The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-28
DO YOU WANT AN ISLAND?
Iowa Is Going to Sell Lands in the
Mississippi and Missouri.

Sioux City, Iowa, Dec. 2S.-Anyone
desiring to buy an island in either the
Mississippi or Missouri rivers where
these streams bound the state now has
the chance. Persons wishing to become
Robinson CruSOeS are gradually learn
ing that the late Iowa legislature pass
ed law giving the land department of
the secretary of states office the power
to sell islands, the proceeds, after de-
Quoting the expenses of surveying and
appraising, going to the state.
Henry Oehlerking of Sergeant Bluff
is the first Woodbury. county resident
to apply for an island. Some weeks ago
he filed his application for 400 of the
756 acres in BraSSfield island, two miles
west of the town. Martin Holmvig,
county surveyor of Woodbury., survey
ed the land and John Jameson, clerk
of the state land office, arrived from
Des Moines and appointed John Tone,
A. Hollenbeck and Abram Harder, all
of Sergeant Bluff, to appraise it. They
returned a report finding a valuation
of from 81 to s21 an acre for the island,
an average of $11.25 an acre.
Mr.. Jameson explained the process
of securing an island. An application
must first be filed with the secretary
of state, stipulating the number of
acres the applicant desires to purchase.
With this he sends so cents an acre
to pay the expense of surveying and
appraistng. Then the surveyor is APP
pointed and makes a report to the land
office, after which the applicant depos-
it's the amount reported by the apprais-
ers.
But it doesn't necessarily follow that
the applicant will secure the land" con-
tinued MIR. Jameson, "for 80 days are
allowed to which other persons may
bid for the tract The original appIi-
cant gets the land, of course, if he out
bids others. In case he is outbid the
money the advanced is returned
Brassfield island has been awarded to
the state by the supreme court. The
decision was recently filed in the case
of Holman against Hodges, both Ser
geant Bluff residents. Holman owns
farm adjoining the island and claimed
it as accretfon land, the river having
left the east side of the island, except
at high water times. The court decided
that Mr.. Holman could claim the land
as accretion only up to the middle OF
the east channel Hodges was squat
ter. Both Holman and Hodges were
declared out of the deal and the island
turned over to the state.
Applications for 1000 acres of ISL
ands and abandoned river beds have
been filed with the secretary. Most
of them are from residents of Mon
tana, Harrison and Pottawatomte
counties continued Mr.. Jameson
1.-The law gives us control over islands,
sandbars and abandoned river beds of
navigable streams. No doubt there
will be a good deal of controversy over
the question of accretion land, but the
courts have decided that the person
owning property adjoining the river
can claim land only up to the middle
of the abandoned channel.
Just now an interesting fight is on in
court over what is known as the cut
off, near Council Bluffs. Charles
Hanan has applied for 1000 acres of
the island, but persons owning proper
ty along the stream have claimed 1t as
accretion land. The decision has not
been rendered.
The cutoff near Council Bluffs is
similar to the one above Sioux Point
where the Turgeon family and Mrs. S.
S. Adams of Sioux City are contestants.
The river formerly swept around to
the north, forming a sort of peninsula
of land. The Missouri finally cut
through, making an island of the tract
and apparently transferring the land
to Iowa, whereas it formerly was con-
sidered Nebraska territory. The courts
several years ago, Mr.. Jameson says,
decided the tract belonged to Iowa.