Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-11-18
SETTLE TITLE TO
VAST LAND TRACT
Sangre de Cristo
Grant Plaintiffs
Property.
FULL TEXT OF AGREEMENT
Settlers Hold 1900 Acres Of
Land and Certain Graz
ing Privileges.

The case of the Protective Associa
tlon OF Costilla versus the United
States Freehold Land and Immigra
tion Company, which las been on
trial here the past three weeks, and
which was suddenly terminated yester
day afternoon, was settled by both
sides maxim concessions.
The case has been attracting wide
attention, inasmuch as the land in
volved amounted to 223,000 acres, sit
uated in what is known as the Sangre
de Cristo grant
History Of Grant.
The land in question was part of
the original Mexican land grant. In
the year 1874, the Mexican authori-
ties made grant, containing 100000
acres to certain Mexican citizens, in
the northern part of Taos County,
which then included what is now part
of southern Colorado, for colonization
purposes In 1860, the Congress of
the United States, confirmed this grant
made by the Mexican authorities, and
the lands therein contained were af-
terwards acquired by purchase by the
U. S. Freehold Land and immigration
Company, 223,600 acres of this grant
are situated in what is now Taos
County in this Territory, and on this,
the towns of Costilla, Questa, and 9th
ers are situated.
On December 2, 1880, patent was
issued by the United States land Of
flee at Washington, giving the United
States Freehold Land and Immigra
tion Company a clear title to this i'm
mense tract.
Claim of Settlers.
Shortly after this number of set
tiers arriving in the Territory made
their homes upon a part OF this
grant, situated in and around the
town of Costilla. After living there
certain length of time, they felt that
the land was theirs by right of pos
session, and accordingly brought suit
to establish their title to this land.
According to the terms of the con-
tract and agreement entered into by
the plaintiffs and defendants, the for
mer will be allowed to retain the lands
now in their actual possession and
their homes. They will be allowed to
craze their animals, by paying a small
fee for the privilege. The decree and
agreement follow:
Text Of Decree.
The defendant, the Costilla Land
and Investment Company, is the own
er in possession and entitled to the
possession of all that part OF the San
gre de Cristo Land Grant lying and
being situated in the Territory OF New
Mexico; the same is free and clear
from the claims of the plaintiffs and
each of them and each of the code
PENDANTS herein, and of Juan M. Val
lejos, Jose E. Trujillo, Pedro Mar
tinez. lose Arellano and Narciso San
doyal, both as individuals and as the
directors of the defensive association
of the land settlers of the Rio de Cos
tilla.
That the tax title and decree con-
firming the title to the New Mexico
portion of the Sangre de Cristo grant
to Thomas Kelley was in all respects
valid and legal.
That the foreclosure OF the mort.
gage by George e. Ross-Lewis as
trustee, and the sale by him to Harry
c. Matt of the New Mexico portion of
the sangre de Cristo grant to Thomas
Keeley, was in all respects valid and
legal, and that the allegations OF the
second amended answer are true.
Defendants Get Title.
That both of said titles and all of
the titles and claims of all the defend
ants have heretofore legally passed
to and are held and owned by the de-
fendant, the COstilla Land and Invest
ment Company, and that 1t and It's
predecessors in title have been in the
exclusive, actual and undisputed pos
session Of the New Mexico portion OF
the Sangre de Cristo grant, under and
by virtue of the confirmation of the IT,
tie Of same by act of the Congress of
the United States Of America, and
have paid all Of the taxes legally as
sessed against the same for forty
years last past, and have held the
same under and by virtue Of letters of
patent Of the United States Of Ameri-
ca since December 20, 1880, and is now
the owner and In possession and enti-
tied to possession of the same and Of
each and every part and portion
thereof.
That the plaintiffs have not been in
open, notorious, actual and
and exclusive possession OF
said land or any part or
portion thereof as tenants in common,