Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-03-25
ALIEN LANOLOhDS.
Hundreds OF Thousands of AcrcA
Owned Across the Atlantic.

CHICAGO, March l9.-About six weeks
ago the Tribune published m article on
alien landlordism showing that an Irish
man named William Scully, now residing
in London, England, is the proprietor of
between $4,000 and 10000 acres of the
best farming lands in Illinois. The writer
of the article on visiting the Scully estate
claimed that the lands were titled
by wretched class of tenants
from whom are exaeted enormous
rentals. Almost the entire proceeds from
the sale of their crops went to pay rent
The article attracted much attention, aud
numerous communications on the subject
have been received from various parts of
the country. Among others a prominent
citizen of Kansas strongly deprecated
alien landlordism and called attention 10
his discovery that large tracts of lands in
his own state were owned by Scully.
Following a suggestion derived from
this letter, AN investigation was instituted,
the result of which is published this
morning. The article says: "a tour of
Kansas and certain portions of Nebraska
developed the rather startling information
that the title to more than 100, 900 acres
of the choicest prairie land in the sister
states of Kansas and Nebraska, are in
vested in the name of William Scully.
ALI of these vast tracts have been added
to his landed estates within the last
five years, and, although small
portion is under cultivation, the same sys-
tenn Of farm renting that exists in Illinois
is rapidly being introduced in these states.
Between go and 70 families have bound
themselves to Scully, and so long as they
remain on his land they cannot throw off
the yoke that holds them in slavery. Be-
fore obtaining lease they must agree to
waive all rights of exemption, and until
their rent is paid everything they
possess, including the growing crops,
belongs to Scully. As rule
they are the poorest farmers in every re-
spect in the county, and very few of
them can obtain credit from the mer-
chants. The lease that binds them to
Scully is virtually chattel mortgage,
and all other claims against the tenants
are shut out until Scully gets his rent.
Each tenant is obliged to sign lease for
period of five years. On unimproved
lands the tenant pays only the taxes the
| first two years. The third year he pays
the taxes and 81 an acre, and the fourth
and fifth years he pays the taxes and
| $1.50 per acre. No provision is made
| in the lease for renewal, and
at it's expiration the tenant must
either move off or submit to what.
ever rent the landlord chooses to exact.
In leasing an unimproved farm, the
tenant gets nothing but the land. All
improvements must be made at his owu
expense, the landlord furnishing abso
lutely nothing. Consequently the Scull,
farms do not present an attractive an
pearance. As u rule the tenants. having
no aspiration beyond the mere task 81
keeping body and soul together, are
shiftless and improvident and make littl,
or no effort to improve their condition
all ambition seeming to be exhausted il
providing shanties for their families t.
live in and shelter for their stock. Havinf
no money TO start on, most of the tenant
are compelled to hire out to theil
more prosperous neighbors during tn,
first two years of their struggle and they
are satisfied if, during the first two year.
they succeed in breaking the wild prairi,
lands and raise enough seed corn to feet
their stock. The three remaining year.
they can raise from 80 to so bushels O
corn to the acre, and by close econom,
quit the place when their lease expires a
we'll off as when they began"
Much space is devoted to an explana
tion of the careful and systematic manne
in which Scully secured the lands through
the guidance of his agents who are ex
perienced and perfectly familiar with tn,
country. The price paid ranges from 81
to SO per acre and it is claimed that mucl
of the land is now worth at least $50 pc
| acre