The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-12-15
THE QUADRANT
CASE SETTLED
Hundreds Of Oregon Settlers Given
Title TO Their Lands.
THE SOUTHERN PAcIFIcLosEs
Supreme Court OF the United States
sustalns Judge Bellinger's Decision
-2O0OO0 Acres Involved.

Washington, December H.-Chief Jus
tIce Fuller announced today the opinion
Of the court, In the case OF the United
States vs.. the Oregon and California
and Oregon Central Railway Com
panies. involving the titles 10 valuable
lands near Portland, Oregon, reversing
the decision Of the circuit court Of ap-
peals for the ninth circuit.
The case is what Is known as the
quadrant case. The decision Of the cir
cult court for the district Of Oregon
found in favor Of the governments con-
tention, but was reversed by the cir
cult court Of appeals.
The chief Justices opinion In turn
reverses the circuit court Of appeals
and sustains the circuit court and gov
ernment contention. About 100000
acres in Washington county are involv-
ed in the decision.
In the case OF Charles w. Nordstrom
VS.. the state Of Washington. the opfn-
ion Of the state supreme court was af-
frmed. Nordstrom is under sentence
TO be hanged for murder. The decision
viii have the effect Of confirming the
sentence He made an effort to have
the verdict Of the court below reversed
because the proceedings against him
we're based on the process OF informa-
tlon rather than indictment by the
judge.
The cases Of Harry Kramer. charged
with murder. and AdoIph Krug, defal-
cation, also from the state Of Wash
ington. were dismissed by the court
Portland, December 1.-THE decision
OF the United States supreme court to-
day in the quadrant case settles title to
about 100000 acres Of valuable land in
Washington county. More than 500 SET
tiers occupy the land and they win
now be enabled to get title to their
lands
! The land in question consists OF
quadrant shaped tract having a radius
Of ten miles situated adjacent TO point
above the railroad which was started
to run from Portland 10 Astoria, stopp-
ed and turned at right angle and
ran south to McMinnville. The govern
ment claimed that there were two roads
to which grants were given. the Port
land and Astoria road. and one rum
ming South from neal HiIlsboro to Nc
Minnville while the railroad company
claimed that the whole was one con-
tinuous road and they were entitled to
grant ten miles in width along the
whole line. When the grant on the
line from Hillsboro to Astoria lapsed
many Of the settlers, considering this
quadrant tract government land, took
up homesteads and presumption claims
from the government. Many who had
bought claims from the railroad COM
pany quit paying them and entered
their claims under the law as public
lands and some have kept on paying
the railroad company till this time. The
government finally brought suit in the
United States district court to quiet
title to these lands and the case was
decided in favor of the government by
Judge Bellinger some three years ago.
The company appealed the case to the
circuit court of appeals and it reversed
Judge Bellinger. The government then
appealed to the supreme court of the
United States, which has now reversed
the court of appeals and sustained
Judge Bellinger.
The settlers who have taken their
claims under the government will re-
Joice at this decision. Those who have
been paying the railroad company will
probably endeavor to secure the return
Of their money and there win be inter
minable litigation over the matter.