The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-18
LAND FOR A LIGHT
GOVERNMENT TO CONDEMN POR-
TIoN OF ST. GATHERINGS ISLAND.
PROCEEDINGS HAVE BEGUN.
EFFORT TO SECURE THE SITE RE
NEWED BY UNCLE SAM.

Government Wants Seven and "a Half
Acres of Mr.. Rauers' Game Pre-
serve-COnstructiOn of Light House
Mt That Point Authorized in 1850
and intermittent Efforts to Secure
Land for the Site in Progress
Since-Never Possible to Make Pur-
chase at What Government Com
sidered Fair Price-LegaI Proceed
ings viii Determine Question.
The United States government has
renewed its efforts to condemn a por-
ton of st. GATHERINGS Island for the
purpose of erecting a lighthouse sta
ton, and formal condemnation pro-
ceedings against Mr.. Jacob Rauers,
owner of the island. have been filed
in the United States District Court.
The proceedings are instituted. on
the part Of the government, by District
Attorney Marion Erwin and Assistant
Attorney w. r. Leaken. To permit
copies of the proceedings to be made
and service of process perfected, the
filing of the petition was kept secret
until yesterday by the assistant dis
trict attorney and the officers of the
court.
The construction of the lighthouse
was authorized by an act of Congress
approved March 2, 1888, the Secretary
of the Treasury being directed to cause
the establishment of the station at
the point the lighthouse board should
select as the most eligible. The act
appropriated $4,000 for the work. This
act of Congress was followed by the
adoption of a second bill, in 1893, in
which practically the same provision
was made.
In accordance with these acts of
Congress and the direction of the Sec
rotary of the Treasury and the light
house board, a selection of site for
the establishment of the station and
the erection of the light was made
in 1896 by Capt. Frederic V. Abbott,
Corps of Engineers, lighthouse engin-
eer for the Sixth district The site
selected includes about seven and a
half acres of land on the ocean side
of the island.
Owner Not Anxious to Sell.
Since that time intermittent efforts
have been made by the government
to secure the cession of the land from
Mr.. Rauers, up to the present with an
entire lack of success. Mr.. Rauers
announced the land was worth
100000. and when the govern
1nent officials recovered sufficiently from
their establishment to declare that this
was absurd, the owner of the premises
rejoined it was worth that much to
him. The courts were appealed to in
the effort to settle the question of
price, but no decision was ever reach
ed. Now, with renewed energy. the
effort to have the site for the light
house condemned has been again be-
gun
The petition of the government re-
cites that 1t is necessary and advan-
tageous to the United States to acquire
the land needed by condemnation and
that though every effort has been
made to buy the land from it's owner
at fair and reasonable price, every
such offer has been rejected.
The institution of the condemnation
proceedings is the outcome of a series
of letters originating with the secre-
tary of the treasury. The secretary of
the treasury wrote to the attorney gem
eral asking that he take steps to have
the land condemned. and thereupon
the attorney general instructed District
Attorney Erwin to institute the pro-
ceedings; the district attorney wrote to
Assistant District Attorney Leaken
and at last the papers were filed.
The government asks that Mr.. Rau-
ers be required to appear at the next
term of the District Court to show
cause why it shc' 4 not exercise its
right of eminent g. ,ain and why the
premises described should not be con-
demned for the erection of the light
house. 1t asks further that a jury may
be called or appraisers appointed to
assess a fair and reasonable compen-
sation to the defendant for his right
and title to the property needed and
that upon the payment to him of this
fair and reasonable compensation he be
required to execute a deed of convey
ance to the government.
Mr.. Rauers objection to the use of
any portion of the island as a site for
light house is based upon the con-
tention. made by him, that a light
house viii practically destroy the value
OF the property as a game preserve, for
which purpose it has been used for
many years.
1t is one of the most celebrated pre-
serves along the Atlantic coast, deer
and other game Astounding in its
,swamps and sylvan glades. The hunt
ing parties that have been there have
been innumerable and innumerable in
deed have been the hunting exploits 1t
has witnessed.
1t was the favored spot on which
Rear Admiral Winfield Scott Schley
shot his first deer. Under the circum-
stances it can be understood with what
reluctance Mr.. Rauers views the posi-
bility of the invasion of his island
home by a force of worlHnen and the
constant presence there of a lighthouse
keeper, his assistants and such others
as the erection of the light will bring.
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uIICCApc Will DApAnr