Few of
the squatters had taken the trouble to perfect even these easy titles,
merely holding "possession" for agricultural or domiciliary purposes,
and subject only to the invasion of "jumpers," a class of adventurers
who, in the abeyance of recognized legal title, "jumped" or forcibly
seized such portions of a squatter's domains as were not protected by
fencing or superior force. It was therefore with some excitement that
Indian Spring received the news that a Mexican grant of three square
leagues, which covered the whole district, had been lately confirmed by
the Government, and that action would be taken to recover possession. It
was understood that it would not affect the adverse possessions held
by the town under the mining laws, but it would compel the adjacent
squatters like McKinstry, Davis, Masters, and Filgee, and jumpers like
the Harrisons, to buy the legal title, or defend a slow but
losing lawsuit. The holders of the grant--rich capitalists of San
Francisco--were open to compromise to those in actual possession, and
in the benefits of this compromise the unscrupulous "jumper," who had
neither sown nor reaped, but simply dispossessed the squatter who had
done both, shared equally with him.
Pages:
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149