Evening journal., 1897-03-08

Rulir- of n Land Commission Threatens
TO Create Havoc Among Wealthy Chi
cago Peopie-The Legal Controversy
Includes 100 Acres on the Lake Front
CHICAGO, March S.-The decision of th,
land commission, Mr.. Lamoreux, grant
ing Matthias Benner and Harvey NJ. l.;
Toilette. owners of Mckee scrip, the righ
to ask that patents be issued to them foI
land on the North Shore drive, valued al
SIG 600 600. has created the greatest inter
est here 1t Is known that IL is the inten
tion of the holders Of the scrip to locatt
upon property regarded as the btst resi-
dence district Of the city.
The effect Of the decision, If It stands
is farreaching. Vexatious and costly liti
CATION springs 20 the fore Tho decision
not only affects the 16O acres the Mckee
claimants seek on the north sido but al.
that vast tract Of land known as the LAX,
front, from Park row to the Chicago river
The tract of 100. 3 acro7 Of land on the
North Shore drive OF Chicago includes the
property OF Potter Palmer, Robert L. Lin
coin, Franklin MaoNoagh, II. II. Kohl
saat Il. +. Lawrence, the late Davit
Swing, General A. C. McClurg, A. B
Dick, Charles Pope, Mrs Allen Marvel
5. +. Gross. J. NJ. Loomis, NJ w. Farlin
s. r. Barrett, Mrs. NJ. ID. Ogden, V. G
Iurncr, Allison V. Armour O. w. Potter
and hundreds Of other pieces of enormous
ly valuable land enst Of Rush street anc
north of the river TO North avenue.
To be mora exact the tract covered by
the claimants lies between the Chicag,
river and Lincoln park and east Of the ole
line that marked the shore of the lake IN
the early history Of Chicago, line run
ming irrcgularly north and south from St
Clair street and trending westward L
within about 200 feet Of State street
where that thoroughfare starts from Nortl
nyonuo
NV Disputes Over the Title.
Tho ground Is laid for now disputes owe
the titles, and tho validity Of the abstract
for all thNt made land which is now repre-
sentcd hy the Lake Front park, tho tenn
rorary postoilice site, the public librar
site, the Illinois Central right Of way cas-
OF Wabash avenue, and that other vas
tract occupied by palatial homes, the LAX
Shore drive and Lincoln park fiji. frOr
tho Iiycr 10 North avenue, and east @
Rush street
Bonnor, who is citizen OF Chicago, an
Ia Toilette, citizen OF Indiana, pun
chased q year or so ago for S37, 600 fror
the heirs of one Mckee q certain pieco q
scrip Issued by congress TO Mckee man
years ago This scrip untitled the holde
TO 1908 acres Of land and possessing th
exceptional quality OF being locntablo o.
any unoccupicd government land. Ono
possessed of the scrip, Bonner and la Fol
lctto looked about for a valuable bit q
government land and selected this trng
IN Chicago, Of cloudy title, but enormou
value Then they set about getting pat
emf The best lawyers were employed, ant
not wholly content with their originl
counsel, John G. Carlisle OF Mr. Clev,
lands cabinet was afterward retained
No Present Title to the Land.
Moro than 200 acres of land, valued
500, 600 000 are brought TO the attentio
Of the court by tho decision The Valei
tine Scrip claim to lake front properi
south of tho river is pushed to the froi
again.
The decision, oven II it stands, does n,
give the claimants any present title to Il
property. The commissioner Of tho gene
al land Office says that tho land which q
Palmer and other great estates are on wa
has been and is government property, tn,
holders Of scrip may file upon it and app
to the secretary Of the interior for pa
ent Tho secretary may refuse that patton
In that event the scrip owners may brir
suit In the courts OF Cook county again
the present property owners to secure a I
tie, and that suit will have to go to ii
United States supreme court before M
final decision in the matter will be accer
ed But such decision would make Il
litigation possible and cloud the title
the land.
Wealthy real estate dealers are distur
ed by the turn Of affairs. Ono firm h
sold ~ acres of the land in question al
given q personal bond TO tho value tn
tho title is not and cannot be clOuded.
judicial decision that the Mckee scrip C,
ho located rs the land commission
ciaims, would ruin them.
Tho interior department. says that no 4
cision has hoen given out, or il one h
been it was done in defiance of orders a.
not in accordance with the usage of {
lnws OF the land Office of the interior {
pnrhncnt Secretary Bliss said nothi
bad becn done about tho case, that no
cision had been filed, and that the depa
ment was not committed TO anything.
said that he would carefully investlgl
before permitting action.
The lawyers for the scrip owners expla
the mystiilcation of the department by 81
ing that Commissioner Lamoreux ga
nut his decision on Friday from his roc
In the Plankinton House, Milwaukee, a
that 1t has not yet reached WashingtC
The decision bears the date Of Feb
Mr.Lamoreux is now lying ill at his hol
in Horizon Wis and ,-oftiene to Ia i,,t