Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 3.djvu/302

 -Generals, the conflicting decisions of the courts, the supplementary legislation of Congress and the Iowa Legislature and all other official acts concerning this grant.

The report is accompanied by a detailed statement of the names of all of the claimants, dates of entry, description of the land, number of acres, to whom patented, where recorded, amount paid the government, date of payment, the purchaser of the paramount title, the present holder of the title, the present value of each tract of land, the amount paid by each settler who had purchased the title the second time from the River Land Company or any of its grantees, with remarks in each case showing other facts of interest.

Mr. Berner found the aggregate value of all of the lands where title had failed in consequence of the decisions of the highest courts, under which the settlers were dispossessed of their homes, to be $387,232.64.

Congress at last began to realize the enormity of the wrongs inflicted upon the innocent settlers on the Des Moines River lands, and on the 19th of August, 1894, made the first appropriation to be applied towards in some degree indemnifying the survivors and heirs of those who wore out their lives in vainly waiting for justice. This appropriation amounted to $200,000. As the examination of claims proceeded, it soon became evident that nearly as much more would be required to meet the payment of the just dues to which the settlers were entitled. On the 1st of July, 1898, $25,000 additional was appropriated; and on the 3d of March, 1899, another appropriation of $150,000 was made, making a total of $375,000.

Of this amount there had been paid to the settlers, up to the close of the year 1900, $183,854.07, leaving a balance of the appropriation of $191,145.93 still to be paid as the claims are adjusted and reported by the Commissioner to the Secretary of the Interior.