Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-31

The vestrymen Paying but Little Heed
to Them Until They Reach the Courts.


ge,c York World, Dec. 29.
The announcement in the dispatch from
Wheeling, w. Va, published in the World
of Yesterday that family named Ed
wards. living in Mason county, that state,
were about to institute proceedings IN
New York AGAINST the Trinity Church
estate for the recovery of $6,uOO,U OO worth
of property in the heart OF this city, did
not discomfort the vestrymen OF trinity
Parish very much. A reporter OF tne
World Yesterday called at the Office OF the
vestry on Church street, and was told
that they knew nothing of the claim and
that they did not care anything about it.
ssThis is only another of the many news
paper aragraphs," said the senior yestry-
man, (which appear periodically and In
which spurious claims are made Tor the
property of Trinity Church and we DO not
propose to be bothered or hampeTed with
them unless the matter comes up IN
court"
GLOW much property does Trinity
Church own in this cityY
"Between 600 and 700 lots, scattered in
all parts of the town, but principally
above Canal street. The largest parcels
are located ON Canal, Hudson, GreenWIch
and Varick streets. But as rule tney
are single lots, and all are under improve
ment."
tateS'
going over the books and depending on
guesswork. The only property we have
in the vicinity of Trinity Church is that
upon which the edIfice stands and the
burying ground. AT one time the parish
owned a strip of land from Broadway,
where St. PauPs Church stands, to the
Hudson river, but most of it has been
Sold"
is there any flaw in the titles to the
property held by the Trinity estateY
s'We have never had any trouble about
our titles. Any lawyer in the country
will accept our title as perfectly sound:
We have sold great deal OF property OF
late wears, and have bought but little.
The greater portion of the estate was ac-
quired through deeds of gift. None has
been bought by the church In great
many years"
From the time of the building of the
original Trinity Church, in 1886, 1t has
been the recipient of numerous gifts OF
property by public corporations and prl-
vate individuals. In 1903 the corporation
made its first gift to the church, IN the
shape of a cemetery in the lower part of
the city, and in the same year Queen
Anne granted to the church the Kings
farm. which included what is now the
celebrated Trinity Church property. Dur
ing the next thirty-three years the church
was twice enlarged, and each time large
grants of land were made to it. From the
time of its destruction by fire, in 1776, it
was in ruins until 1888. A large tract of
land was donated to the church in Narick
street, near Canal, about 1900, and few
years later st. Johns Chapel was
erected on portion of it. Prob
ably the largest piece of pro-
perty given to the church was the
tract purchased from the heirs OF Aneke
Jams by Queen Anne and presented to it.
This laid the foundation of the immense
revenues which the church to-day en-
Joys, and from that time numerous be-
quests of small parcels of unimproyed
and some improved land were made, I'M
til at one time Trinity Church was said to
possess upward of one hundred acres OF
land or about sixteen hundred lots. OF
this immense property the most desirable
has been reserved, and the balance sold
at good prices during the past forty years.
Even if there should be defect in the
titles of any of the property, the officers
said the church could bear a Judgment
against it of a million or two without
embarrassing its financial standing.