Santa Fe Pacific R. Co. v. Work, 267 U.S. 511 (1925)

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Santa Fe Pacific Railroad Company v. Work

No. 302

Argued March 18, 19, 1925
Decided April 13, 1925
267 U.S. 511

APPEAL FROM THE COURT OF APPEALS

OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Syllabus

1. The construction of a law of the United States was "drawn in question by the defendant" within the meaning of § 250, par. 6 of the Judicial Code permitting appeals to this Court from the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia where the Secretary of the Interior, as defendant, secured the dismissal of plaintiff’s bill upon the ground that the lieu land selection in controversy was not permitted by an Act of Congress. P. 515.

2. Under the Act of June 22, 1874, providing that railroads may relinquish lands appertaining to their land grants which are found in possession of actual settlers, etc., and select an equal quantity of other lands in lieu thereof from any of the public lands "not mineral" within the limits of the grant, not otherwise appropriated at the date of selection, "to which they shall receive title the same as though originally granted," a railroad company is not entitled to lieu-select coal land even though coal and iron lands are not excluded from its land grant, but are declared therein not to fall within the term "mineral." P. 516.

54 App.D.C. 161; 295 id. 982, affirmed.

Appeal from a decree of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia which affirmed a decree of the Supreme Court of the District, dismissing a bill to restrain the Secretary of the Interior from cancelling a railroad lieu selection.