The Columbus journal., 1880-12-15

by means of lakes, rivers, or other
conspicuous natural objects. SMALL
er tracts were described by means
of "metes and bounds" Deeds Of
ten recited that particularly-de-
scribed stone or tree was the start
ing point in making survey, and
that the boundary ran so many rods
in certain directions from it, then
turned at such al angle, ran a certain
number of rods, turned again, and
then ran 10 the place Of beginning.
Ii is very easy to ascertain the
location and boundaries of lots of
land surveyed by the General Gov
ernment, and il seems strange, in
deed, that all division fences are not
built on the proper lines. The land
marks made at the time the land
was originally surveyed are not
generally obliterated, and measures
should be taken by local authorities
or property-Owners to replace them
with permanent stone structures.
Many farmers are quite as careless
about their title to their land as
they are about their boundaries.
They often bargain and pay for land
without having any abstract of the
title, which may be very unsatislac-
tory. They should not only obtain
an abstract Of the title as il appears
on the records of the county, but
they should have il carefully exam
ined by a competent lawyer. Little
property changes hands IN city
unless an abstract to the title is fur
nished and legal opinion on it
obtained. In the country, however,
ii is no uncommon thing for per-
son to purchase a farm and have no
other evidence of the value of the
title than the word OF the seller. lie
may take a warranty deed, but the
person who gives il may be in no
condition 10 make the title good if
il proves To be defective, or To make
good the loss that has been sus-
tanned.
A Aperson purchasing farm would
do well to obtsin from the seller all
the deeds by which il has been con-
veyed. They are OF no value to the
, former owner, but they may be OF
great value TO the present one. In
case the public records are destroy
| ed. they furnish the best evidence OF
the title to the property. 1t is also
well to obtain all the tax receipts
and to carefully file them away. As
new ones are obtained they should
be carefully preserved. 1t is often
the case that land is sold for the
alleged non-payment OF taxes that
were probably paid, and for which a
receipt was obtained. The payment
of taxes was not entered on the
books of the collector on account OF
negligence or criminality, but re-
ceipt for them will save the cost OF
redemption, which is liable to be
considerable.
IL farmer mortgages his place
he should take p release when the
obligation il discharged. and have il
promptly recorded. These two
transactions should then be entered
OH the abstract of title by the Re-
corder or other person duly author
| lied, with a certificate that no other
transfers have been made up to a
certain date. 1t will save much
cost in the settlement of an estate
and much time in the sale of prop
erty, if the title is complete and
without cloud. No farmer shOuld
feel secure in his possessions till he
has the boundaries 10 them CAREFUL y
marked by a competent surveyor
and has the title certified To BY q
proper officer and approved by q
person Of legal attainments. Land
is too valuable to a farmer to allow
any doubts to exist in relation TO its
should be paid aud no improve.
mentS made ill a farmer feels secure
about these matters. - ChicGgo
Times.