The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1914-02-14
Homesteaders to Get Titles
Compromise in Famous Equity Suit No. 16--Goulds Are
to Make Direct Title to Settlers, and the Timber,
Cut and Uncut, is to be Paid FOr---Details
of the Agreement as Approved.

United States District Attorney VI.
w. Jack returned Feb. a from Wash
ington, where he went on official busi-
ness in connection with the proposition
from the Gould heirs for compromise
of Equity Suit No. 16 insofar as it af-
fects the tracts of land owned by the
Goulds.
This proposition for compromise by
the Goulds has been pending for sew
eral years, but it is only in the last few
weeks that the settlers have agreed to
the sett lement proposed.
Suit No. l6 is suit on the part OF
the government filed some years ago,
to cancel patents to about $50 tracts OF
land included in the New Orleans Paci-
fic Railroad grant. which tracts, it is
claimed, were enormously included in
the patents to the railway company,
they having at the time of the definite
location of the road been occupied by
actual settlers and excluded from the
grant by act of Congress.
When asked what had been done, Mr..
Jack said:
Attorneys for the Gould heirs, Mes
sers Hudson, Potts and Bernstein, and
various settlers had agr. ed On terms OF
compromise which were submitted with
written request of the settlers concern
ed that the government compromise
the suit insofar as it affected the tracts
claimed by them, in accordance with
the terms agreed on. 1t was this pro-
position, involving these tracts, which
was taken up with the Department OF
Justice by Messrs. Hudson, Potts and
Bernstein and myself. The PROPOSE
tons, as submitted by the Gould heirs
and approved by the settlers, were not
accepted by the department, but COM
promise was finally agreed on terms
much more advantageous to the set
lers.
..All of the settlers get their lands,
and where the Goulds reserve any part
of the timber, a cash consideration is
to be paid to the settler, and until the
timber is cut the Goulds will after the
third year, pay taxes on the land OF
which the timber stands until it is finally
cut.
ssThe amount of cash payment is de-
termined by the quality and quantity Of
the timber reserved by the Goulds
There were eleven tracts on which tbs
timber had been cut years ago, and OF
which there is now second growth
These tracts the Goulds agree to con
vey to the settlers, and where the tim
Der was cut by the Goulds or their as
signs, to make a cash payment. II
some instances the timber was cut b!
the settlers themselves, and sold to thu
mills.
Instead of having judgment entere'
canceling the patents-in which cas-
the settlers would have to comply witt
the homestead laws in order to get tn
land-the suit as to the Gould tract
will be dismissed, thus confirming thei
titles and they will make deed direct +
the settlers. 1t will take some tim
for all of the Gould heirs to be commu
picated with and deeds obtained
When this is done, however, the deed
with checks payable to the settlers wi
be handed to me, and will turn sam
over to the settlers. Thus the settler
will get an immediate title.
LAS the proposed cash payments hav
been increased in amount and the term
of compromise made much more favor
able to the settlers by the agreemer
authorized by the Department of Jus
tice. feel sure that the settlers wi
be very agreeably surprised and graf
fed.
"A number of tracts have alread
been eliminated through compromis
with the settlers, but there will
main still large number of tracts
suit No. Is, and as to these the litigs
ton will proceed with dispatch.
81 have just recently heen instruc
ed to take charge of the litigation,
having for the last few years been
charge of special counsel appointed B
the government Progress had bee
made by the attorneys in getting II
necessary data and preparing the So
for trial, but we have not yet compi'
abstract of the lands, and find thu
prior to the institution of this suit I
the railroad company had sold lars
quantity of the lands to various Peep
who were not made parties defendal
to the suit. As soon as we have furnisl
ed the necessary information as to WI
are the parties claiming title und'
purchase from the railroad compar