Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-06-06
L.gh.ing the sarannan sEarbor.

Editor Morning beaos; II you will kindly
allow me space in your paper, should like
to correct a statement from Washington
which has entirely m!srepresented the own
er5 of Elba Island. Il Gays: "Uatil the
pr oole on whose land the lights are to be
pu5 can be reasonable, that chain will not be
completed. Here is an instance: the owner
o. Eba Island will not allow the two light
houses, which it proposed to erect thereon,
to be constructed until the government will
buy the island and pay ten thousand dollars
for it. The government only wants enough
land to put up two lighthouses, SO the exoI-
bitsnce of tha demand is patent"
l DO not know who could have given so
much information, IS the owners Of the
land know Ohtng about II. Elba Island
belongs to the children OF the late Major
Sbad, and my sisters and brothers. some re-
siding In Florida ara some IN Sou'h Caro-
lima, have authorized me t@ho am the
only heir living IN Gzorgia) to sell the
island for q division among the children,
and | wrote to Colonel Black and told him
we were perfectly willing to sell the two
sites for the lights, but would prefer, II We
could, to sell the whole island. He wrote
very kind letter to me, saving be would
recommend the purchase OF the island being
included in the station purchasc-'hst
was all. Soon afterwards his severe illaees
prevented his attending to any business
| thought perhaps the government
might utilize Il for wharves and
storehouses, as several years ago
comnsnY Of gentlemen talked Of buy
ing Eiba and running railroad from Swan
nah TO Mr. Maekey's place to TRANSFER pas
sepgers and freight, They thoueht OF
making an anchorage there who laroa
vessels could come IN and 90 cut without
waiting for high tides. The lower end Of
the island extends almost to the mouth CT
the Savannah river, ard near Tybee. So
bearing all this iu mind, | thought perhaps
the government might use It in that way
and simply offered It for sale to them. Aud
| must emphatical'Y deny ever refusing to
sell the sites without the whole island.
Captain Wheaton called to see me about
the erection of the sites, and he knows that
| iold him we were perfectly willing 20 sell
the two sites for reasonable price. and tie
kindly promised to write to Colonel Fl hines.
Since then have heard nothing more, until
/ saw In your paper the astonishing news Of
our refusal to sell, and [ pronounce every
word of it great mistake. They say they
only want lsHd enough to erect two lights;
vet they call for ten acres for each light
Twenty acres Of land will make q great
reduction on the original tract. Surely,
now as the war is over, there will benz more
corfiscatou of lands.
There has been enough money sppropria-
ted to psy fair price for fine rice lands.
regret exceedingly that we have been so
misrepresented, or brought before the pub
lie al all, but in justice to ourselves ! feel
that must correct 50 great mistake. We
do not wish to do one unkind or uriust ac',
or wound the feelings of any one; al we ask
is justice-pothing more. II the gentlemen
having the lights in charge will call on or
write me, think | can arrange matters sat-
isfsctorily to all parties. Very rospectfully,
MRS ANNA S. MCCLEsKEY,
135 Congress street, Savannah, Ga.
June 5, 1882