RELIEF OF SETTLERS WITHIN THE GRANT TO THE NEW HEARING BEFORE A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE AN ACT FOR THE RELIEF OF SETTLERS WITHIN THE LIMITS ROUGE & VICKSBURG RAILROAD CO. JUNE 12 AND 13, 1914 ᏢᎪᎡᎢ 1 Printed for the use of the Committee on Public Lands WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1914 RELIEF OF SETTLERS WITHIN THE GRANT TO THE NEW ORLEANS, BATON ROUGE & VICKSBURG RAILROAD CO. FRIDAY, JUNE 12, 1914. SUBCOMMITTEE ON PUBLIC LANDS, Washington, D. C. The subcommittee met at 2 o'clock p. m. pursuant to the call of the chairman. Present: Senators Robinson (chairman), Ransdell, and Sterling. Present also: Hon. James B. Aswell, a Representative in Congress from the State of Louisiana; Mr. Robert P. Hunter; Mr. Charles F. Consaul, of Washington, D. C.; Mr. Frederick Gray Hudson, jr., of Monroe, La.; Mr. Mark Norris, Grand Rapids, Mich.; Mr. P. M. Fuqua, of Benton, La.; Mr. Henry Bernstein, of Monroe, La.; Mr. David H. Taylor, 161 Broadway, New York City; Mr. S. V. Proudfit, law clerk, General Land Office, Washington, D. C. The CHAIRMAN. The hearing is on H. R. 5890, entitled "An act for the relief of settlers within the limits of the grant to the New Orleans, Baton Rouge & Vicksburg Railroad Co.," by Mr. Aswell. (The bill is as follows:) AN ACT For the relief of settlers within the limits of the grant of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and hereby is, authorized and directed to immediately take up and resume the adjustment and adjudication of all rights and privileges relinquished, granted, conveyed, and confirmed to the New Orleans Pacific Railway Company, as the assignee of the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company, by the act of Congress approved February eighth, eighteen hundred and eightyseven, and entitled "An act to declare a forfeiture of lands granted to the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Vicksburg Railroad Company, to confirm title to certain lands, and for other purposes," subject to all the provisions and conditions therein contained for the protection of actual settlers, their heirs and assigns. SEC. 2. That on the application of persons to make entry in accordance with the provisions of the act aforesaid, the rights only of those who were actual settlers at the date of definite location, their heirs, or other persons to whom they may have assigned their possessory rights, prior to December first, nineteen hundred and thirteen, shall be given consideration as against the outstanding patent or patents to the New Orleans Pacific Railway Company. SEC. 3. That in determining rights asserted by or on behalf of actual settlers, their heirs or assigns, proof showing actual settlement at the date of definite location, and the existence of such settlement and occupancy at the present time, shall be deemed prima facie evidence of the continuity of the settlement claim. SEC. 4. That all claims adverse to the New Orleans Pacific Railway Company, or its successors in interest, which are not asserted as herein provided 5 |