Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-04-24
HOG ISLAND BAR ROW.
A Ticklish Place to Drill-The Question of
Whether the Government Owns the
Rivers or Not May be Settled.

Ticklish Place to Drill-The Question of
Whether the Government Owns the
Rivers or Not May be Settled.
Frank R. Nesbitt's island promises to be-
come famous, SO that multitudes who have
heard of Hog Island bar will secure
an acquaintance with geography which
they would not otherwise. The lawyers
will have fight over it and by the time the
smoke clears away we shall know whether
Hog Island is an island in name only or in
reality, what is an island in law and an island
in fact and many other things in this connec-
tion too numerous to mention at present. In
the Imperial Dictionary the following defni-
tion is found:
Island-A tract of land surrounded by water,
whether of the sea, a river, or lake, IN con-
tradistinction to main land or continent-Any-
thing resembling an island, as large mass of
myth, the Happy Islands supposed to be west
ward In the ocean whittier. after death, the
souls of the virtuous were transported.
Galley Bros claim that Hog Island Bar is
not an island now, no matter what it may once
have been. Squire Ferree says he can recol-
lect when there were sycamore trees standing
on it. but the raging Ohio in her periodical
runs on the banks has SO frequently
salivated 1t that most of the soil
has slipped off. Nature has done all
she can to repair mans ravages and
mas grown dense mass OF WILLOWS Oh tne par
One lawyer states that an island, to be one
within the legal definition, must be arabic, and
Nesbitt's lawyer, Mr.. Tredway, says it can be
proven that there is soil on Hog Island
bar, and that it is arabic. He also
contends that the United States have only
an easement in the river and that portions not
navigable belong to the State. 1t is also con-
ceded that the State has a right to the coal
under the bed of the river, at least patents en-
bracing it have been taken out by various
people, and are on record in the Recorders Of
hce OF this county. 1t is also admitted that the
river south of Neville Island is under
is under contemplation To fill in
the space between the island and the south
shore. The State of Kentucky claims the
OHIO river all along her border line to low
States would seem only to claim jurisdiction
over the channel, for the Government recog-
nizes riparian rights when it is proposed to
make improvements, such as the building of
dams, etc., by paying adjacent landowners for
property taken beyond the low-water line.
On the other hand, il is said that some years
ago DIR. Langft and others proposed to get
patent for Hog Island Bar, but Senator
Graham, after an investigation, Concluded that
1t could not be granted. 1t is also stated that
when The appraisers appointed to take cog
nizance of Mr.. Nesbitt's application went to per-
form their task they found the bar Is feet under
water and could not proceed until there was
an abatement Acting on this knowledge
Galley Bros. propose to build their derrick,
engine house, etc, ,~on a scaffold Is feet above
the surface of the bar, and it is suggested that
might devise a floating rig that could
be anchored SO as to rise and fall with the
river.
Boring for oil on the bar is considered dead
open-and-shut, as it lies on direct line be
tween the great Young well gusher at Fores
Grove and the Rhodes farm well above Hays
willie. While one of the contestants will ge
the OIL it is supposed the well will yield con
sid cradle amount Of sugar for the legal frater
nifty.