The herald., 1893-01-18
A SETTLERS OPINION.
THE SITUATION DESCRIBED ON SEC
TIoN THIRTY-sIx.
The Original Land Owners VIII Not
Resort to Violence but Demand
the Right to Keep Possess
sion of Their Own.

The HERALD has published the facts
about the decision OF the United States
supreme court regarding some land
north Of Pomona, technically described
as Sec. 36, T N, re W, S. B. M. The
land was settled upon as state land, and
the holders getting title from the state
supposed it was good and have i'm
proved their holdings. The decision re-
ferred to holds that the state had no
title, that the land belonged to the fed
eral government, and some real estate
men Immediately filed upon it, and ap-
parently intend to dispoesess the men
who have worked on it, and put their
money in it, and who it would seem
should have the chance to perfect their
title.
The following communication gives
the situation from the point of view of
one OF the settlers.
EDITORS HERALD: As there have
been several dispatches sent out in re-
gard to violence in the contest about
our section So, l can say that as to our
settlers, while we have been exasper-
ated almost beyond human endurance,
it is our earnest intention to keep with
in the bounds of the law.
However, we ask, Have we not just
grounds for a righteous indignation
Many of us have lived upon this land
for years in the full faith that our state
title was as good as the best; and had
we known otherwise we would have
been only too glad to have had it recti-
fed, if such proved to be the case.
And now dispute arises between the
state and the general government about
this title. Without the knowledge or
consent of the real owners some land
sharks, who have not the faintest shadow
OF moral claim upon our lands and
homes, are permitted to put a fling upon
them. The only inexcusable excuse
they could offer when they came and
demanded our homes was that if "we"
had not filed upon them some one else
would. By the same logic why should
1--WE" not go to tapping tills. breaking
banks and holding up railroad trains, for
if "we1 don't do it some one else will.
To show the status of our case let me
give the following as a sample in which
many homes are included:
Mark Rickels, a hard-working young
man, by days work and economy saved
enough money to purchase a few acres
of this land, planted it to trees of his
own raising, built small house and has
been enabled to give his old mother a
home in which to spend her declining
years.
j. L. Marshall, an honest, hard-work-
ing old man, 73 years OF age, with his
wife, bought some of this land, and by
their united help have established them
selves in nice home in which to spend
their last days.
7. S. Oldham, 20 years of age, has
put the earnings of years of toll into
good home here.
The writer and his wife have nice
little home of five acres, upon which we
have lived for eight years. We have it
all planted and in bearing trees; COM
Portable home and its necessary sur
roundings, all of which is the fruit of
our own toll.
This is our home, the home of our
little children. 8p'
And these same sharks who would
wrest the hard and honestly earned
realty from laboring men, who would
turn from their comfortable homes aged
people, who would send adrift from
the only shelter they have upon Gods
earth wives, mothers and little children,
are today posing with hats in hand be-
fore the public of Los Angeles as gentle-
men, as business men, respectfully
soliciting its patronage in their business
relations.
Will the good people of Southern CAL
ifornia permit this outrage upon some