The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-04-04
NO 2.
Titles by which Land is held in Pennsy

lVanla.
There is scarcely one person out of FIVE
hundred, owners of land in Pennsylvania,
whose broad acres are the envy of their
| poorer neighbors, and whose productive
farms are the sure foundations of nation
al wealth-there is scarcely one out os
every five hundred who has ever taken
the trouble to ascertain whether his title
to his estates is valid. The prevailing
idea that peaceable possession for twenty
years renders every title to real estate
valid and good is, of course, sound, so far
as individual claims against such property
are concerned. But it must be borne in
mind that the original ownership of the
lands in Pennsylvania dated frem the cre-
alton of the colony, and was transmitted to
the Commonwealth whose claims are not
controlled by limitation, and debts owing to
which can never die out. The Surveyor
General of Pennsylvania is now engaged
In the performance of curious duty, the
result Of which will be to startle many an
owner of farm, who has been dreaming
that his title to his real estate is without
a flaw. The records show, moreover, that
there are thousands and tens of thousands
of acres Of land in Pennsylvania, upon
which the State has claim backstanding
as far as 1880, and upwards, which claim
has been enlarging in amount from year
to year, by the interest accruing thereon.
In 1864, an act was passed authorizing
the Surveyor General to make lists Of all
lands held by locations, or any other Of
fee right issued from the Land Depart
ment Of every description, the holders of
which possess no patents. 1t is in obedi-
ence to this act that the Surveyor Gene
raj is now pushing forward with great vi
gor the work of making out the lists of
all such lands. 1t, therefore, becomes
very important for every owner of real es-
tate in Pennsylvania at once to ascertain
whether his land has been patented, and
whether there are any baekstanding dues
against such in the land office The Law Of
1864 requires the amount due on uupat-
ented lands only to be made out and enter
ed up. 1t is now proposed to pass another
law, covering cases where money is due
on patented lands, where a patent has
been issued and a mortgage or lien been
executed to the Governor for the use Of
pthe Commonwealth. Many acres have
been taken possession Of, improved, and
held without even the formality of an ap-
piication, warrant, or survery. 1t is the
purpose of the Legislature at once to pro-
vide the legal means for enforcing the
claims of the State against such territory.
Altogether-and we have barely hint
ed at this subject-the work on which
the Surveyor General is engaged is of tho
Surveyor General Campbell are fully a.
ware Of his strict and stern business hab-
its. He is resolved, without creating un-
due alarm or imposing unjust hardships
on any class of our fellow citizens, to push
all these claims ofthe Commonwealth to
prompt collection. In this the Surveyor
General will be sustained by Attorny Gen.
eral Brewster. 1t is time that the State re-
ceives the benefit of what is due the Treas
ury. Our expenses of late years have
been enormous. Taxation has borne
heavily upon the productive labor of the
Commonwealth, and to create revenue for
the State it has been necessary to demand
even portion of the earnings of those
who must toll and sweat for bread. When
it is remembered there are millions of
dollars due the State, as honest debts,
from parties9ble to pay, it seems like
unjustifable harshness to levy heavy tax
alton until at least fair effort is made to
collect this indebtedness.
We repeat cur admonition 10 the land
holders Of Pennsylvania, whose duty it is
at once to trace back the titles to their es-
tates aud see that all is right from the
q VI
too, that our cotemporaries throughout
the Commonwealth will give this subject
some attention by at once urging those
interested to make the necessary research
into the validity of their deeds. Prompt
action may stave off litigation, and save.
she expense of Office fees, for notifiactions,
&c.-Harrisburg Telegraph