The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-09-15
STATE SOLD 1900 ACRES
OF SWAMP LAND IN COLUMbOo
AND BRUNSWICK COUNTIES.
SUIT BROUGHT TO CLARITY THE TITLE
Judge PurnelI Will To-Day Hear a Motor
from the Defendants, the New Jersey
Land and Lumber Company, to
Amend Their Answer.

To-day a motion will be heard by
Judge Purnell in case OF some mpor-
lance to the State Of North Carolina.
Every one familiar with the geography
of this State knows that there are al
most boundless tracts Of land especially
in the eastern section which are absO-
lutely worthless now, but which may
some day become valuable ON account OF
the timber which is found ON themAt pre-
sent some of these tracts are inaccessible
and before they are worth the taxes paid
on them much capital will have to be
expended in providing railroads or some
other means of transportation and IN
draining, for large part Of these lands
consist in swamps.
Such a tract lies in Columbus and
Brunswick counties. Some time since
the State Board of Education, which has
the disposition of these lands in its con-
troll, was offered twenty five cents an
acre for 1900 acres of the swamp
lands in Columbus and Brunswick coun-
ties. The proposition was entertained
fayorably and the lands were virtually
disposed of to some parties in that sec
ton. u
However, it seems that corporation
called the New Jersey Land and Lumber
Company claim that they own 10000
acres of land in these two counties, which
tract embraces the 1000 acres above
mentioned. The new purchasers have
now asked permission from the State
Board of Education to allow them to
bring action against this New Jersey
Company to recover this land to the
State and their request has been grant
ed. Accordingly the cause has been set
for November 4th and will be heard in
Wilmington by Judge Purnell at that
time.
If it is decided that the New Jersey
Company have no title to the 11,000
acres then they have no title to the re-
naming 10000 acres in this tract so
cthe matter must be of Importance to the
State. Messrs. Schulken, of Columbus
Maultsby, of Brunswick, and Judge
Winborne. who are the attor-
neys for the purchasers are now
in the city in order to be present when
a motion is made to-day by Hon. Iredell
Mears, of Wilmington, counsel for the
New Jersey Company, to allow them,
the defendants, TO amend their answer.
What the amendment will be is unknown,
but it is reported that they wish to plead
the statues of limitation. This is the
business which calls the gentle
lueil. dhOtt " ANaiNi,h CT ills
time.
The claims to the land which the
New Jersey Land and Lumber Company
entertain have not yet been presented.
1t is said, however, that their title, ac-
cording to their version, dates back to
1895, when the lands were granted to
different parties whose grants have af-
forwards been acquired by them. The
name of the corporation owning the
tract has changed several times. 1t was
once claimed by the Green Swamp Com
pany, afterward by the Pennsylvania and
North Carolina Land and Lumber Com.
pany, and now by the New Jersey Land
and Lumber Company. The legislature
of 1885 passed an act requiring the COM
pany to survey the land and establish
boundries, but this was never done, the
company changing its name, it is said.
shortly after the passage of the act.
This 10000 acres is used for nothing
in the world now and some parties from
that section report that much of the
tract is absolutely WORTHLESS at present.