Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-11-06
Nreddlinr with Titles.

Lstale IN UfahL county IS Iuileu through
very imperfect titlesg
Is it generally known that private en-
terprise is now on foot to procure an abb
siract of title to each piece of land in the
County1
Would such private enterprise Seem to
forebode to the public good or eyl-benev-
olence or doubt?
fits object is either dangerous or doubt
flll, and an abstract is actually demanded,
how could such be prepared with safety to
those whose titles are imperfect?
Please answer the above questions, or
refer them to the public for rejection.
Lancaster, Nov. A, 1861. QUIZ.
REMARKs.--We are glad that "Quiz"
gives The above timely notice, publicly. as
people may be in the dark as TO the real
designs Of those who think of this great
work.
For some years there has been design
TO investigate the titles Of the land proper
ty Of Grant County, and make out what is
SotiiCd XII -looG NCS ~ a GteDs VI JUN
showing at a glance the condition of every
piece Of land property in the county. ut
first thought such work might appear
valuable, or even work Of public charity.
But who is to pay for getting up such a
work requiring two to five years Of close in
dustry by one or more first rate clerks {?
We answer, the income arising from the
fees charged for consulting these abstract
records cannot pay for the work, much less
for keeping open separate consultation Of
| flee, with clerk, rents, fires, &c. The en-
tire annual income Of the County Register
for hunting up and making abstracts Of Ii
ties does not now and never did amount to
5000. The owner of abstract books can
not charge more than the law allows Reg
listers Of deeds for huntingup titles. Then
where are the income and profits necessary
to pay for the abstract records and clerk
hir. to come from? We can think Of but
one general source of revenue worth the
attention of operators-the monstrous list
of defective titles which must be discovered
one by one while the process Of making
abstract books is going on. Hundreds,
perhaps thousands Of lots and farms, own
ed and occupied by people who now dream
of titles as secure as st. Paul's title to
spot in heaven, and whose titles Will be per-
feet if left alone few years longer, will be
discovered 10 be defective. 1t is known
that unmolested possession and the pay
ment Of taxes for twenty years gives good
title to land. Well, the twenty year pos
session and tax-paying process is perfecting
titles all the while; and what is wanted is
10 leave such title perfecting process to work
along and eventually make good these hun
dleds or thousands of defective titles which
the abstract title men are about TO search
for and appropriate to themselves, in a
manner which we are about to describe:
When bad title is discovered, the dscoy-
erer finds out of course the name of real
owner; then he manages to find where
such real owner lives; then offers him
triAipg fee for quit claim deed under tie
pretense that present occupant of land
wants such deed to perfect title, or some
other pretense. Then follows litigation on
suits of ejectment to turn out Of house and
home the man who has paid full value for
his homestead and never dreams Of any
thing but good title. Court after court
brings about few such suits here and there
through the county, not many at time,
for too many such suits might drive people
to rebellion, as almost happened a few
years since when Miller's Court let fly too
many ejectment suits at time. A thou
sand ways to eject people from their dearly
bought lands may be correctly surmised as
: result Of this meddling with titles; spec
ulation in unimproyed lands is done with
for years; now, only improved lands Nse
sought for---these without paying for them
and the old spectators are ready TO open
out their batteries against the holders Of
improvements through this title abstract
operation--frst, investigate how every
mans business stands, and if defective, up
and at him with ejectment suits.
Some years ago the Grant County
Board Of Supervisors foolishly appropriate
ed room in the court house for this alb
stract business, to cut the Threats, in pccu-
MARY sense, Of themselves and the people
Judge McGonigal, then Register Of Deeds,
was then applied to for liberty to use the
records, but seeing things as We have des-
cribed them he refused, affirming that moth
ing short Of a compulsory act Of the legis-
lature would ever force the books from his
hands for such purpose. Afterwards J..
L. Evans refused in like manner, saying