East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1908-04-29
MONDELL TELLS
OF OREGON GRANT
WYOMING CONGRESSMAN
LAYS FACTS BARE
Provisions Of Southern Grant I'm Ore
gon Were Not Observed Rigldly by
the Railroad Company-Milltary
Roads Not Constructed Across
State Of Oregon in Return for Rich
Empire Included In Grant.

Congressman Mondell OF Wyoming
while discussing the Southern Pa
cific land grant of oregon In congress
a few days ago, gave the following
brief and comprehensive review of
that grant which the East Oregonian
believes is worth reproducing. Mr..
Mondell said:
In 1866 a grant OF some land was
made by congress to aid In the con-
struction of a railroad from Portland
Ore, to a connection with the Central
Pacific road In California. BY rea-
son OF noncompliance with the terms
Of the grant 1t became necessary for
congress two years later to provide
for an extension OF the grant, and
again the conditions Of the grant not
having been fulfilled, a further ex.
tension OF the grant was had in the
year 1869, and at that time an
amendment was made to the original
grant, which amendment forms the
basis OF the action now proposed, and
1t is, therefore, exceedingly import
ant. That amendment was as fol-
lows:
That the lands granted by the act
aforesaid shall be sold to actual set
tiers only In quantities not greater
than one-quarter section to one pur-
chaser and for price not exceeding
$3.50 per acre.
Before l discuss the question OF the
manner In which the railroad COM
pany proceeded to dispose OF the
grant l desire TO call attention to the
fact that the resolution also treats OF
another and smaller grant made In
aid OF a railway from Portland TO AS
toria and McMinnville. in Oregon,
and also n grant made to the state
OF oregon to aid in the construction
OF a military road from Coos bay on
the coast: to the town OF Roseburg.
The grant to which became the Cali
fornia and oregon Railway amounted
approximately to 100000 acres, in
cluding the small amount which was
included in the McMlnnville grant.
The grant in aid of the military road
amounted to about 100000 acres.
Mr.. Speaker, these roads were not
constructed In accordance with the
terms Of the grant, but congress waiv.
ing the right OF forfeiture for failure
TO construct within the time limit fix
ed In the grant and the roads having
finally been completed, the interior
department began to patent the land
to the railroad company.
For n time the lands were sold in
substantial compliance with the con-
ditions OF the grant-that is, they
were sold to persons claiming to be |
settlers In tracts not to exceed 100
acres and for not more than $3.50 an |
scre. approximately 127,0e0 acres
were so sold in substantial compliance
with the terms OF the grant.
There came to- be, some years af-
ter the grant was made, something
OF demand for the lands on the part
or those who desired larger areas
than $50 acres, and the companies
holding the grants began to sell their
lands in larger areas than 100 acres
and at a price in excess OF $3.50 an
acre.
, The Oregon and California COM
pany and its successors in interest
continued this policy OF selling the
lands In larger areas and for a high
er price and entirely ignored the pro-
vision requiring the land to be sold
to actual settlers.
SO 1t came about that there was
eventually sold of the Oregon and
grant OF nearly 5000. 900
acres approximately 100000 acres in
violation of all the conditions OF the
grant.