Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-18
| WILL FIGHT FOR LAND
Kentuckians Are Aroused Over
Pending Litigation.
THREATS By M0uhTAlNEERS
Swear to Kill Judge Who Permits Yer
dict Against Them.
NEWSPAPER OFFICE STORMED
New York Syndicate Seeking to Get
Control Of 325, 900 Acres Of
Mineral Property.
THREATS BY M0uHTAINEERs
NEWSPAPER OFFICE sToRME1
Special pl,pateb to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
LEXINGTON, KY, January 1S.-Excite-
ment is running high all over eastern Ken
lucky as result of petitions filed in the
Floyd circuit court at Prestonsburg two
weeks ago by the Eastern Kentucky Land
Corporation. seeking to list for taxation
about $1,000 acres of the finest land in
Floyd county, claimed by the company
under grants of the state Of Virginia about
11Ss. This petition was followed by others
filed in the neighboring counties of Letcher,
Pike and Harlan by the same company,
the total acreage of land claimed by the
corporation being 325,OOO. valued at s125,
100000. Every foot of the land is underlaid
forests of pine and oak trees cover 1t. The
Eastern Kentucky Land Company is COM
posed of New York capitalists.
From time immemorial this land has been
occupied by people who had bought it in
good faith and paid hard-earned money for
1t. The Eastern Kentucky Land Corporation
secured the real titles to the land and
brought suit for it's recovery. This stirred
the mountaineers, and they threaten blood
shed. Fifteen hundred mountaineers crowd
the little town of Pikeville. where the hear
ing is to take place, and they swear that If
the circuit judge there renders a verdict
against their interests they will kill him.
History Of the Claims.
The history of the claims Is interesting.
From 1857 to 1893, while eastern kentucky
was part Of Bourbon county, Va, several
surveys of land were made on the Big
Sandy, Licking and Kentucky rivers by
John Robinson, Benjamin Robinson, John
Weaglesworth, Richard Young and others.
and land warrants or patents were Issued
them by the State of Virginia These pat
entees never attempted to obtain possession
of the lands, and after Kentucky became
state the same territory was surveyed by
her citizens. and patented by them to the
commonwealth. which they have held and
occupied the same and paid taxes thereon
fore more than three-quarters of a century.
There has always been cloud resting
thereon on account of the old grants, and
fear that ultimately there would be some
effort to regain them. Several attempts
have been made to remove this cloud by
mountain legislators.
A year ago the Great Northern Coke and
Coal Company, composed of New York and
Kentucky capitalists, which had secured
several million dollars worth of mineral
lands in the territory covered by these
grants drafted a bill and had the same
enacted into a law, which gave the holders
of these old grants until January l. 1907,
to list the same for taxation, and provided
that on failure to comply Herewith, any
claim that they might have would be for
feited and revert to the commonwealth.
While this law was being enacted other
parties in New York were busily engaged
in organizing the Eastern Kentucky Coal
Lands Corporation, better known
among the natives of the affected districts
as 1.-The Virginia Granters.' and in obtain
ing titles to these old claims Within the
time prescribed by the bill enacted last
year. this corporation filed its petition ask
ing to be allowed to list its property for
taxation and to pay back taxes thereon. as
provided in the bill, claiming to be the
owner of the interest of more than seven
hundred heirs in eighteen of these old
grants, covering over eighty eight thousand
acres of Floyd county. about two thirds of
and Letcher counties amounting in all to
three hundred and twenty-five thousand
acres, and worth one hundred and twenty
five million dollars. This came as sur
prise to the Great Northern Coke and Coal
Company. and to other corporations who
owned some of the lands.
Forced to Leave Town.
The Northern Coke and Coal Company
secured control of the Pikeville Plain
Dealer, a weekly newspaper, and the land
granters started a paper called the Pixies
vile Plain Talker and each is busy present
ing the claims of the respective COM
panies. The Pain Dealer Office was storm
ed and its editor forced to leave town.
The Eastern Kentucky Coal Lands Cor
poration is represented by John G.
Carlisle. former Secretary of the Treasury:
A. ]. Hendricks, former secretary of the
state of Kentucky. both now of New York:
Judge ]. H. Hazelrigg, formerly chief jus
tice of the Kentucky court of appeals. and
representative from the tenth district. Car
Isle and Hendricks have each been threat
ened with assassination if they do not leave
Prestonsburg and give up the fight, but
they have defied all threats. The mountain
GERS say they will resist to the last ditch.