The Placer herald., 1872-01-06
TIDE LANDS.


These lands-the lands of the State by
virtue of her soveregnty-have been bone
of contention nearly ever since the formation
of the State government. Session after ses-
sion the Legislature has been mportuned by
lobbyists and capitalists to give them away
TO such a degree did this annoyance become
that on the 30th day of March, 1868, the
Legislature passed law establishing Board
Of Tide Land Commissioners to dispose of
the salt marsh and tide lands in and around
the bay Of San Francisco. Upon the COM
pletion Of these sales the State will have
derived about 81 ,0000 600. 1t would have
Lccn well if this law had extended further
and applied to all the salt marsh and tide
lands of the State, but unfortunately it was
not.
We are led to these remarks by noticing
that on the 18th of December, bill, No.
10, was introduced in the State Senate, " to
egalize, ratify, and confirm deeds of con-
veyancc and grants of land made by the
municipal authorities of the city Of San
DIEGO" And also, on the 14th ult. another
bill was introduced which not only cedes the
tide lands but extends the grant into the bay
to twelve feet of water, Or near ships chan
mel. The object of these is to give the tide
and submerged lands to the city, in order to
confirm the acts of the trustees, who have
long since decided away these lands, although
the property Of the State, and to which San
Diego has not, nor ever had, the shadow OF
a title. The State, under the law of 1868,
has sold large portion Of these tide lands,
and received its money for the same, from
bona file applicants, and who are citizens OF
the city and county of San Diego.
There is a history behind these bills which
should be understood, and members of the
Legislature placed on their guard in relation
to the matter. The San Diego Pueblo is
the only one, Of all the Pueblos of California
that received more than four square leagues
of land; and this was all that San Diegt
was legally entitled to, but by some mad
vertencc on the part Of the United States
District Attorney the appeal in the case was
dismissed, and the city, or pueblo authorities
got confirmed eleven square leagues, making
about 48 900 acres of land. A splendid
domain for any city, truly. But through
legislation and Hberal acts of the trustees i
has been fritted away, and nothing is nov
left to show for this magnificent grant excep
about 200 acres of city plaza; and it il
said that the trustees have, or wish to, decC
half of this away, and would like to have
bill introduced in the present Legislature con
frming the act. If 50, the scheme should
The pueblo's $4,000 acres having van
ished, there is now nothing left for the trus
tees to so after but the State lands in thu
bay, and if these two bills pass, then thu
lands pass Immediately into the hands o
Taggart & Howard, the trustees havin,
given them deeds for the same a long tint
since. These trustees even went step be
yond this. They decided property, on wha
is known as the Island" opposite to thu
city, to the same firm for legal services
Now this "lsland " property is Mexical
grant, and has been confirmed to Messrs
Peachy, Billings and AspinwalI And ye
these bills now before the Legislature woulC
put a cloud on the title of these gentlemen
to satisfy the rapaciy of "ring" at Sar
Diego. Private property or State land.
should not be disposed of in this way There
is no reason or law for it. We do not be-
lieve the Legislature will countenance it, ant
if so we hope Gov. Booth will put his veto
on it,