The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1892-08-17
SALES OF ABANDONED LANDS.
State ,Aeent Gibbes Explains the Work
ipes OF tho System.

To the Editor of The State: I have
just seen an article in your paper, with
a report of speech of DR.. Mcintosh,
of Newberry, with editorial comments,
which ignorantly credits the land
sales, which is the subject of DR.. Nc
Intesh's remarks; to the "Tillman Ad-
ministration." In the zeal and ex-
citement of warm political canvass
like that now going on, it seems to be
the custom to take all advantages pos
sible and put all blame on the other
party; aud while the truth may be
told it is often garbled, without proper
explanations. So in this case.
Some two weeks ago, DR.. Mcintosh
was in my Office, and casually (as I
supposed) asked something about the
sales Of abandoned lands. told him
that upwards of 100000 acres had been
sold in the last three years (not fifteen
months), and put on the tax books. 1t
will be we'll, perhaps, for me to take
this opportunity Of explaining the
whole matter, not only as reply to
Mcintosh, but that all your readers
may realize what's wanted, when you
say "Let Us Have Light"
In the summer of 1889, while read
ing the returns Of the various county
auditors, curiosity induced me to esti-
mate the area Of the State, and see
how it compared in acreage with the
amount Of land returned on the tax
books. The result was that I found
that there was very nearly 10000, 900
acres of land in the State, while the
amount of land returned by taxpayers
was something over 1900, ,0o0-leav-
ing fully 2,5O0, 900 acres unreturned.
Now it seemed to. me that there
should be some way to remedy this
large per cent. Of unreturned or un-
known lands-more than 10 per cent.
Of the entire State. 7 called the atten-
ton of the Sinking Fund Board to the
matter, and after good deal Of inves-
tigation and discussion on the subject,
bill was suggested and passed by the
Legislature Of 1889 to try and provide
for the discovery and sale of such
lands.
After the passage Of the bill, which
was drawn as carefully as possible with
the information had on the subject, the
Sinking Fund Board came to the de-
cision that while its purpose and in
tention was very proper and desirable,
it would be next to impossible to make
it operative, on account of the ex-
pense attending it.: -: - 2....-.. .
You must bear in mind that South
Carolina was never surveyed and laid
off in any regular manner. Land
grants were made conforming to no
regular rule, but just as the grantees
had them run out. Nor are they even
recorded ia any Iegular manner, in re-
gard to locality or anything else.
Practically, while it is an easy mat
ter to find out, for instance, that Hor-
ry county had an area of $50, 900 acres,
and that but COS, 900 acres are reported
on the tax books, it is no easy matter
to find out where the 5000 not re-
ported are to be fouLd and located.
To survey the lands Of each land owner
would cost perhaps equally as much
or more.
Under these circumstances, though
the Sinking Fund Board fully appre-
ciated the Importance Of the matter,
they were unable to act, on account OF
the cost, as well as the uncertainty
attending the matter. -
I then, proposed to the board that,
in order to test the matter and see if
any good results could be obtained, Z
would make a trial and see if could
discover any unknown lands, at my
own expense and risk, the State 10 be
at no expense whatever, and to be
paid for the discovery, survey and in
vestigation of such lands ont Of the
proceeds of ther sale. Such favora-
BILE proposition for the State could, of
course, not be refused.
To explain the difficulties under
which 1 labored in order to succeed in
this undertaking would take too much
time, but I do claim that my efforts
have been successful, and that after
working one year, at heavy loss, where
my expenses were much more than all
I received, I have succeeded in selling
and putting on the Tax bnoks te-
tween 100000 and 100000 acres. =
Now while it is true that these lands
have usually sold at tapparent low prices
say Is to 40 cents-it must be re"
membered that as rule taxpayers re-
turn their good land for taxes and it is
only the marsh, bay, gall and swamp
land that has been abandoned.
Now as the manner in which sales
have been made, the legality Of which
DR.. Mcintosh denies. These lands
when discovered and reported by me
to the auditors in the counties where
they are located, who place them on
the books assessed at the price Of sim
liar lands, executions are issued and
sales advertised regularly, according to
law. Where the lands fail to bring
the cost of their back taxes, costs and
surveys, they are bid in for the State,
as was the case with 10000 acres at the
August sale.
DR.. Mcintosh made mistake in his
speech in dealing with matter that
he was not acquainted with, and his re-
marks would have been very different
if be had asked me about the details of
these land sales. He stated and evil