Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-27
SIZES TO RECOVER OIL LANDS.

THE government last Monday begar
It's long threatened suit against
the Southern Pacific railroad t
recover mineral bearing lands within
the grants made to the company by
the government but which were spe-
officially exempted from passing from
the government by reason of said
grants" Suit was begun by the filing
OF a complaint in Los Angeles, which
involves title to lands the estimated
value OF which is $25O,OO0.OOO. But
this is only a starter, as other suits
will follow at once, the sums involved
in which, with that just filed will be
about $75O,OO,OOO
The complaint charges that the s.
P, by series Of holding and locating
companies which, 1t alleges, are fraud
ulent is seeking to eyade the law, and
to hold lands clearly mineral bearing,
and as such no title could pass to the
Southern Pacific,
B. D. Townsend, special assistant to
the encouragement, with Y. j. But
ler also a special assistant. will pros
ecute the suit The latter filed tho
complaint.
The suit Is brought under the pro-
visions OF the act Of congress passed
July o. 1866, requiring the depart
ment Of the interior to exempt min
eral bearing lands in Issuing patents
to railroads. The government will
contend that Of $4,000 acres Of land,
on the main line Of the Southern Pa
ciflc railroad In California, i5,72G
acres are mineral bearing and must
revert TO the public domain, The land
is for the main part in the Coamga
oil field, and under lease to the Kean
Trading & OIL company a subsidiary
corporation Of the Southern Pacific,
and joint defendant in the suit with
many other oil companies and indyid-
uas In addition to the mineral land
specified, the complaint rectes, l2,-
OOO acres OF mineral bearing land had
been sold by the railroad The fol-
lowing Is the list Of defendants:
The Southern Pacific company, the
Southern Pacific Railroad company
the Kern Trading & oil company the
Associated oil company, the South
ern Pacific Land company, the Cen
tral Trust company Of New York,
Homer S. King, tho St. Paul Consoli-
dated oil company, the Zicr oil com
pany the Conlnga oil a Gas COM
pnny the Commercial Petroleum COM
pany the Aztec oil company the Guth
rlo OH company the Confidence OH
company the Associated Pipe Limo
company the Section Seven oil com.
pany c. H. lredolL L. l.. Brinor julius
Fried o Schrihncr c. A. Murdoch.
George W. G. Baker w. W, Machcn.
NJ IT, Woy and NJ Mosdcu
An the co-dorcudants are alleged
hy the government TO be- lessons uf
the Southern Pacific lands aud par
uclrators In the profits from their
mineral yield The contested patent
by which the railroad was given title
TO the nuds. les recorded as patent No.
22 and was issued July 10, 1894 THE
patent was accepted says the com-
plaiut with full acQuQicsccncc in the
statutory exception Of mineral bearing
lands, mot including coal and iron
lands
The complaint alleges that at the
time the patents were issued for these
lands the $ r. knew them TO be min
erol lands, and deliberately put up a
job TO acquire them traudulmtly II
also alleges a good many other things,
lar too many TO be enumerated here
That the suit will drag along for
years is at least probable I'm the
meanwhile the leasing companies and
the s p are taking ont millions OF
dollars worth OF oil annually enough
at least to employ a galaxy OF legal
stars TO put mp desperate battle.