Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1875-01-01

Correspondence Of the Knoxville Chronicle.
Many Of your readers are not probably
aware Of the immense frauds being perpe-
trated upon strangers in reference to the
sale and transfers of our mountain lands.
Many inquiries are being made from per-
sons residing in the Northern States and in
the Canadas in reference to these lands.
have had in my possession copies Of maps
which gave glowing descriptions of such
property; also abstracts Of titles which were
properly authenticated and bore the seal
Of the county in which the lands were sup
posed TO be located. These buyers in con-
sequence of these maps and authenticated
abstracts of title, have been misled. The
officials who signed these abstracts and at
tached the official seal of the county,
thought, presume, they haG no authority
more than to report the mere fact as stated
in their books.
The character of our land law IN refer
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 the
Governor puts his signature to the grant,
no responsibility whatever Characterizes the
different firms through which the title
passes.
Ii the county surveyors had been honest
men and good citizens, they could have pre-
vented a great 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 penitentiaTy.
Between the years 1886 and 1910, the
larger portion Of our vacant lands were
taken up. aud grants iSsued-and these
were issued upon sworn certificates from
county surveyors, and it is well 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 OveTlapped
each other, thus showing that he was an
abOmination and a swindler. Why this
has been permitted to 90 on in this way so
long is hard to conjecture.
Prior 10 the year 1872, there had been
granted in one Of our mountain counties
over 1,5O0,O0O acres, and since that time a
little more than One-half million has been
granted, making a total Of over 100000
acres granted, in a county that can only
contain within its boundaries, all told,
$500 o acres. This is a pretty good show
ing for one county, providing the whole
amount pays taxes. This does not pertain
to one county alone, but there are many
others that have been entered three aud
four times the amount contained within
respective boundaries.
Not many years ago quite a number of
sharks came here from Pittsburg, Pa, and
proved upon the honesty Of our mountain
officials, and they fell dupeS to the wiley
snares of these land grabbers, and, Of
course, through their assistance, were
enabled to enter and receive grants for
thousands of acres, which ara now being
haHk,d over the world al not less than S3
pa9 acre. They have beautiful CClOred |
maps. 4ccompanied with properly anthem
Heated abstracts of titles, which show that