A Massive Land Grab Stalled: Seattle’s Northern Pacific Victory

The people of Oregon and Washington territory are to be congratulated on the prospect that a land grant, embracing 250,000 acres, heretofore claimed by the Northern Pacific Company, is likely to be restored to the public domain and thrown open to settlement at the Government price. The company had been claiming the grant under a joint resolution of Congress passed in 1870, but in none of the acts conferring land grants upon the line is there any mention of this grant. It was to have been understood that the road—which runs from Portland to Tacoma—was to be built without a grant, though the Northern Pacific people did claim it. A closer scrutiny of the law puts a new face on matters, and the alleged land grant is now cancelled. The value of the land thus saved to the people is said to be $125,000,000. President Harris of the Northern Pacific declares that the Commissioner had neither law nor reason for his decision, and that he will appeal. But it is but just to say that it is not likely the decision will be reversed; the fashion of confirming doubtful land grants has gone out.