The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1898-05-06
For Relief of Settlers.


those settlers who located claims be-
fore the lands had been surve, ed by
the Government, believing that they
were lar enough from the main line OF
the N. P. not to be in danger of locat-
ing on railroad lands After toiling
for years awakening to find they were
within the limits and likely to lose
everything. This condition of affairs
exists in all the states through which
the N. P. passes, and great many
settlers are affected. The bill for their
relief are as follows:
Whereas, under the grant made by
Congress to the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company July 2, 1864, and
the various amendments thereto, said
company has definitely located and
has constructed a large portion of the
road which it is authorized to build.
aud various Withdrawals of land have
been made by the General Land Office
Tor the indemnity of said company,
as provided in said act and amend
ments, and various selections of land
within the indemnity limits have been
made, or attempted to be made, by
said company and
Whereas large numbers of pre-emp-
tion, homestead, timber culture, and
other claims have been made by other
parties adverse to the interests of said
railroad company upon many of the
lands falling within said indemnify
limits; and
Whereas large amount Of litiga-
tlOn has by reason thereof sprung up
and is now pending undetermined in
the General Land Office and district
land offices OF the United States, and
In the various courts, respecting prior
Ivy of right as between said railroad
grant and said claimants, end by rea-
son of said litigation many OF the oc-
cupants, improvers and purchasers
hereunder of said lands are liable to
be evlcted from their holdings: Now,
therefore, for the purpose of relieving
the said occupants, improvers, claim
| r. tl,
ships of being deprived of the same
under the circumstances aforesaid
and the hardships of liti igating their
| claims with the railroad.
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assem-
bled. That the Secretary of the In
terror shall, as soon as conveniently
may be, cause to be prepared and de-
livered to the Northern Pacific Rail
way Company Successor of said North
ern Pacific Railroad Company list
| of the several tracts which have been
or may be purchased, claimed, occu-
pied or improved as stated in section
two of this act, and are now or may be
claimed by said claimants, purchasers,
occupants or imprOvers, their heirs, or
assigns, according to the smallest Gov
eminent subdivisions and without re-
| ference to whether said rights or
claims are prior or subordinate to the
rights OF the railway company. With
in reasonable time after the receipt
by the said railway company of the
said list, it shall execute under its
corporate seal and deliver to the Secre-
| taiy of Interior its deed or deeds of
conveyance, releasing to the United
States all its claims upon the lands
described in said lists, and shall also
procure and caused to be released to
the United States all liens and claims
to said land derived through or under
said companies, or either of them,
whereupon all right, title and interest
of the said railway company to each Of
said tracts shall revert To the United
States, and such tracts shall be treat
ed, under the laws thereof, in the same
manner as if no rights thereto had
ever vested in the said railway COM
pany. And all quallfi,d d persons who
now have or may hereafter file claims
occupy or make Improvements on said
lands as herein provided, or who have
or may purchase said lands in good
faith, their heirs and assigns, shall be
permitted to perfect their titles to said
lands according to the law, as If said
gran had never been.
SEC. 2. That the SAID Northern Pa
cific Railway Company, its successors
and assigns, is hereby permitted to
select, in lieu OF any lands forming
odd-numbered sections or parts thereof
situated within the first indemnity
limits of the aforesaid grant and
amendments thereto made by Congress
opposite to and coterninus with such
norton of said railroad as has been
constructed and built: which, prior to
the passage of this act or hereafter,
any person may have purchased, oc-