restrain him from making
| the survey Of these small allottments and
to restrain him from declaring the grant
to be only of the allottments and to stop
the survey, and further asking the court to
decree that the land belonged In its entire
ty to the town Of Las Vegas, meaning
thereby the settlers within the grant.
Hoke Smith, as secretary Of the interl-
or, appeared to the action In the supreme
court OF the District, the cause was heard
ami the supreme court decided against
him. From this decision, the secretary Of
bIc lutSItuE bOOh hh appear w a SOaAt Va
appeals for the District, and the matter
has been pending In that court for . con-
siderable time, but has now been decided
against the secretary Of the interior and
In favor OF the town. Thus 1t appears that
the claim of the town to the entire grant
of more thai 500, 900 acres, has been twice
sustained 10 the courts of the District OF
Columbia, in addition to the former de-
cision here by Judge Long, when he was
upon the bench, in favor OF the town. An
appeal lies from the decision just made
by the court of appeals, to the supreme
court of the United States. II that appeal
should be taken by the secretary OF the
interior, the psople will soon have q de-
cision OF this long unsettled question by
the highest court OF the nation, and the
title to the Las Vegas grant will be finally
settled. 1t is greatly to be hoped that the
peal the case to the highest tribunal, that
we may have a inal end of the long dis
puted question: Who owns the Las Vegas
Grant2
THE Optic understands that 1t Is con-
coded by the attorneys who represent the
town. that in the event Of . decision in the
supreme court in favor of the town, that
every person who has an allotment, or who
holds under an allotment within the grant
lines, and in addition every actual settler
the grant who occupies lands and
has so occupied them for any considerable
will be fully protected In his in-
Lerest and ownership. No person occu-
plying land, either along the rivers, or at
,ther places within the grant, need have
fears of being disturbed in his rights
md possession, il the present decision
should become final; but on the contrary |
,uch a decision will settle titles and there
be a common source from which all
title can be derived. This case is one of
he utmost Importance to Las Vegas, not
poly to the old town, or TO one side of the
liver, but as well to the nsw town, and all
The people on both sides of the river aud !
,wning or occupying lands within tie
grant. II, by a decree Of the highest tri5-
NAL Of the land, the title to the grant
,hall be decreed to be in tie town, such q
lecree will ~conclusively settle all matters
If title n every holder and occupier of
ands may then make improvements
With the certainty that his rights
will be protected and respected.
When all occupants are fully
for and their homes Inc titles
July established by this decision, there
remain an immense body of land, up
wards of 100000 acres, belonging to Las
Vegas, and with such a body OF land de- !
to the town, Las Vegas will haye a
,atrimony to be used for the development
md upbuilding Of the country, larger than
my state in the union. II this decree shall
70 finally made, and having now been de-
Jared by three respectable courts, it would
eem that it would be finally made. Las ve-
'as may move forward in a splendid de-
-elopment. She has been retarded in her
.rowth by the unsettled conditions of
tiles and will be immensely advanced
vhen the matter is fully at rest. Every
itizen, and especially every business man,
deeply interested in the speedy and final
Inmate determination of this question.
here should be but one voice on the SUBJ
,ct and that for a speedy decision of the
apreme court OF the United States con-
to the town this valuable property.
Then the final End shall be reached it will
. time to devise honest, just and wise
avs and means to develop this property
nd to devote it to the public interests.
here can be no doubt that IL WILLIS welt
anaged in the interest Of the entire COM
unity, and become the means Of advare-
g Las Vegas to a position frst Of ali
nong the cities of the southwest.