The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-07-20
CLAIMS OF PROPERTY OWNERS
ANSWERED. HY PRESIDENT ER ANCI

NOmpAlH-
CLAIMS OF PROPERTY OWNERS
ANSWERED. BY PRESIDENT FRANCIS.
Before closing this correspondence / desire to
make reply TO some % the observations in your
letter OF this date. You state that ysu bought a
large tract a. land north Of Forest Park before
the location OF the Fair in Forest PARK hal been
determined upon. While the dates OF your pur-
chase and the fixing Of cur location may he In
the order you claim. Il was nevert-s'--s n fore
gone conclusiun when you bought the 'Irlin tract
that Forest Park would be selected a. the site
OF the Exposition. I well REMEMBER such 10 have
been the case. because the Catiin tract vas Of
fered TO me at $500 Per acre before you bought
It. and I declined TO MAKE the purchase because.
as l stated TO thu agent Offering me the property.
] could not AFFORD to buy property contiguous TO
the Worlds Fair site.
II you have ever done any grading u10n the
Catlin tract (Which Is the only p1rtion % your
property the Exposition Company has ever proposed
to lease) I am not aware q It. nor d I know OF
any expense that the Park View Company has
incurred in the possession OF the Catliu tract
since It's purchase. April %. 1901. other than che
taxes and the interest on the purchase price. IN
less Il be the cost % constructing n number OF
wire fences across Lindell boulevard extended.
and that was TO the great Inconvenience % the
public as well Is OF the Exposition Company
itself
Your letter states that the property q the
Park View Realty Company was BOUGHT because
you knew Il vas destined to he a spl-aiid resi-
dence district. without questioning that state
ment. you will pardon me for reminding you o.
the fact that the aforesaid ground has been On
the market for ten years or more. and could at
any time during that period have been bought
for even less than you paid for Il. TO say moth
ing Of the valuation you now place on It The
Catlin tract proper contains about 100 acres,
ard vas bought less than fifteen mcn'hs ago for
1850 per acre. The Exposition Company Offered
10 rent the west sixty hcres Of the tract. lsav-
ing the forty acres nearer the city. and supp1rsH
20 be the more valuable portion. 20 b uEsd nv
the Park View Realty Company. either FOR sale
as residence property or FOR any other purposes
Il might elect.
SMALL PORTION OF LAND. I
Your letter states that you were 70 Eft up
the park View land for residence property. but
that we are interfering with your plans AMI are
not Offering you adequate compensation FOR 50
doing The Park vlew company owns ove- go
acres OF land adjoining and meas 20 the Worlds
Fair site. all OF which. save one piece. has
been ACQUIRED sinca Forest Park wa Sslc~-el
as the site OF the Worlds Fair. The Exposition
Company has only asked for the use Of sixty
acres OF the So acres you hold. and has not
MANNED. nor does Il desire 60 interfere 10 any
extent with your plans for selling the remainder
OF this extensive area for residence lots
You say We have placed a valuation upon
your property but are unwilling to purchase Il
at that valuation You are perfectly safe in
making such = s:atemen because when you
made the proposition to US that We should buv
900 feet OF the Park View CCmpsny's land
fronting on both s!dcs OF the Colorado Railroad
rEht-of-way at a price OF so per front foot.
or a total consideration OF Soo.o5a. you were
promptly Informed that you should have known
before that neither our charter from the state
OF Missouri nor the appropriation Of the Fedora.
Government. nor the aid from the city Of saint
Louis that the Exposition Company
should purchase land IN Zee simple for tbs p1r-
pose Of r~rsell.aZ.
II seems to me-and / have not CHANGED my
mind-thst the owners OF $40 acres Of land Dor
derinF on the Worlds Fair site. could well AZ
ford TO give tire use Of sixty acres OF that land
for 81 per year for three years in consideration
OF the enhanced value Of tire remaInde- Of ;ha
land consequent upon It's proximity to the Worlds
Fair site
RECALLS OFFER MADE
FOR USE OF FRANCIS FARM.
l own ST acres Of land In the southwestern
part Of the city which was urged By the owaers
OF the neiEhboring land as a NJ location Tor the
Worlds Fair. 1 never considered that site
good one and so stated 10 those who were advo-
eating IL but / did say 10 them. as vel ns TO
the committee that located the site Of Tie Fair.
that 1 would not on,y give the use Of that al
acres free OF charge for q period OF three 10 Ave
years. but IL the Fair should be located tber.a,
I would donate 70 the Fair COMPANY. or 10 the
city. As the Fair Company might elect. aay 10
acres Of that sT that might be selected in order
that the ground upon which any permanent
structures or monuments, that might be erected
would Be the property OF the peop,e
] would cheeTfuily have carried IN, ,hs, $780,.
siuon. and II my personal interests had ~,
to the success CT the Fair. / sbopIs
have earnestly Advocated the selection ~ -
Francis farm as the site OF the E-positian n
not understand me IS Eolcing up my own cen
Duct or expressions as a model for yourself and
coleagues. / have only cited the above oner
70 Illustrate my estimate o. the benent ac-