Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-25
THE SAN D|MAS CANON AFFAIR,
What q Land Owner in That
Section Says About 1t.
A Full Statement of All the Circum-
stances of the Case.
The Land officials Hero Largely to
B.ame for the Alleged Illegal FIJI
ings-How Mr.. Smith Values
the Property.

Il
says that the people living in the
vicinity of San Dimas csfion, on sec-
tion SO in township north of range 8
west, are feeling very hostile towards
the department of the interior from the
effects of Mr.. Secretary Noble's decision
published few days ago. affecting TIE
title to their lands. Evidently in Mr..
Mobiles law dictionary there is no such
thing as an innocent purchaser; and
peaceable possession, instead OF being
mine points of the law" is not even
one. The good people of Pomona and
vicinity are feeling very kindly disposed
toward the HERALD for it's outspoken
advocacy of their rights in the premises.
Mr.. Park said, among other things:
"You ask if state can commit
crime? l am not aware that the gov
ernment of this state has committed
any. Mr.. Noble. in his decision, very
pompously says that the settlers under
title to those lands. Now how many Of
strange thing that men will 60 and pay
title. But the secretary's declaration
that the state sold where it had neither
right nor title to dispose of, admits of
some doubts. Richard Eads located the
east half by filing dated October 5,
1875, which was approved January 5,
1876. His certificate of purchase from
the state bore date of March 20, 1877,
and patent for it was issued to him on
fha C7th Iou of Tonuoru 1899 -
"Now, then" said MIR. Park, "the
land officials in this city informed Mr..
Eads when he went there in 1875 that
the land in question was not govern
ment land, but state school land and
in order to become it's purchaser he
must 60 to Sacramento and purchase it
of the surveyor-general of the state. He
went to Sacramento, and the surveyors
general expressed his belief that the
land in question was government land
and that the state had no title thereto.
Thereupon Mr.. Eads told the surveyor
general what the land officers here had
told him, but the surveyor-general re-
fused to take his unverified statement
of the case, so he wrote to the register
of the land Office here and got reply
confirming the statement made by Mr..
Eads, who then and there became the
purchaser. This correspondence caused
Mr. Eads delay OF eight days in Sacra-
mento. Had he taken the precaution
to get this matter in writing before he
left Los Angeles, he could have bought
the land on the day of his arrival and
returned home On the following day."
"What are the other filings on these
lands made under purchase from the
state ?" asked the gentleman in charge
OF the Office.
"The west half was filed upon Decem-
ber 26, 1875, the date OF approval be-
ing March 10, 1873. The certificate OF
purchase, issued to John Bodkin, bears
date of April 10, 1877, and the patent,
bearing the seal of the state of Califor-
mia, was issued January 27, 1878. You
have got the value of the land fixed en-
tirely too high, in placing it at half
million, however"
"What is it WORTH" asked the re-
porter.
About $12O, ,OOO."
Sand the improvements are worth
something, also, are they not?" Queried
the scribe.
eyes, about $1SO,OOO, perhaps, but I
deem that even an excessive fgure,"
said Mr.. Park.
sis it not great orange growing
country about there?"
"Oh, yes, it's good orange country,
but all the land is not planted to or
anges. by good deal. There is good
deal planted to alfalfa"
well, any land planted to alfalfa will
produce $50 worth of hay per acre, and
such lands ought to be worth 5000 per
acre." replied the reporter. "And by
the way, can you give me list of those
parties in possession who derive their
title from the state?"
Mr.. Park hesitated a few moments
and then took up piece OF paper, on
which he wrote the following list of
holders under purchase money paid to
the state. In some cases the property
has changed ownership half dozen
times:
Sam Servis, l2O acres Solomon
Gates, 80 acres; First National bank,
Pasadena, 70 acres; Miss A. Martin, ITO
acres; Park & Oldham, 80 acres; John
L. Overton. 80 acres; Mrs. Myers, 5
acres; Mrs. Marshall, 15 acres; William
Young, acres; scattering owners, 70
acres. Total, 500 acres.
"The NV a of the NV a." said Mr..
Park, sis not under controversy, 80 that
leaves 40 acres out OF the section that is
not in dispute. 1t will work great
hardship upon these people, whether
they are dispossessed by the new claim.
ants or not. In some instances the
lands are mortgaged, and the mortgagors
are unable to pay what they owe.
Hence, owing to this cloud on the title,
they will not be able to renew their
mortgages. Then again, Nolan claims
100 acres of this as homestead, and in
order to put him in possession, a man
who has lived there for IL years has to
be put off to make room for man who
has not slept there three nights OF his
life, although the law requires six
months continuous residence in each
year. When you come to talk about
sowing for others to reap, this takes the
cake"
Later along in the day Mr.. Smith of
Nolan & Smith was seen by HERALD
reporter. He said: ''The value that
you put upon that land of ours is pre-
posterous. It would be we'll sold at
! $25,0O0."
"But how about the whole section?'
asked the reporter.
"Badly overrated," said Mr.. Smith.
"No sensible man would give $l00, 900
for the entire section"
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