The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-14
fInRs Ask FOR RELIEF.
rnem1AI. N THEIR BEHALF IN
snODIcED II Legislature.
a.~stes Decisions Of the sspveme
x.~~rf That the n. r. Has No Title
- Patents Have Beea lssaed 30
= 9hfch They Want Revoked.

nnyNPIA, JAZZ l2.-B@llosa memorial
I'D 10 cofgrszr. asking for relief
s.-s.s>tses for the settlers on the land grant
s q. Northern Pacific in Clarke and cow-
8. eotnss@s was presented to the hosse
..x.r Il d oae Of TIE ulosf important mat
- mat sas hesu brought before the segss-
80. r. .his session. The lands in GOA
1879 vsy. settled %. BY home builders
2 ~ rcaIstles named many years ago. on
- taeary that ths Northern Pacific. rot
~ssrs built It's Inc from " sliuia TO Peri
- had forfeited slse grant. This was
~ rrf1rg OF THE department. at Washing
bss the Northern Pacific claimed The
- ussntsonea Of the ground that a sub
rSr,eot grant along the ssrs. between Port
- md Tacoma FEW eyed the lands TO
- rnrnrsary as - crossed tie same terri
~ ~ the original grant In the counties
nnet
roltgwsng II an abstract Of the memorial.
40 The senate and the house % repre-
.rnissivsx .f i3e United States 1oyr
1rndriaIszts the legislature OF the state
wEashlngton respectfully represent that
I ixfxs number % citizens Of Clarke and
Ios az counties ia the state OF WASH
seneon are actual settlers and h1rne build
~ apon certain odd numbered sections of
nuhlIc land within the forfeited limits Of
~ srxut 70 the Northern Pacific Railroad
dnutEany opposite ~ the co-serminotls attn
~ tins Of SAID read not constructed -
iesss Walsssia. Wash. and Portland. or
that ssGG settlers established their
htuzes on said lands after the time .x-
mxsd within which under the grant said
mad vas to have been completed ard after
il Rad Become apparent said line would
40, Be- built down The Columbia river be-
txeen said points. and fully expecting 70
Asrye title to said lands from the gov
ssumsrf Of the United States under the
koreatena ia.s.
Thai said settlers number about 60 ana
sss mostly heads OF families and although
pes and without capital they have BY
hefd labor and sslf-deDiaI made extensive
and valuahe improvements O nsaid lands
snn4ieting largely in Gearing of timber,
IaGs and brush at great labor and ex-
pense a time amounting In many In
naAoss 70 900 per acre and IN building
avetings ana other structures thereon IA
samsa Tor themselves and families"
Il h then rectted that the Northern Pa
sk failed To bald the line between Wal
I'D and Portland; that a general niih-
t1Hal OF tn. lands was made by the
Ms4r1of department. in 1870. that congress
p1ned forfeiture act Ia isso.
IN further recited that the supreme
an In the spa,dng care held that no
hab granted in the original grant and
ssA9vAr6 forfeited could be included In
~ Subsequent grant 10 the Northern Pa
- n the same district along the line
hsSsen Portland and Tacoma, and that
he lands 50 forfeited were public lands
as4 sren "a entry.
n b further stated that patents were
nssred by the railroad company in 1896
p large part OF these lands notwith-
sanding the forfeiture and the ruling Of
ne supreme court of July Is. iw,s. The
aezoFsal also recises that the secretary
4 ne Interior held that theae patents se-
aEed ~ time when the Spalding aecis-
kz vas formulated but not announced.
sFt Invalid ind requested the attorney
esfFxl 10 bring Suits for their cance.ia-
~
Ae settlers were threatened IL is r.scit-
Aby the railroad company with eviction
- their homes. and before the Spalilng
Msion many OF them were driven against
~ protests into making contracts with
e company for the purchase Of their
ronmon Justice and humanity call for
FxAaaye relief" says the memorial 'anj
as'sapts OF this kind have been made.
oai 10 no effect Further. the memorial
ftsitsx
Ibat the act of congress az July i. fsas.
FFss the company the right To- select other
AaAs In lieu of al lands il desires 10
sshgt,ish in these limits, bat does not re-
gre II te Fslinquish ans lands IL has Sod
seontrastei To sell That salt las; men,
anned act does not appear applicable 70
y lands of I'D settlers. situated in fer
hiisd limits and n IL lid Would ~ f-fal-
Injurious 10 hundreds OF their number
NC have been compelled IN cantrstf. with
ne railroad company under the erroneous
naRxs OF the isua department prior ga
ae spaidng decision and nv ths threats
tie company tn eiees them from their
AHssa. That the practical effect or said
81 is to confuse and sHnbaFrass the rights
said settlers and ofigns "a hs repealed
Your me!noral:stz therefore ask Ia be-
~ or sa.a settlers that said act az 1usy
ls~. bee repeated. and that an act ise
ssssesi declaring thai ssse forfeiture asst %
Npssnser -. isai applies 10 and Includes
Ns lands within the limits II the grant
TIE Northern Pacific Railroad Company
es3axite Is ard cotefmlneus with the Ina
said road NOS constructed tsstaaais Wa
&a and Portland. or. Wit mir which limits
amending "a or near The Willamette ffstrf-
Ssn are situated the lansis ef said settssrs
NJ directing the immediate Institution OF
~ ny the attorney general az the United
Yates for me cancellation of fila aats,ffe
said lands wrnnEfu.3v ssss;esi as afare-
- To said railroad company Ard we
*2aest our senators and representatives
Z Congress "a do all in their rover "a
mss end and hereby direct that cnssfes
tass memorial he transmitted 81 the
Ev&1fnt of tire saaafe and speaker az tfYs.
ssass ~ representatives And ia the xArs-
~. - AMI representatives in congress from
hfs state
milwaukee, chamber of commerce pxs-
as against the stamp TAX GA sales male.