The Minneapolis Teachers' Land Grab
A group of Minnesota teachers lost their timber and stone land claims in Washington after the government deemed them speculative ventures.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Eleven of the Minneapolis school teachers who made timber and stone entries in the state of Washington will lose their land, because it is within the indemnity limit of the grant of the Northern Pacific Railroad. This announcement was made at the general land office today, upon receipt of information from the local officers in Wenatchee after an examination of the tract books. Among department officials there is a belief that these entries were all made for speculative purposes, which is contrary to the law, and a careful examination will be made into the good faith of the purchasers before the land is finally alienated from the government.
“Among department officials there is a belief that these entries were all made for speculative purposes, which is contrary to the law.”
The tension between public land access and corporate railroad grants was a major economic driver in Washington State history. This story highlights the clash between individual land-seekers and the vast, often monopolistic control exerted by the Northern Pacific Railroad, a struggle that defined the geography of the Northwest.
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