The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-12-20

consisting of the president and trustees of
the University of Alabama but an instru-
ment of government created for its pur-
posesg' 1t is true this fundamentally is
confined to the disposition of a particular
part of the public domain, the collection
and appropriation of the proceeds in a par
tcular way, the erection of college build
ings, and other duties attendant upon the
establishment and support of an institution
of learning. Yet this institution is in every
respect public one, originated and prose-
cuted by legislative enactment, towards
which no citizen has contributed one cent
either in money, other property, labor or
services, even as a trustee, without pecu-
MARY remuneration.
ut Is useless to refer to other books to
prove that this is public corporation. Au-
thorities might easily be multiplied, but it
would be work of super-erogaton."
Shall the state tax itself? What is this
great institution of learning but an arm Of
the states government dlscharging the
highest duty which can fall to any agency
of government?
1t is true that it's endowment comes from
a grant of congress, but its charter is from
the state and the title to the lands is vest
ed in the state as a sacred trust, to pro-
mote the cause of education. Nobly and
grandly has it responded in the many years
of it's history to the dutyswhich rested upon
it; and puerile indeed is the contention that
it's noble usefulness shall be impaired and
the value of it's magnificent property squan-
dered In order that one hundred and eighty
five and a half dollars per annum shall be
exchanged by the state from one pocket to
the other.
In regard to the value of the property
sold to the Sloss-Sheffield company, the
most convincing evidence is the recent sale
of
The American Coal & Coke Company
This land was sold by deed dated Novem-
Der 4, 1899, to the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and
Iron company for one hundred and twenty
five thousand dollars, just three days after
the execution of the deed from the Uni
versity to the same company. The two
deeds were filed for record about the same
time.
The really valuable property of the
American Coke and Coal company consisted
of six hundred acres, bought by j. H.
Hayes for Governor Johnston and General
Rucker from the University in 1891, for
which they paid fifteen dollars per acre,
together with a tract from John Jones,
containing one hundred and sixty acres,
and one from Pink Jones, containing eighty
acres These University lands were put
into the American Coal company at fifty
dollars per acre. At that time the prop
erty was unimproved and the nearest rail-
road was the Georgia Pacific, some two
miles away.
We are informed that the opening upon
the American Coal company's lands was
unfortunately made; that the mine cannot
be operated except by pumping the water
out, because the location is on the wrong
side of the hill, where there is no nat
ural drainage. Either because of the I'M
fortunate location or some other reason not
explained to us, these mines were not sue
cessful, and the company made an assign
ment in 1895 for the benefit of its creditors.
At THAT time it owned two and three-quar-
ter miles of railroad and the same lands
which the American Coal and Coke COM
pany recently sold to the tSloss-Sheffield
Steel and Iron company. The only lands
which the company owned in fee, as we
are informed were purchased from the
University, the rest being merely mineral
rights. The real and personal property of
this company was, in accordance with the
Law, appraised. The appraisers appointed
by the court were III. w. Long, M 7.
Hendricks and George NJ. Masterson. A
copy OF the AFFIDAVIT which they made to
the appraisement is hereto attached marked
''Exhibit g." The lands of the company
contain 1854 3-5 acres, 1880 of which were
mineral nights The value of this land was
Fixed at $4,000 the two and three-fourths