The Fight for Public Land
Seattle activists organize to challenge the Northern Pacific Railroad's control over vast swaths of Washington Territory.
At a meeting of the Committee of Safety, held at the office of Jacobs & Jenner, it was resolved: That the people in each county ought to meet and by resolution declare in favor of the restoration of the unearned lands withdrawn in favor of the Northern Pacific Railroad to the public domain, so that the same may be opened to settlement under the pre-emption and homestead laws of the United States. We would respectfully ask the citizens of every county, town, city or community to act in one of the modes indicated above, and to act promptly. Earnest, determined and prompt action is needed.
“Earnest, determined and prompt action is needed.”
This reflects a classic Pacific Northwest struggle: the battle between local settlers wanting to homestead and the massive railroad conglomerates that the government effectively subsidized with 'unearned' land grants. It echoes modern concerns about corporate land ownership vs. public access.
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