The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1881-07-12
FernandinA Mirror.l
The Homestead Settlers I'm south
Florida.

We have obtained copy Of the following let
ter addressed to the Commissioner Of The Gen
eral Land Office by Mr.. Yulee. president OF the
railroad, in reference 10 the homestead locations
made upon the land reserved for the railroad.
Nothing certainly could be asked more definite
or more generous than the action of the railroad
authorities. The surrender Of their admitted
legal right to the lands settled upon should give
every confidence 10 the South Florida settlers
that their interests are not matter Of indiffer-
ense, and should promote cordial cooperation
in the great work Of public improvement, which
is calculated TO greatly enhance the value OF
these homestead locations. We hope those
who have been TOO ready to incite alarm and
create dissatisfaction will do full justice now to
the parties who have sacrificed their own rights
to the interests Of the settlers:
FERSANDNA, FLA, June 25, 1891
To tie Commissioner Of the General Land Office,
Wdshington, D. c.:
SIR: Referring to my letter to you of 26th oil
April, ultlmo, beg leave TO say that having now
sufficiently ascertained the general facts relative
to entries on the line of its road, the company has
come 10 decision as TO its proper action.
It rests in the volition of the company, as is
ItCUKufZcu III tue SCuCfot tuSttuCtiOuS t1Sucu
from your Office, whether or not it will assert its
title to lands occupied under homestead and
other entries after the survey OF its line W hich in
| this case was in 1859.
The company had heretofore decided To make
REIMBURSEMENT in favor OF actual settlements
| made prior to December Is, 1875, and to accept
substitute lands, - was made known III the time
| TO the department Subsequent 10 that dale
| there have been numerous additional entries.
| Nine hundred and forty one homestead entries
| have been made on the line between Waldo and
| Tampa bay, six hundred and twenty eight al
| which were made since the 10Th OF December
| 1875, being two thirds of the whole This is a
one hundred anu ,s.,sSy nine xcfes OF the nrs1
choice of the granted land, which the company
| is deprived of
On the other hand, most of these actual settlers
have made improvements upon the lands they
| occupy, some of them doubtless of much value
| The company would, of course, refuse 10 appro-
propriate 10 its benefit the labor and outlay oi
| the settlers which these improvements repre-
sent; but, on the contrary, would desire To sns-
l tain and stimulate their efforts The entries
were innocently made by them in the reasonable
belief that they were acquiring lawful and I'M
questionable right TO the land. A large prOlor-
ton OF them were recent immigrants and igno-
| rant OF the Eact that these lands had been with
drawn from market many years back by your
department, which withdrawal had. indeed
never been formally revoked s
In due consideration of all the circumstances.
the company has decided to extend the relin-
qushment or waiver heretofore made to all actual
bona tide settlers who made improvements prior
TO the six teenth day of March, 1881, upon which
day your instructions were issued to the local
land officers The department can accordingly
apply this waiver or REIMBURSEMENT in its action
upon the cases Of all such actual settlers as shall
have entitled themselves to patents
In making this REIMBURSEMENT the company
reserves the right to select under the act of June
%, 1874, equal quantities of other land in lieu of
tracts embraced in such entries as may be reliev-
Cd thereby. Very respectfully
ID. L. YUIRE President