Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-06
How Congress Came to the Aid
of the Western Timber
GrafterS
GrafterS

timber corporations they job men,
and donkey engines.
National Capitol log rolling also part of the bust
the corporations There they do the job with
money, tools and donkey Congressman
Witness round unvarnished tale of facts:
Among railroad corporations which obtained grants of
public period of Congressional
rupon heving following the close of the Civil War
Oregon California Railroad Company with lines running
Portland through the fertile valleys and tmbered
hills Western Oregon corporation granted
million hundred sixty thousand and of that i'm
covered with the finest timber standing
on this continent.
provision grant peculiar it. The act of
Congress stipulated that the California Railroad Company
should sell lands ONLY TO ACTUAL SETTLERS IN
LOTS NOT TO EXCEED 100 ACRES TO EACH PURCHASER
AND AT PRICE NOT TO EXCEED TWO DOLLARS AND A
HALF AN ACRE.
The stipulation plain and The penalty for
lating forfeiture of the grant
The Oregon California Railroad
promptly proceeded to and violate the spuaon of the
grant segregated the land into lots of any that suited
convenience and sold these lots whatever prices could
obtain and the price always and frequently
twenty excess figure fixed by Con-
gress
In the year 1905 joint resolution of the Senate House
directed the Attorney General OF the United States bring suit
equity forfeit the titles of the railroad company and those
holding by purchase from the lands embraced the grant
The suit pressed to trial and the Government
August 90 1912 an Congress approved which
provides that individuals corporations claiming by purchase
Oregon California Railroad Company land
braced the original grant procure decree of final for
fixture and robtan title the land by paying dol
lars and half to the United States.
The usual verbiage and humaddde which distinguish
aHoy
with statute absent from the full text of this act but
the stated.
Having log rolled bill through Congress- the timber
grabbing corporations busy boy pre-
serving pantry peoning the Federal courts declare their ii
ties forfeited and then reganng title by paying to the Govern
ment $3.50 for their immensely valuable illegally
obtained tract OF timber One corporation alone the G. Smith
Lumber Company has just obtained this way the United
States District Court Portland possession of than 10000
of standing timber
the express Congress estab-
fishing the original grant that these timber lands should be sold
actual settlers only and lots
Because the railroad did sell these timber
thousands of timber corporations grant was
cared forfeited and having obtained forfeiture showing
the Government turns around and by virtue of the Act log roll
ed through Congress graters year ago
to the identical timber grabbers the identical public
timber lands in lots of the identical illegal size
So that, as the stands
The railroad keeps the money original
illegal sales.
The timber rabbers again have the immense
tracts they illegally got from the railroad.
The Government gets less than hirtieth
lands
The actual settlers the people get nothing
And listen again By virtue this act log rolled
IN the interest of the rabber the small owner
bought his 160ace parcel good paid the railroad
for it years ago. LOSES HIS LAND UNLESS HE GOES
THROUGH THE SAME PROCESS INVENTED BY THE TIM
Der GRADERS TO CINCH THEIR GRIP UPON THEIR IL
LEGALLY OBTAINED HOLDINGS.
He file stipulation forfeiture to the
Government and buy back his land from the
original price of $3.50
And matter whether he paid company So or
$50 for his land THE RAILROAD KEEPS THE MON
Ely HE PAID IT. and he pay Government the price
originally fixed by Congress in the grant railroad
In short the the United States having for