The San Francisco call., 1897-02-28
MANY ACRES
TAKE WINGS
All Blythe Lands in Mexico
About to Be For
feited.
CONDITIONS OF GRANTS
NEGLECTED.
The Los Algodones Ranch Al
ready Lost to the Big
Estate.
GENERAL ANDRADE ACQUIRES
THE TRACT.
The Diaz Government Preparing Il
Cor Sx Hundred Thou
sand Acres More.

The news comes from Mexico that big
slice OF the holdings of the Blythe estate
in that country has reverted 10 the Gov
eminent, and that the remainder of the
Mexican property is in imminent danger
. Of forfeiture. The trouble, so it is said, is
due to failure on the part of Blythe and
his heirs to coloEize the lands according
to the terms of the original grant.
In all the Blythe possessions in Mexico
comprise about $40, 600 acres. The greater
portion of these are IN the western part of
the State of Sonora, about eighty miles
south of Yuma, with a frontage on the
Gulf of California. On the western bank
OF the Colorado River, near its entrance 10
the Guif OF California the millionaire had
a tract of 19, 81 hectares, equal to about
Is 600 acres, known as the Los a godones
ranch. Tnis tract is within the iurisdic-
ton of Lower California and is no longer
q portion of the Blythe estate, but the
property of General GuIllermo AnGrade OF
this City.
The original grant to Blythe was can
celed by the Mexican Government about
a year ago. General Andrade purchased
the property shortly afterward for 0000
in Mexican money, at the rate of about 20
cents an acre. The deed of the transfer,
which has Just been recorded at Ensenada.
is dated June 90 1896 The land mas
hitherto by special agreement with the
representatives of the Blythe estate, been
assessed at 6 cents an acre for tax pur-
poses, General Andrade, in addition to
the Los Algodones ranch which he has
recently acquired, already owns about
100 600 acres IN the same locality. These
possessions stretch about the head of the
Gulf of California, eastward into the State
of Sonora.
u nNN nO1.
State Is about, 1t Is said, to follow the fate
of the Los Algodones ranch. The la nd
was granted manv years ago to Blythe and
Andrade on the condition that the lands
should be coIonized. No attempt was
ever. made to carry out this part of the
agreement-prob bat bly, for the reason that
lis new owners found that his was a b'g-
ger Job than they had bargained for.
When the LITIGATION over the millions OF
;he dead man began, the appraisers of
the estate, S. ?. Middleton. Joseph Ell
dridge ana Il. S. Rice, made careful ex-
animation OF these lands and put their
value at 20 cents an acre. 1t was the
opinion Of the executors that they were
sort OF white elephant. and that they were
practically worthless for any purpose
without water.
An engineer was employed to pass upon
this matter, and he reported that it was
. impossible to irrigate the tract at
any prospective increase in values.
Since that time the property has remained
as it always was, bleak and dreary waste
of rocks and sand dunes.
Some five years ago the Mexican Gov
eminent began to manifest a disposition
to- take back the property. Shortly alter
Florence Blythe was declared the rightful
heir OF the blg estate she and her husband
paid visit to Mexico and got period of
grace WI tn view OF making another at
tempt to turn the tract to some account
The Government of Diaz was in a gracious
mood, but no attempt has since been
made to fulfill the conditions of the grant
1t is probable that in few days a formal
decree OF forfeiture will be issued and the
lands sold for what they will bring. 1t is
said that the late Senator Fair was inter
ested with Blythe at one time in this prop
erty, but withdrew after he had becom e
convinced that as colonization venture
it would be a bubble.
General Andrade is now in Mexico. and
il Is rumoTed that his visit has for its OBJ
ject the purchase of this big tract. This