The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-14
BIG CLAIM MADE FOR LAND.
HARBOR LINES SAID TO HAVE DAM
AGED 1T IRHEPARABLY.

Executors of the PARROT Estate
Want the Government to Pay ST.
go for Damage to Property on
HutchinsOn's IsIand-Saw Mill
Plant Claimed to Have Been De-
strOyed-The suit Now Before the
Court of Claims, in Washington.
The Board Appointed to Look At
ter the HarbOr Lines.
There has just been filed in the court
of claims at Washington, D. c., a suit
for S71,25O by the surviving executors of
the estate of Robert p. Parrot, acting
under letters testamentary from the sur
rogate of Putnam county, New York, and
from the ordinary of Chatham county.
These executors, Gouveneur Paulding
and James N Paulding of Cold Spring.
n. Y, base their claim upon alleged dam
ages to property on Hutchison's Island
belonging to the Parrot estate This prop
erty begins near the end of the Marsh Is
land jetty, about opposite the eastern end
of the Ocean steamship wharves, and
runs down nearly to the Will.nk property
The suit was filed for the claimants by
Mr.. E. S. Rockwell an attorney of Wash
ington city, associated with whom are
NIessrs. F. B. Crossthwaite and Chester
Howe of Washington and Messrs. Mercer
&, Mercer of Savannah.
The property is specifically known as
wharf lots Nos. and 2, on Hutchinson's
Island, and the action grows out of GER
tain acts of congress providing for the
establishment of harbor lines, and the
subsequent orders issued based upon those
acts. The fact that such a suit would be
forthcoming was mentioned in the Morn
ing News some time ago. The appropria
tons made by congress for carrying on
the work of improvements at Savannah in
cluded the sum of $4,000 for possible land
damages to Hutchinson's Island, by reason
of the fact that it was expected to cut
off portion of that island just opposite
the city for the purpose of giving the chan
mel along there a uniform width of 600
feet.
Under the acts of congress providing for
this work, Capt O.. M. Carter wrote
letter on April Z, 1898, to the executors of
the Parrott estate, informing them that
it was proposed to begin the excavations
there within a very short time, and that
any wharves or other structures erected
by the executors since May g. 1889, would
have to be removed at their expense, but
that all structures erected prior to that
time would be removed at the expense of
tn United States. The removal of these
structures was asked for at once, so as
to avoid all delay when the work was be-
gun.
Prior to the receipts of the notice from
Capt. Carter there was upon the property
an extensive sawmll plant with wharves
and bulkheads and other structures the
petition states, and the value of the plant
is put at $4,000. This plant extended with
in the harbOr lines consequently under
the notice from Capt. Carter, it had to be
removed.
In the next place it is stated that the in
come from the property was S., 200 per an
mum, and this income having been totally
destroyed for period of more than four
years, the amount claimed OH account of
| it is $21, 80.
The third feature of the claim is for the
value of the land itself. The value of
these lots, it is stated, depends almost en-
| tirely upon the use of the river front for
wharf purposes and by reason of the run
ming of the harbor line and the Issuance
of the notice Hereunder, the use of these
lots, 1t is stated, has been wholly destroy
ed. By running of the harbor line through
the property about 10000 square feet of the
river frontage, 1t is stated, has
| been by implied contract taken
for public use and benefits. and
| the remaining oprtion of the lots has
been left without any river front and rem
! dered valueiess for business purposes The
reasonable value of the land thus cut off
! by the harbor line, the petition states, is
! $4,000
! The property, it Is claimed has, been
rendered Valueless for all purposes and so
| far nothing whatever has been paid for
! it, though it was taken under an implied
contract to be paid for, for the public use.
count of this property alone, for the loss
of the sawmill and other structures, loss
of rental and for the property itself
amounts to ST, $50 This suit is now before
| the court of claims and action upon it will
no doubt be pushed
| 1t was account of this case and the claim
| for damages made by H. f. Wilink that
! the board recently appointed for rectify-
! ing the harbor lines was instructed to look
| into the matter of the lines Just opposite
| the city, and report as to what line should
! be established. 1t is probable that the land
! will either be left as il is or the har-
| Dor lines will be permanently fixed so as
| not to cut off so much of the land as was
at first contemplated. 1t is believed that
| this will be done with view to mitigat-
/ ing the damages claimed, and the report
! of this board and action upon 1t will I'M
! doubtedly be awaited before a definite con-
| ciusion is reached with regard to these
| large claims.
|