The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-08-22
FIFTEEN ACRES
ISLAND HAS GROWN
FIG ISLAND SURVEY SHOWS
CITY CLAIMS LAND, WHICH IS VAL
UABLE FOR TERMINALS.

Shields Estate Claims Island and
Case VIII Come Up in Court Soon.
Settlement Negotiations Have
Been on, However, and 1t Is Prob
able City May Get Property with
ont Going Into COurt-Under
Sauntter's Claim Island Is Held by
Shields Estate.
Preparatory work for the Fig Island
case, which is scheduled to come up
in court at an early date. has brought
to light the fact that the city owns,
though its claim is disputed, a mile or
a mile and a half of very valuable
river frontage. which is probably worth
100000 and will be worth more and
more as the city grows, as it is now
doing at a rapid rate.
And large portion of this frontage
has been built up by the river since
the United States government placed
jetties in the river. According to the
records, the city should have about
thirty-six acres of land, yet a partial
survey Saturday showed that there are
forty or fifty acres. The difference has
been built UP by the river.
Fig Island, though once a separate
island, is now merely the eastern end
of Hutchinson's Island. the old river
channel having been filled up. The
most rapid growth has been on the
eastern end of the island, and this is
continuing steadily. The island is
steadily following the jetties down the
river For terminal purposes. the is
land is very valuable, and the city
could doubtless realize an enormous
sum should it ever decide to sell it.
The island was bought by the city in
1919 from James Biibo and wife. The
western part was sold, but the thirty
six acres on the eastern end of the is
of the old channel between Fig Island
and Hutchnsons Island in 1886 has
since caused the two islands to be-
come connected. The channel has
gradually filled up until now there is
only one island Half of this channel
goes to owners of Hutchinson and half
to the owner of Fig Island.
Under SQuntteF's Claim.
The Shields estate claims the island
under a squatter's claim, alleging that
it was occupied for over twenty years
without molestation. It was in 1900 that
this claim became known. The gov
eminent asked permission of the city
to be allowed to dump the mud taken
from the river on the island and the
city readily agreed. When the first
mud was dumped objections were made
and the Shields finally stopped it all
together. The city then took action
against the estate to get possession of
the island.
Since then the matter has been pend
ing in the courts. At the time the case
was started few if any realized he
value of the property. And it was not
until Saturday that the growth of the
island was known. Assistant City En-
gineer Howard, who is making the sur
vey. saws the island will continue to
grow for some time. He was greatly
impressed with the value of the island
for terminal facilities.
Mny Settle Case.
It is said now that the case may be
settled outside the court. Col Garrard,
representing the city, has been nego-
tiating with representatives of the
estate and there seems every likeli-
hood of the matter being settled.
For a squatter's claim to be valid,
it is argued by the city officials, prop
erty must be either fenced in or culti-
waited. In this case the city claims
neither was done. The property is now
leased to H. H. Morgan by the Shields
estate and hogs are being raised on
the island. City officials are confident
of having the city's claim to the island
established. If this is done, the city
will have a very valuable property.