Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-21
Complaint Alleges Southern
Pacific Took Grant from the
United States Containing
Minerals Valued at Large Sum
MANY OIL OPERATORS
DEFENDANTS IN CASE
Fraud Charged in ConceaIing
Values and Character Of
HoldIngsi 100000 Acres In
volved in Claim.


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! INV N.r,,,v ,,,,.., sn,, - .r
Los Angeles. Dee. a0.--Thc com-
plant IN the long expected suit by the
federal government against the south
crn Pacific railroad involving title to
$2h0, ,000.0 900 worth of supposedly min
cral bearing land In Fresno comfy.
was filed here today In the United
States district court for the southern
district OF California. other suits are
to follow. In which the government
win contest the ownership OF n total
OF $3.50, 600, 900 worth of lands ac-
cording to B. q. Townsend. special as-
sistant to the attorney general. who
arrived here tonight. Mr. Townsend.
with r. j. Butler, also n special as
sistcnt will prosecute the suit.
The latter filed Tho COMPLAINT. The
suit is brought under the provisions
of the act of congress. passed July
"a, 1865. requiring the department. OF
the interior TO exempt mineral bear
Ing lands In issuing patents TO rail-
roads. The government will contend
that of 440. 800 acres of land on the
main line OF the southern Pacific rail-
road In california. 45.726 are mineral
hearing and most revert to the public
domain.
The land Is for the most part in the
coal oil field and under the lease OF
the Kern Trading & OH Co. subsi-
diary corporation Of the southern Pa
cific and a joint defendant In the suit
with many other oil companies and
individuals. In addition to the min
eral lands specified, the complaint re-
cited thates 2p00 acres of mineral land
ALREADY has been sold hy the railroad.
The following Is the list Of defen-
dants,
The southern Pacific Railroad Com
pany. the Kern Tradln. a oil Co.,
the Associated l,ailruad Company. the
southern Pacific Land Company, the
Central Trust Company Of New York,
Homer s. King. the st. Paul Consoli-
dated on Company the Zier oil Com
pany. the Coalngn on & Gas Co.. the
Guthrey oil Company, the Confidence
OH company. the Associated pipe
line rompnny. the section Seven oil
(,ompany G. II. IredcIl |. L. Briner,
uliua Fried +. I. Vincent. G.. E. shore,
o. q MYERS. W. s. Porter o. Scrlbner,
r, A Murdoch. George w. C. Baker,
~ ~ Machem. Al. L. Wcy and NJ.
Madison.
An the codefcndants are alleged by
the government to be leasers of the
southern Pacific land and participa-
tors In the profits from their mineral
Weld. The contested patent by which
The railroad was given title to the
ands. is recorded as patent No. 22
md was issued July 10, S94.
The patent was accepted, says the
compliant, with fun acquiescence IN
he statutory exception of mineral
)enring land mot including coal anu
ron lands"
During the last three years, .ho
alleges. TINS plhintitt mas
,scertnined that of me iahos oes-
rihed In SAID patent NO. ~ upproA
natcly i5.726 acres, are vaiuapie nhin
raj lands. tother tfnn co"l anu hon
ands) ana contained ri'h "epos'''
commercially paying auah'i'ies
.old, silver. copper einaoar' p'u
cum. asphaltum, borax' gypsum anu
ther Nalu"h'' h''h'r"'N anu ~, W." -.
NV" :" ,'.,,. "a ,eoA s,hiact 10
upseHu'il' 20 'u's -, ios. tha
nlher', io',','o'' ~, ,r,s,.aa c.atas
lfnei"i iah" Jaws u, Wy 49,. nart
ffauoui'"' p'"N' .ant
I ''e ''''' '''" 90 s,,,e..,,.
re emu seu "e 'oo ~, .oora. ,nd
IN ""u'''o" -, 20 aid
'" "u'''"' ,e,'' '''i s..,,,,,a, connanv
ouih''" r"o'''e '''u ., ,nduc-
hu us oii''o's "''e 20, ,a,arts and
" .ho 'ssu'''' -, -, ~ said
ne in''u"'ns y, Wv. - .,a secret
hneiai ,.'"u' ana ,ntent OF
''u i."u""' ', paa,s,, railroad Conn