Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-09
THE ARIZONA CLAIM.
A Demand IMP ra leled for Audacity
and Magnitude.
From he HasAingtoa Post

ownership Of 100000 acres OF land in
Arizona, mentioned in Yesterdays Post,
outrivals the most audaclous and gigantic
claim ever yet recorded. The magnitude
of Mr.. Reavis' demands, and the roman
tic history upon which it has been built
give it more than usual interest. The
publication has eXc,ted considerable in
terest among the Western people in this
city and the following letter to Surveyor
General Johnson. of Arizona, obtained
Yesterday, presents in more detail the
manner in which the claim was exploded:
Il. Decree of Ferdinand VI. king Of
SPAIN recommending grant.
-. Copies of the report OF the ROYAL
Tribunal of the lnquisitlon of the grant to
Peralta by the VicerOy in 1868. and of the
statement of Peralta as to location of
grant
80. Petition of Peralta to King Carlos
III. praying confirmation of the grant.
"a. Order Of King Carlos Ill, confirm
ing grant.
''SIR-I am in receipt by reference from
the honorable Secretary of the Interior of
your letter of March y, 1885. stating that
certain papers have been filed in your
office in the matter of an alleged grant to
one Peralta, claimed to embrace a region
OF country forty-nine by one hundred and
fifty miles in extent, aggregating 4,OO0,-
Geo acres OF land, inclusive of the city OF
Phoenix. the towns of Florence. Globe and
Silver King, the major part of the cOun-
ties OF MaricOpa. Plnal and Graham,
large portion OF the white Mountain and
the San Carlos Indian reservation, and
that said ALLEGED grant also purports to
carry all minerals.
''YOu transmit list of papers filed,
the most material of which purport as
follows:
you state that although, from one
and a half years study, you are familiar
with every detail of this alleged grant.
you are not in possession of cOrroborative
proofs or evidence thereof Thorough
search has been made under the direction
OF the government of the republic Of
Mexico, at the instance of this govern
ment, and no record Of this grant, or any
OF the various and minute proceedings
required by the laws of Spain and the
Indies connected with the making Of such
grants, has been discovered.
'You are further advised that this de-
partment has received from the Depart
ment OF State official information. cOmmu-
nicated by the Spanish Government
through the American Legation at Ma
drid, that a careful search has been made
by the Director of the Archives, and that
L
ist in those archives
''The royal grants of Spain were made
with great sOlemnity Of form and record.
1t is impossible that a grant should have
been recommended by one sovereign,
reported by the most august tribunal of
the nation, and confirmed by the kingly
deed Of another sovereign, and no record
Of these high and important acts of state
appear in the archives of the Spanish
Government.
''The evidence that no such record ex-
lists is sufficient evidence that no such
grant was made.
''The essential foundation of a recog-
niZable claim, under the laws Of Spain
and the treaties and laws of the United
States, does not appear in this case. It.
is my opinion that the futile work in
which you have been engaged for a year
and half in the direction of investigat-
Ing an alleged claim, which, from your
own statement Of its uncOrrObOrated
character, had not been placed before you
in condition to be entitled to cOnsidera-
ton, should forthwith be discontinued.
The only effect of your action and pro-
ceedings has been to need essly alarm
citizens in lawful and peaceful possession
of homes and property upon the soil, to
threaten with insecurity private titles in
towns and cities, to imperil valuable
mining interests, and to inumidate settle
ments upon public lands"
Il can give you few facts in the his
tory OF the s0-cslled PeralEa land grant,
said Delegate Curry. Of Arizona, to a re-
porter last night. "The original grant to
Miguel Peralta was sold by him. as | I'M
derstaud, to one DR.. Willing, of st. Louis.
My impression is that Miguel Peralta at
the time of parting with his papers was
at very advanced age and in circum-
stances OF great distress. What he re-
ceived for it do not know. DR.. Willing
died, and his widow, in consideration of
nominal purchase sum. transferred the
claim to John A. ReaYis, the present
holder of it. Reavis, whom / have once
met, is man wholly unprepossessing in
appearance and deficient in education;
neither has he ever been suspected
OF possessing more than ordinary
ability. One, judging from his looks,
would never associate him with
the head and front of the persistent prose-
cution Of a claim Of such appalling au-
dscity. He has never paid Mrs. Willing
even the mOlety which he agreed to do.
She has, therefore, retained as counsel the
distinguished st. Louis lawyer. James o.
Br0adhead, tor the purpose Of entering
SUIT for the cancellation of the transfer.
] understand that Mr. Broadhead has not
as yet investigated the validity or tena-
Lility of the claim, nor do l know whether
ne VIII represent Lne interests OF MfS.
Willing after the cancellation has been
obtained His intended action in the lat
Ter matter has been ADVERTISED in papers
published at various places in Arizona.'
when did the existence Of the alleged
grant become publicly known in Ari-
Z0na?
About three years ago. For a time no
attention was paid to the claim except TO
deride it. About a year and half ago,
however, johnson, the Surveyor General
VI the Territory, took it up seriously, and
one Hopkins, an expert in tracing and
establishing old Spanish and Mexican
claims, was sent to the City Of Mexico to
examine the Mexican archives. He was
Instantly followed by the attorney OF
keayis-one sharp-and the two were at
The same I me In that city. 1t is the cur
rent belief In Arizona that they met there
and entered into some understanding.
Al any rate, the report which Hopkins
made on his return must have been favor
able TO the claim, for the Surveyor Cen
efal and ReaYis at once assumed tone
which started the real alarm and excite
ment in the Territory. IL reached such
a pitch that many owners Of property
purchased outright Reavis' title"
what do you know OF the area
1T is the cream Of the Territory. 1t
NHaHH IL. -.