The age-herald., 1899-08-26

after this resolution was adopted and in- formed him of the action of the board. had never seen nor heard from him in re- gard to this matter until then. Pinckard absolutely declined to enter into any ne- gotiauon to buy unless the lands of both schools were included, as it Y9gla compel him to examine the whole 5000 acres, and he would not know until the partition was made which 25000 acres would fall to his lot, nor would he agree to buy the land Of both the schools unless he could have until October 1 to examine the land and decide whether he wanted it. He stated that he had a letter from c. w. Hare saying that he was authorized by the executive com- mittee of the Tuskegee school to say that they would sell for s per acre, but that the board had not acted upon 1t. MT. Pinckard expected to get a reply in a few days, and was willing to pay S1,0OO cash to each school for an option until October l. l informed him that I was going to New York, and would be absent a week or ten days, and would see him on my return; he then stated that he, too, going to New York, and would meet me there. We did meet the next week in New York, and MT. Pinckard showed me telegram stat ing that the trustees of the Tuskegee school declined the proposition, and this at once terminated all negotiations between us.
 MT. Pinckard stated to me that after he had prepared the proposition and de- livered it to be presented to the trustees of the Montevallo board proposing to pay them $1,000 for an option at $5 per acre. 11, tzs. posed that if he (Pinckard) would pay him Reynolds) $15,0O0 he would get the trus- tees of the two schools to make the price of the land & per acre and save him $5O,- oOo which Mir Pinckard promptly declined
 Last Meeting of the Board
 look no further action and had no ne- gotiations or conference with any one about the sale of these lands until the board met at Montevalo on the 4th of July then reported that I had not been able 10 Sell to MT. Pinckard. At this meeting an oner was submitted in behalf of Mir DeBardeleben to pay g 800 for an option on these lands until December 1, and after full discussion the resolution that is set out In the first paragraph above was adopted In day or two after the resou-
 
 formed of its contents and invited him to make another bid, which he declined to do in note addressed to me. Until this time had never seen nor had any confer ence whatever with MT. DeBardeleben or any agent of his about the sale of these lands, and when went to Birmingham to meet him, he was absent and met his at- torney and took up the matter with him. Both commissioners Plowman and Thomp- son, were present and remained present un- trthe contract was agreed upon, prepared and signed and the cash payment made.
 Notwithstanding all the newspaper arti- cles about the value and alleged sale of these lands, no one except Mir Pinckard and MT. DeBardeleben ever made propo- sition looking to purchase-a period of about three months. About the time the sale was concluded one of the commission CTS received letter from MT. J. H. Bank head, Jr, stating that if he concluded a sale then pending of some lands of his own he might take a few thousand acres at $5 per acre.
 Both Commissioners Di.fgent
 The commissioners of both schools were dilgent, not only in examining the lands, put III LH6lT tilOtlS IO iuu puICHdSeioj uiiu to ascertain their market value. One of them had letter from Hon. J. H. Bank head dated April Y, stating that the lands subject to selection were very much scat tered and that $4.50 per acre would be for tunate sale. He also wrote the other con- missioner that the most valuable lands had already been selected by the university and Caldwell (for school indemnity under pre- vious grants; that he knew the lands and could buy the mineral rights on just as good land for 8; that the surface was of little value.
 Every intelligent man who understands coal mining knows that lands widely scat tered as these lose much in market value Not one of the great corporations of the mineral district made any attempt to buy these lands, though invited to do so. Those who honestly think that full value has not been secured are simply ignorant of the character, location and accessibility of these lands Almost without exception they are remote from transportation and in such small bodies as not to invite development where the seams are sufficiently thick to warrant 1t. l suppose and hope that when bodied up with other lands or retailed in
  roads are built to them a large price can be had
 I am sure it is unnecessary for me to disclaim to you any interest in the pur- chase of these lands, only those who would themselves deliberately betray such trust or barter their honor for money would make such a charge. Your instruction to sell was to provide better building ur- gently necessary for the proper care and protection of the girls attending the school, and these instructions have been carried out according to their letter and spirit, as will be shown by the contract which submit herewith for your consideration. I can furnish you with the original or copies of all letters referred to herein.
 JOSEPH F. JOHNSTON. f
 GRAND MIDSUMMER EXCURSION To New Orleans, La. August 26 1899. $4