The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1875-04-09
The Hot Springs Claim.
MONROE, La, April I'd,

Iiiitor O,mchiht 1Itcgra,,h:
In your issue of to-day you say that, "a
Washington dispatch states that tho Court
of Claims has decided tho Hot Springs
case in favor of tho government and against
the five claimants. Ono of these claimants,
we bolicvc, was tho heirs of Don Filhiol,
tho Spanish COmnl;lntlant at this place.
That part OF tho article which allutles to the
| heirs Of l'ilhiol as being ono Of tho five
claimants is II mistake. Tho facts in regard
To tho suits just decided arc, that under an
act of Congress which authorized persons
| who had claims to the Hot Springs to insti-
tute suit III tho Court of Claims ut WASH
inwton tho five claims decided wcro filed
together with many others. The act limited
tho time in which thoSo claims should he
| fitted: for some reason which tho heirs of
ti,hinl are unable to explain, thor agent
| residing in Arkansas, and in tho vicinity of
the Springs, neglected to file their claim,
! until tho time liked in the act expired. So
soon as thoy wore appraised of this nesloct,
thcy Immediately employed another agent,
through whose influence an act was intro
,lucri during tho session of 1872 1 to cNtcnd
| the act, and to allow tho heirs OF t'iIhioI to
tile their suit.
Their agent visited Washington during
! tho session and advocated tho claim of tho
hoirs of Filhiol before tl;e COMMITTEES on
! Private Land Claims, which Committee
made an elaborate and favorable report on
| tho claim, and recommended tho passage
OF the act for their relief. 1t was not reach oil
| on tho calandcr and stands over among the
unfinished business. Tho claims OF tho
parties in tho cases decided wcro based on
location Of Now Madrid scrip and preemp-
ton under the laws OF tho United States.
The claim of tho heirs Of Filhiol is based
on grant OF one square league, including
the Hot Springs i'll tho ccntor made III 1877
by Don EStcvan Miro, to Don Juan Eilhiol,
Connlandan; of tho Port of Ouachita, as a
reward foe civil and military services
rendered by hin, to the Spanish Govern
ment. The claims of himself and his heirs
to tho Hot Springs has been Il matter of
record and public notoriety in Louisiana
since before the cession of Louisiana to tho
United States in 1903. Don Juan Eilhiol
sold his grant to tho Springs in 1903, by Il
public act passed before Don Vincent Tex
GIRO his successor as Commantant of the
Port of Ouachita, (who under the existing
laws must have been appraised of the valid
ity of the clainl,) which act is on file and of
record in this parish, he, Don Juan Filhiol,
repurchased the land in 1906, as per record
in the parish of Pointe Coupee, La. In ISIS
he leased the Springs for five years to
Doctor $. T.. Wilson, who held them under
the lease until the death of Don Juan Fill
hiol in 1921. Anor the death OF tho elder
Filhiol, his son, Grammont Filhiol, appoint-
cd numerous agents and attorneys to estab-
hsh the grant, some of whom have seen the
original grant and has furnished copies of
tho same. 1t is II notable tact i'll the history
of the country, that of tho many acts OF
Congress creating boards of Commissioners
to receive evidence and pass on land claims
emenating from the Spanish Government
in tho State of Missouri, Louisiana and
! Florida, no board was over created for Ar
| kansas, and the same singular omission is