Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-01-07
/ EAST TENNESSEE.
The Mysteries and Iniqudes Of
Titles 70 Mountain Lands.
swindling surveyors Titles 10
Ovcr2, 0OO, 900, Acres in nCoun-
W Continuing Only $4,000
pennsylvania Land SInrks---A
strip Of Land Covered Over with
Titles Eight Deep.

WV o"AS u NtduciSlo VI OuI mUuuldlU
lands. Many inquiries are being made
from persons residing in the Northern
States and IN the Canadas in reference to
these lands. have bad in my possession
copies Of maps which gave glowing DIES.
criptions Of such property also abstracts
Of titles which were properly authentica.
ted and bore the seal of the county in
which the lands were supposed to be 10.
Gated. These buyers in consequence of
these maps and authenticated abstracts
of title, have been misied. The officials
who signed these abstracts and attached
the official seal of the county, though, |
presume, they had no authority more
than to report the mere fact as stated in
their books.
The character Of our lad law in refers
ence to entry and survey, are very lame,
and no one, not even the State can be
held responsible for this wholesale issuance
Of grants.
From the entry down to the time
tn, Governor puts his signature to
the grant,n no responsibility whatever char.
acterizes the different firms through which
the title passes.
If the county surveyors hal been hons
est men and good citizens, they could
have prevented a grea: deal of these
frauds, which are now coming home to
us. In fact they are the responsible
parties, and should be held as such, and
were the laws more stringent we would
probably be able to have more efficient
and reliable county surveyors. Many of
them, if the laws were properly executed,
would to-day be in the penitentiary.
Between the years 1886 end 1910, the
larger portion of our vacant lends were
taken ur, and grants issued-au1 these
were Issued upon sworn certificates from
county surveyors, and it is we'll known,
by those who have had the trouble in
looking up these claims, that many of the
surveys were never practically made, and
that the same surveyor, in the same
month, and in some cases, on the same
day, recorded upon his books surveys that
over.apped each other, thus showing that
he was abomination and a swindler. Why
this has been permitted to go on III this
way so long is hard to conjecture.
Prior to the year 1872, there had been
granted in one Of our mountain counties
over 1900. 900 acres, and since that time
little more than one.half million has
been granted, making a total of over q
100000 acres granted, in county that
can only contain within its boundaries,all
told, $4,000 acres. This is a pretty
good showing for one county, providing
tho whole amount pays taxes. This does
not pertain to one county alone but there
are many others that have been en-
tered three and four times the amount
contained within their respective boun>
diaries,
Not many years ago quite a number of
sharks came here from Pittsburg, Pa.
and preyed upon the honesty of mountain
officials, and they fell dupes to the wiley
snars of these land grabbers, and, of course
through their assistance, were enabled to
enter and receive grants for thousands of
acres, which are now being hawked over
the world at net less than So per acre.
They have beautiful colored maps, &C.
companied with properly authenticated
abstracts of titles, which show that the
property emanatcd from the State, and
the records of the county show regular
and proper transfers, signed and sealed
by county officials.
One gentleman, whether a dupc or one
Of the clan, made inquiries not long since
in reference to nineteen FIVE thousand
acre grants, which bore the date of 1872.
The title on paper was all right, but upon
the ground it failed to 'pan OUT
Another Instance: A man from one of
the border Southern States had taken a
drove Of horses to the New York market,
and they being q dull sale, he exchanged
them for a second mortgage bond on
Brooklyn property, and Afterwards
exchanged the same for a FIRST mort,
gage on mountain lands in Tennessee,
Before leaving our city he came to the
conclusion that the second mortgage
would have been the better investment.
There are masy estates that have loaned
money upon the titles. Widows and
orphans are thus d~efraaded ont Of what
probably constituted their support.
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