Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1906-11-15
TEN THOUSAND ACRES
AT $ll PER ACRE.
w. S. "Biil' Morgan Repre'
sents the Sellers-Commis-
sioners Hartford and Ro-
gers Assent, Commits
sioner Marshall
Dissents.

37S of the acts of 1908, the board of pri-
son commissioners today decided to
purchase 10, 900 acres of coal and tim
Der lands in the counties of Warren,
Bledsoe, Van Buren, and Sequatchie,
known as a part of the estate of the
late Hugh Lawson White Hill, of War
rem county. The price is $11 per acre
making the total of $165, 600. Under
the act, the action of the board must
be ratified by Gov. Cox before the
purchase can be made. The papers
together with copies of the minutes
showing the action of the board were
transmitted to the governor by Chair;
man. Marshall today, but no action has
yet been.taken by Gov. Cox, He stat
ed tonight that he would go over the
papers and give the matter. full consid-
GRAFTON.
Gov. Cox could not intimate his pro-
bable .-course.---bu stated that before
acting he expected to visit the lands
and make careful examination of the
coal deposits and the timber. He also
stated that he would request Commits
sioner Marshall, who did not approve
of the purchase, to accompany him
and examine the lands, in order that
he might.have the full befnte.of his
advice in the premises. Action was
first taken affirmatiyely by the board
at meeting on October 26, all the
commission, Messrs. Hartford, Mars
hall and Rogers being present.
The substance Of the resolution pass.
ed by the board at this meeting was
in effect that the state purchase Is, 00C
acres of what is known as the HI. L.
W. Hill lands offered to the board by
w. s. Morgan, and others on the fol
lowing conditions:
''That the Nashville, Chattanooga
and st. Louis railway legally bind it
self to construct a railroad from some
point on it's Pikeville branch to an(
upon the lands to be purchased an(
the'parties offering the lands for sal'
have the same carefully surveyed ant
a map made thereof and to furnish tn,
state a complete and comprehensive
abstract of title; and also provided
that Chas. T. Gates, the attorneys gen
eral of the state first pass upon the ii
tie and declare it perfect; and also Oh
further condition that the state and tn
owners of the lands offered can agre
upon price therefor, which shall il
no event be more than 81 per acre.
Chairman Marshall voted agains
the proposition for the reasons, as h
stated, ..thats.he did not believe tha
there had been such as examination
as contemplated by the act of the leg
islature, because he did not believ
that the lands were worth the pric
offered, on the other hand, stating tina
it was his information that the land
had been offered for 81 per acre i
June, 1905. Mr.. Marshall also dissent
ed on.the additional ground that in hi
opinion the lands were offered to tn
state by parties who had obtained con
troll of same for the purpose of sellin
them to to- the state, and at price i
advance of their real value.
In opposing the purchase of the land
Mr.. Marshall made this addition;
statement: That he desired it under
stood that in differing from the othe
commissioners he did not intend ther'
by to criticise their action, believin
that they were acting on their be-
judgement and further that he ha
never been upon or seen the lands effe
ed while his colleagues ON the boar
had.
The board met again at the mai
prison today, ali the members beiI
present. A letter from William 5
Morgan and others offering to sell Il
land at $l1 per acre was read and ii
proposition accepted subject to all Il
conditions set forth in the action
Oct. %, above enumerated. Mr.. Ma
shall also voted against this motion T,
the same reasons that he opposed Il
former action.
The minutes of the board, togeth
with a report of N. L. Reynolds, s.
perintendent of the Brushy Mounta
mines; a report Of R. A. Shifflet
chief mine inspector of the state; a
stracts of title to the lands; copies
reports ON the lands by John Frate