The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1883-10-02

let the people Of Florida know just what encum-
brances on the Internal Improvement Fund have
been relieved by reason of the Disston sale, and
what ones remains unliquidated. and still encum
Der the Fund! Give PLAIN facts and figures,
that the people may be able to understand what
has been paid and what is vet to be paid, and
what, if any will remain a surplus-P Progress.
Now it would really seem as if there
was some deep mystery to be unveiled,
some dark and hidden transaction that
must at last see the light-even as "mur-
der must out and, in the name of the
people, the FLoRIDIAN is summoned to take
the stand and reveal the momentous
estate secret" the mysterious facts and
fgures-which anybody can get by in
quiry at public offices. But though we
believe that about ninety-ninc hundredths
of the "people" are perfectly satisfied as
to the wisdom and integrity of the pres
ent management of the Internal Improve
misled by the ignorant or malicious at
tacks on the administration of certain per
SONS who abuse the occupation of editor
We cheerfully " come to the 'front.'" willing
to save our esteemed contemporary land
others not esteemed) the trouble of fur
ther inquiry to ascertain what We have
ascertained. We don't know that every
body will understand" what we state,
but that is their affair, not ours we en-
gage to furnish the information only, not
the understanding.
All Judgments against the Internal I'm
provement Fund, amounting to : 100000,
have been paid Claims against the Fund
amount to *244,O00. Some weeks ago
these claims amounted to 1914 900, but,
az our readers will remember the suit of
the n. Y. Union Trust Company for
10000 was voluntarily withdrawn the
other day, the plaintiffs concluding they
had no case, we presume. The claim Of
5. A. Swami for $l2O,OOO will doubtless
fail, for it seems to have no sufficient basis
to rest upon before a court. The remain
ing claims amount to 1924 900, the larger
part of which sum is involved in a suit of
quite doubtful issue
To meet these remnant claims, which
lie in precedence to all others on such
lands. except the claim Of railroads to
alternate sections merely, there remain
on hand about six million six hundred
and sixtv-fivc thousand acres, and the
State will receive in addition from FIVE to
six million acres more. Internal Improve
ment lands proper, donated by the last
Legislature in "an act for the relief Of
Jacksonville and the counties Of Baker,
Bradford, Colum bia, Suwannee, Madison,
Jefferson, Duval and Leon" arc not in
cluded in the foregoing statement of
lands liable.
AS to the act of the last Legislature
"to provide for the relief of the city OF
Pensacola her bonded indebtedness
it appropriated for that purpose two hun
dred and fifty thousand acres of indem-
nifty" lands, cor moneys to be received
from the settlement Of indemnity lands. .
Some explanation as to these "indem
nifty" lands may be Of interest: "Swaml
Indemnity Certificates " are issued by the
United States Land Department, and they
authorize the State to locate such certif
Gates upon any 'nited States lands which
are subject to entry at sl.25 per acre, to
Indemnify the State for the same guam
tity Of swamp lands granted by act Of
! September %, 1850, which have been
sold by the United States since the pas
sage OF said act. To obtain indemnity
certificates it is necessary for the State tc
employ agents to hunt up the swamp
lands which have been sold by the gen
eral government, and when they find such
lands they take proofs by affidavits Of
witnesses as to the swampy character
thereof. These proofs are forwarded to
the department in Washington and there
passed upon i'll the proper bureau, and, il
approved, a certificate is issued, certifying
that the State is entitled to enter in lieu
of these swamp lands the same quantity
Of United States lands by way Of indem
nifty. This is the origin and meaning O.
the Swamp Indemnity Certificates. The
process Of acquiring these lands is labo
rious, slow and expensive, as it involves
the examination of every piece Of swamp
land sold by the United States since the
act of September 28, 1850, and taking
| proofs as above. After the certifica ate il
| issued it az to be located by the State
through it's agents, and these lands as 80
acquired go to the relief Of the bonded in
debtedness of the city of Pensacola as
provided in Chapter 3475, act 1883.
Ben. Butler has again received the
nomination for Governor of Massachu
sets, and will doubtless be again elected