Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-06-05
PUBLIC LAND LEGISLATION
One Bill Relates to Granting Righ' Of Way
Across All Public Domain.
IMPORTANT CHANGE IN LAND GRANTS
Committee Considers Bill 10 Allow
Roads to Consolidate Their Hold
inEs by Exchanging with
the Government.
CFrom a stan CorresnondentN

WASHINGTON, June 4.-Cspecial Tele-
gram.)-The senate public lands commit
tee today favorably reported Senator
Bard's bill authorizing the secretary OF
the interior to grant rights Of way across
the public domain, through forest and other
reservations and all national parks, save
Yellowstone, for construction Of dams,
reservoirs, canals, for irrigation. mining,
manufacturing, power. public water sup
ply and domestic purposes, also rights Of
way for telegraph and telephone lines. for
trails and wagon roads, these rights OF way
to include all necessary lands for the pur-
poses specified. The privileges granted by
the bill shall not be construed as inter
fering with the control of water for irrigR-
tion or other purposes under the authority
of any state or territory.
The house public land committee today
considered Representative Miller's bill au-
thorizing land grant railroads now hold
ing alternate sections Of land received
from the government to consolidate their
holdings by relinquishlng title to half Of
the holdings and acquiring in their stead
lands adjoining sections retained. The bill
in modified form has been endorsed by the
secretary Of the interior and is strongly
urged by western congressman. Railroad
companies claim that under the prevailing
checkerboard system they cannot lease their
lands advantageously because stockmen ac-
quiring the privilege Of their use are now
prohibited by the department from fencing
any but the leased sections. Under
former ruling the lessees OF railroad lands
were allowed to fence not only the leased
areas, but the intervening sections Of gov
ernment land. When this practice was
stopped It greatly decreased the value OF
railroad lands as private pastures.
Suggests Amendments.
Secretary Hitchcock recomme nds that the
bill be altered to provide that the exchange
shall be with the approval OF the
secretary OF the interior and president, and
the lands selected by the railroads in lien
of those relinquished must be approx
mately of the same value and character as
the lands given back to the government.
Settlers on alternate sections Of govern
ment lands, he believes. should also be
protected. An effort will be made to pro.
vide that lands selected by the railroads
shall lie in the same county with those
relinquished. The bill will be considered
more fully at the next meeting Of the COM
mittee
Mrs. W. d. Godfrey of Omaha is visiting
in the home Of her husbands parents. Mr..
and Mrs. z. D. Godfrey of s42 Westminster
street
Contract for Creston Building.
The secretary Of the treasury has
| awarded the contract for the construction
of the public building at Creston, Ia. TO
w. ]. McAlpin of Dixon, H., at s7S. 800;
| time to complete the work seventeen
| months.
The postmaster at Marshalltovn, Ia, will
( be allowed one additional letter carrier on
September l. The postmaster at Alta, Ia +,
has been authorized to change the site of
the postofice to the building owned by
C. W. wegisler.
postofiee has been established at
sholes, Wayne county, Neb., with J. L.
| Beaton as postmaster.
Harry J. North has been appointed sub
| clerk and Arthur Hormek and Melvin L.
Kasner have been appointed sub-letter
carriers in the postofice at Cedar Rapids,
| Ia.
Captain Robert G. Paxton, adjutant,
Tenth cavalry, having reported his arrival
in this city from Cuba, will. upon the ex-
piration OF his leave, Join his regiment at
Fort Robinson.
Postmasters appointed:
Nebraska-F. D. Walker, Baker, Boyd
| county, vice H. Toler. resigned; c. p.
Brede, earns, Keya Paha county vice John
! Harms, resigned Alexander Smith, Hope.
Hayes county, vice c. A. overman. re-
| cfo