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Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway Company, claims that the property in question is a part of the station grounds granted to its predecessor under the act of Congress of March 3, 1875 (18 Stat. at L. 482, chap. 152; U. S. Comp. St. §§ 4921-4926). And it is averred in the complaint that the several defendants are owners of certain lots in East Spring Brook, which lots “‘as platted encroach upon”’ a part of the strip of land to which plaintiff seeks to have title quieted in itself. The strip of land described in the complaint is located wholly within the N. W. 4 of the N. E. 4 of section 18, township 155, range 99. The defendants answered, denying the allegations of the complaint, and alleging a fee-simple title to the several lots through patent issued by the United States to one Philander Pollock, under whom they claim title. They further averred that they had been possessed of the premises under color of title, and had paid taxes thereon for a period of more than 10 years, and hence had become vested with title by virtue of § 5471, C. L. 1913; also that the plaintiff railway company has been guilty of such laches as to bar its right to maintain this action. The judgment in the trial court was in favor of the defendants, and the plaintiff has appealed and demanded a trial anew in this court. The conflicting claims arose as follows: The St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway Company was duly qualified under the act of Congress of March 3, 1875, to acquire a right of way and station grounds. In 1887 or prior thereto said railway company located and commenced the construction of a line of railway over the lands in controversy here, completing such construction in May, 1887. At that time the lands were unsurveyed. The Secretary of the Interior had approved the application of the railway company for the construction of such line of railway across the public domain, but a plat giving the definite location thereof was not filed in the local land office at Minot, N. D., until September 3, 1898. In the meantime the lands had been sur- veyed, and on the last-mentioned date said railway company filed in said local land office a plat, showing the railway as constructed, and an additional 20-acre tract, adjoining the right of way, located in sections 4 and 5, township 155 north, of range 99 west, said tract being designated on said plat as “Spring Brook.” Said plat was thereafter presented to the then Secretary of the Interior, and by him approved on July 10, 1899. For some years after the railroad was constructed and put into operation it maintained the station of Spring Brook at the place so designated in §§ 4 and 5. At a later time (the exact time does not