The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1880-01-24
THE SPRINGER FORTUNE.
More About the Great Land Claim
in Delaware-A Baltimore sun
Correspondent gives a
e History of IL.
Correspondence Of the Baltimore SUM-

Away pdCk III tuS labieI pdIt oi
the seventeenth century, shortly af-
ter the settlement of Delaware, the
Swedes, with Christianity in their
hearts, decided to build church.
Soon they had erected a substantial
structure in the city of Wilmington,
which exists unto the present day in
perfect state Of preservation. In
1898, Charles Christopher Springer
was appointed trustee to purchase
land in the name and for the use of
the church. He succeeded in buy
ing some 500 or more acres, immedi-
ately adjoining the building. About
1740 Springer leased the land from
the church, paying therefor certain
ground rent, and agreeing that upon
Springer's death, or upon failure to
improve the land or meet the rent
charge promptly when due, the land
should revert to the church. The fol-
lowing year Springer died and the
lands reverted as in the conditions of
the lease provided. The church re.
tanned control until TIT, when the
trustees then in power leased the
land to Joseph Townsend for the term
of 1000 years. How long he kept
possession is unknown, but the
church, about the beginning Of the
present century, sold the land, sub
jected to the lease, to John Springer,
a hatmaker, who is supposed to have
been the son of Charles, above men
toned. Then the trustees of the
church, with what the descendants
of the ancient hatmaker claim to be
frightful misconstruction of the
doctrine. Suum cuique, refused to rec
ognize the claim of John Springer
took his loss very philosophically or
he entered grave fears of the remedial
branch of the law. AT all events he
did not contest the matter in the
courts. Well, John Springer quite
naturally died. The years rolled on
and the property was sold and resold,
and cut up into building lots, and to-
day the mighty manufactures and
the mansions and churches of the
citizens of Wilmington stand upon
that very ground which John Spring
cr so calmly yielded up. But the
descendants were more anxious to
contest the matter than the ancestor
had been. The Springer family sep
arated, and a portion of them went
out to Iowa, and grew up with the
country. "But farming had its draw
backs, and the ears of the Springers
drank in the full story of the hat
makers alleged wrongs and their
eyes turned toward Wilmington
yearningly. The matter was agitat-
ed and call issued for convention
of Springer heirs. The responses
flowed in with regularity that fright
ened the original movers, and when
all had answered the original movers
sadly surveyed the answers Of six
thousand Springers, and rightly con-
cluded that the whole State of Della
wouldn't be a mouthful to such a
horde. They were rather sorry that
they had made tia family matter, but
it was too late to back out. They
employed eminent counsel, and after
a search among the records at New
Castle he gave it as his opinion that
they had a good and sufficient title
to the land, and that only an action
at law was necessary to give poses
sion. That was nearly fifty years
ago, and from that time to the pres
ent they have labored to perfect their
plans for grand on -slaught upon
Wilmington. They now believe that
they have completed everything and
suit will be instituted at an early
date against some tenant of por-
ton Of the property, and this will
act as test case. A representative
of the family, Hon. Josiah d. Cole,
Of Iowa, is now in this city, and in
conversation on the matter said:
1--WE have finally consummated our
plans and we will 60 into this matter
with every advantage that clear
title and unlimited funds can give
towards success. consider our vic
tory as certain" Mr.. Cole leaves
here next week, and upon his ar
rival in Iowa he will lay this view
before the heirs and push the matter.
~ There are several drawbacks to the
success of the claim, which might be
considered as giving an air of doubt
to the matter Of victory. There were
at the time Of this sale to Springer
two John Springers in Wilmington.
The heirs claim that the John Spring
err had wife named Rebecca, and
John Springer and Rebecca, his wife,
are buried in graveyard near here,
and their tombstones show that they
lived at the time of the execution Of
the deed. Certain papers on record
made by John Springer are signed
by him an Mary, his wife. And
then the only action available is that
of ejeetment, and since that must
rest upon the strength of the plain
tif''s title, and our law supposes right
of possession where it has uninter-
ruptedlya existed for over twenty
years, this further complexities the
matter. Among the heirs who are
taking an active part in. the matter
are Hon. James G. Blaine, Hon. Mos
es p. Springer, member of Parliament
of Canada, and Hon. Harry Sharpley,