The Hood River Glacier, Hood River, OR., June 7, 1906, page 6

N.P. SETTLERS MAY TAKE LIEU LAND

     Settlers who have taken up the land in Klickitat county upon the old Northern Pacific grants, secured under conditions of building the branch line from Ainsworth to Tacoma and the main line from Wallula to Portland, will not be compelled to surrender their present holdings under the latest instructions from the acting commissioner transmitted to Register Gillis, says a Walla Walla dispatch.  The settlers are given the option of electing to retain the lands entered upon, or to surrender them and take lieu land instead.
     The overlap of the railroad grants and the subsequent rulings, reversals and supreme court decisions served to completely mix the titles and claims and the tangles have resulted in the new instructions, given as follows:
     “The land herein described are within the primary limits of the grant of the Northern Pacific Railroad company for the constructed branch line for its road between Ainsworth and Tacoma and was listed by the company on account of the grants July 27, 1887.  These lands are also within the withdrawal on general grants for the unconstructed main line between Wallula, Wash., and Portland under the forfeiture act of September 29, 1890, for the reason the listing therefore was canceled by letter “F” on June 23, 1893.
     “On April 25, 1905, the secretary of the interior issued instructions in this class of cases which are to the effect that in the adjustment of the grant to the said company within the overlap in question, the company must be credited for the full amount of the odd-numbered sections within the primary limits and such said sections as were disposed of under the former ruling that the company was entitled to a moiety of said lands and are to be listed for relenquishment by the company under the provisions of the company act of July 1, 1898.
     “Now, therefore, the homestead claims described, appearing to come within the provisions of the said act, you are hereby instructed to notify each entryman, or his transferee, if any, that he will be allowed 60 days after notice within which to elect to retain the land covered by his entry, or to relinquish the same and take other lands in lieu therefore in matter and formed prescribed by office circular of February 14, 1899, issued under said act, and that should he fail to file his formal election after due notice, such failure would be covered by his entry, in which event the lands will be listed for relinquishment by the company without further notice of the claimants.”