The San Francisco call., 1896-03-29
South Side Residents Will Stand
by Their Property
Rights.
THE NOE CLAIMS DENIED
A Mass.Meeting to Be Held Next Sat.
urday Night at Mission Turn
Verein Hall.

Abouty300 property-owners of the South
Side were present at last nights meeting
of the Mission Defense Association, John
H. Grady presiding.
A. P. Van Duzer, secretary and attorney
of the organization, stated that since the
last meeting between forty and fifty new
members had been added to the ranks of
the association and twenty-five more had
signed the roll just before the meeting
opened, raising the membership to 40.
Referring to the Noe claims, he deprecated
the practice of certain building contractors
in refusing to accept mortgages on proper
ties whose owners would not pay for quit
claim deeds from the Noe claimants. He
said intending builders should explain to
the contractors that their lands were truly
unencumbered and their titles f1awless.
and hence that they were in position to
mortgage their lots in order to have build
ings erected upon them. Any other pro-
cedure. he contended might be construed
into a quasi admission Of the validity OF
the Noe claims.
The judicial trial of the issues involved
in the claims would, he believed, take
place in two or three weeks. In the mean
time he had prepared answers on the part
of elghty-tive property-owners which
would then come up for hearing. He had
every reason to hope that the Noe claims
would soon be definitely adjudged invalid
and titles to Mission properties set at rest.
He referred also TO the laws of Spain and
Mexico under which the Noe heirs ad-
vance their claims. and said the matter
would be sifted to the bottom and
decided once for all in very short time.
The executive committee reported
l. A. H. tvk Snl, 4<l
Club on the evening before. At that
meeting the High School Club invited the
Defense Association to unite with it; but
the committee was not in favor of such q
union, the objects of the organizations
being separate and distinct.
Mr.. Van Duser. in the absence of the
treasurer, reported that about $125 OF the
associations funds were in the hands OF
the treasurer, $115 in the custody of the
secretary, and that about 500 had been
expended in the payment OF bills.
Judge Van Reynegom reported that ar
rangements had been completed by the
committee, whereof he was chairman, for
the holding of a mass-meeting on next
Saturday evening ut Mission Turn Verein
Hall. Musicians and speakers had been
engaged, and J. D. Phelan had promised
to preside and address the meeting.
Daniel Kelly further reported that be
had secured the use of twelve torches and
twenty-four band musicians for the oc-
casion, which so delighted the younger
portion of the gathering that he was NOM
mated grand marshal forthwith.
George Walton of the same committee
asked for donations in aid of the mass
meeting and number OF those present
subscribed sums ranging from 80 cents TO
So. Mr.. Kelly, when asked to contribute,
rebelled.
THE grand marshal has to provide his
own horse" he contended, sand that will
cost him enough" He relented later in
the evening, however, and set his name
down for generous donation.
The mass-mee ting Will deal principally
with the establishment of a park and high
school at the Mission, and as both matters
seem to interest all propertyo owners in the
section, it was decided that lists be in
readiness and the attendants at the meet
ing given an opportunity to join general
association of particular clubs to be known
as the Mission Improvement League. This
matter was turned over to the committee,
Judge Van Reynegom promising that it
| would receive all due attention.
A discussion took place regarding the
park and high school. Lake Merced and
the two Jewish cemeteries were men
| toned as possible sites for the park, while
many OF the members were in favor of
purchasing the Cogswell College building
| 1or hlgh school or OF leasing that prop
| erty for long period.
Judge Van Reynegom agreed with the
Cogswell project, but thought if that
school were selected the building and land
should be bought outright.
Other members spoke in the same
strain. 1t was decided that, while the De-
fense Association would always be in sym
pathy with any movement for the better
ment of the Mission, it would never lose
sight of its own main aim-the protection
of South side homes against the claims OF
all who might seek to cast doubt upon the
| present land tenure.