The Orphan Railroad and the Ram's Horn Right of Way

Abstract

"The Act of Congress granting to the Northern Pacific Railroad Company all odd numbered sections of public lands within a strip forty miles wide co-terminus with the road to be built in Territories of the United States, was a floating grant, that is to say, the lines of the road had to be definitely located before the granted sections could be identified. The Charter of the company, as amended, authorized construction of two lines in Washington Territory; one called the Main Line was to be via, the valley of the Columbia River to a terminus on Puget Sound and the other, called the Branch was to diverge from the Main Line and extend across the Cascade Mountains to the same terminus."