The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-05-04
CHARLESTON LETTER
The morrill, Land Suit.
Oar Future Capital.
The Kanawha Valley.

Inc UnlUeu oUaO6S DlSeIlOV SOuAO AZ
the District of West Virginia is in ses
sion here, Judge Jackson presiding, ant
is now engaged in the heaviest land sui
that ever appeared on the records o
the State. 1t is the suit of the Hon. ex
Senator Morrill,, of Maine, as the repre-
sentative of the North American Lane
Company rS. Armstrong, ct al Larg
tracts of land, amounting to over 400,
900 acres, were granted to a few indl
viduals from the Commonwealth o
Virginia, as early as 1876, all of which
was located west of the mountains. Ii
1895 the North American Land Compa
nv was organized in Philadelphia, will
Robert Morris as its President, int
which Association over 100000 acres
of land were put for disposal. One o
the tracts put into the company was
tract from Virginia to Albert Gallatir
and others, which had been patented
in l756, for 225,000 acres. Soon aftel
the formation of the company, they, by
their President, Robert Morris, transfer
red all the lands of their Association tC
three trustees, Thos. Willing, the Presi
dent of the Bank of the United States
John Nixon, President of the Bank ol
North America, and John Barclay
President of the Bank of Pennsylvania
This was in 1895. This transfer .tc
these three parties was in trust for the
benefit of the company; and, in the
event of the death or resignation
of either of them, the title was to vest
in the survivor. Thomas Willing re-
signed in 1896, year after he was ap'
pointed. John Nixon died in 1908, leav
ing John Barclay the remaining trustee
The latter dying in 1916, his heirs con
veyed these vast possessions to two
parties, Benjamin Dundess and James
Kugler, in trust for the benefit of the
company. The latter parties allowed
the lands to become forfeited to the
State in 1882; but in 1874, the Legsla
ture at Richmond passed an act fol
their relief, allowing them to redeem
the property by the payment of back
taxes. The taxes were paid, and the
State conveyed the property to Dundess
and Kugler, by special enactment, per.
fecting the title. In 1854, the property
was purchased by Governor Morrill,, of
Maine, and in 1857, he instituted suit
for its recovery, it having been claimed
and occupied by other parties since
1884.
Now to go back to the beginning of
the defence. After the grant to the
original patentees, spoken of above,
who were Albert Gallatin, Robert Nor
ris, James Greenleaf and John Nichol-
son, the Commonwealth granted q pat
ent to another party, one Hopkins, for
100000 acres; and, as the plaintiff
alleges, Hopkins in laying his warrant,
SO laid it as to cover some $4,000 acres
that had been covered by the grant to
the other party.
The present holders derive their title
from the Hopkins patent, though the
property has passed through third or
fourth hands. The suit at present is
only for a small tract, though it will de-
eide the ownership of some 50, 900 acres
lying mainly in the Mill Creek Valley,
in Jackson county. The land is valua-
BILE, and comprises some of the best
farms in the State, as well as some of the
finest mineral sections in the country,
it being all underlaid with coal and iron
ore.
Governor Morrill, is here, and is con-
lucting his suit in person, assisted by
the Democratic would-be Governor OF
Maine, Hon. +. +. Pillsbury, Judge
Camden, Judge Lee, Judge Edmonson
md Colonel Hoffman, the latter four
gentlemen being West Virginians. The
defence is conducted by Colonel Ben +.
smith, Colonel Parker and Hon. S. A..
Miller, also CT this State.
If the case is decided for the plaintiff,
t will unseat great many farmers who
nave been living in fancied security for
! third of century.
l understand that Governor Morrill,,
f successful, intends to commence de-
the natural resources of this
vast region as soon as practicable.
suppose you know that Charleston
was recently selected as the future cap
tai of the State, by the Legislature at
Wheeling,
Charleston is ssituated on the Kauawha
river, sixty miles above its mouth, and
two hundred and sixty miles above Gin
cinnati. 1t has some 1000 inhabitants,
and was originally laid off and bHilt up
regard to regularity, its streets
being narrow and crooked, and its "river
front" presenting a picturesque view, in
IN unbroken line of negro shanties,
filthy back-yards and kitchen slop-bar-
rels. But having been selected as the
Capital, it is beginning to look up-its
Council are actually threatening to
,traighten and widen the streets, and
there are some fears expressed that they
the miserable old row of shanties that
line the river with their back dsors.
The Kanawha river, one of the most
beautiful for natural scenery in the
world, is navigable for eighty five miles
from its mouth, all the year round. The
salt furnaces are in this vicinity, and
are by far the most extensive in the
western country. The salt interest, with
the Coalburg, Campbelps Greek and
Raymond City Coal Companies, form
the only considerable revenue the val
ley enjoys. The valley itself is beauti-
tul and fertile, and inclosed as it is on
both sides by high mountains, is most
picturesque, though wofully neglected
and behind the times. If the Kanawha
Valley, hedged in with its mountains of
evergreen, had been in Ohio, it would
nave resembled flower garden, from
the falls at the head of navigation to
It's mouth; but it is in Virginia, and that
makes difference.
tae people here are beginning to talk
ot Inc Chesapeake and Ohio railroad
though think if they should
uIappen to get road opened through
the hills to the sea, and an engine shopld
come Whistling down one of their ra.
niues, majority of the Inhabitants
YOU'D W. ia ke it for granted that il was
tne Angel Gabriel with his big horn.
enough a they would be too lazy to 90 ont
~, G. VS..
we learn that the land suit referred
to In the above letter has been decided
in favor ofthe plaintiff, MORRILL,. We
further understand that it is the purnoss
of the defendants to carry the case m ~
the Supreme Court of the United States
Should the plaintiff finally suecesd
large number of old settlers in jackson
county will lose their homes.-Ep. REG.