The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1907-06-22

NJ ASO< OOesC I<Sssse Os0sHes
Bentley, La, June Is, 1907.
Editor Collar Chronicle:
This writer believes u great injustice
has been done the people of this State
by some parties, and the wrong
should be righted in some way. We
understand that some fifty years ago
a land grant was made to company
and a charter granted for a railroad
through the hill country. This road
was to run east and west, or little
south of cast and north of west. 1t
goes without saying this road was
never built. Some twenty-five years
later there was u railrond 1.-THE +. 4
P) built; and some smart people
worked up a deal between the N. O. p.
and the I. r., and the :. p. seems to
have been divided. There was an
Act tabled the ''Compromise Act;"
the grant was extended ten miles fur
Their, with the understanding all
lands patented to the N. O.. p. was
to be vacated and subject to home
stead. This, however, has not been
done. Under the compromise act of
1882 We fiud the railroad came out
victOri0us--not only gained the Origi-
nal giant which had been forfeited ON
account Of the N. o. p. railroad not
ha wing been built. but they were
granted all the odd sections ten miles
each way to cover lands settled on
by the people.
We would like to ask you, Mr..
Editor, have you known Of single
man winning his home and getting u
patent where he did not ke CON-
promise get it? II not, why not?
The law says they shall have it, and
they have not been allie tO get it
cleared up. What il the matter?
This writer believes justice should be
done to all men. and the only way
to do it in this case is for the govern
ment to take action. In some cases
decisions have been in favor Of the
settlers for some ten or twelve years
past by the u. :. land commissioners
In this case the parties claiming the
land under the land grant patent APP
peal case, and then wait for the get
tier to die or move OF. This will give
the railroad company clear title,
and by putting of action they ex-
pect to win ont. Is it possible our
people will permit fraud To be work
I'll on them in this manner? Have
we any good men that will come fur-
ward and speak ont aud awaken the
people, tell them what has been done
and how they can act To secure their
homes? Some Of them, old men and
women, have been horn and raised on
the land claimed under this land grant
to road that was never built.
Would it be right to have an act
passed through our Legislature and
enacted into law, giving thu parties
the right to dunl,,grs where they have
been deprived of their homes by this
railroad company? In other words,
make law that will enable the peo-
pie to get back a pnrt Of what has
been uujustly taken from them. /
will not say how this land grant COM
promise was made, however, / am
thinking how could our people vote
for a man for governor that ca used
the act to be passed. FARMER.
~ at7aroar f~;en,1 ,.,,or. -,
dar : nnmher af errors sIscrt th;s
aRackhona land GSns" shons
which the files Of the Chronicle
will show we wrote MANY columns
from twelve to twenty wears AGO.
Gov Blanchard never came on the
scene until Is wears after the act
was passed and had nothing to do
with it's passage. The so@called
Robertson. blanchard compromise
with which he had to do. IS the on.
" effort ever made to protect
settlers and seems to have been
tbo hast tbot could 10 aoro rrda~