The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-05-17

ented lands have been previously dis |
posed of prior to 1901 by the trustees
TO the DiSston Land Company.
ACREAGE AT PRESENT TIME
What acreage remains in the fund
at the present time?
I'm round numbers. 100000 acres
in the Everglades, and possibly 19o,-
0OO acres of ScotteTed lands in diner
ent portions of the state in small
areas
What did the railroad companies
demand in their suits?
That all of the lands OF the fund,
those under certificate, as well as
these under what is styled open
grants. be decided by the trustees TO
the railroad companies under the land
grants: likewise all the moneys OF
the fund"
What did these claims and de
mands of the railroads aggregate
More than 5000. 600 acres Of land
claims. and $3.50. 900 cash that the trus-
tees had in bank.
What have the railroads obtained
from the courts during the seven
years OF litigation"
They have procured, under com
premise based upon a contract with
former trustees. that Judge Swayne
held to have been formerly adiudiCa-
ted in his court. $1,000 acres in one
case. They procured a decree in
Judge Swayne's court for s2Jl 600 in
money. which was the proceeds OF
sales of land reserved by former trus-
tees for railroad companies.
Was this money paid TO the rail
road company under this deCre92'
1t was not. An appeal was taken
i to the court of appeals, and before the
. appeal was heard, the settlements re-
ferred to We're accomplished
Were any lands decreed by any
court to be conveyed by the trustees
during the seven years litigation. to
railroad claimants, of the six million
acres so claimed?'
No such decree was rendered, eX-
Cept as stated"
been accomplished by these settle
and dismissed"
They have not. There are suits
now pending for claims aCgregatinS
( upward Of two million acres.
! We'll now governor" recurring to
/ the recent compromises. what has
/ been accomplished by these settle
! ments2"
Prior land grants have been con-
! veycd to the state board of education,
aggregating 2.OsO.0 acres. equal 20
! the entire acreage owned by the fund
at the instance Of the trustees. and
/ in recognition of the claim Of the
! board of education for p per cent. Of
! the proceeds Of the sales Of all STATE
lands under the constitutional prOvis-
! ion"
AT whose suggestion and upon
whose opinion was this plan Of SET
/ Element arranged and accomplished"
! This was part of my special ser
vice"
! DO you consider governor, that the
/ trustees have employed good juds-
ment, and conserved the interests of
| the state in effecting these settle
ments upon the terms stated?"
! FAVORABLE SETTLEMENTS Eff
/ FECTED.
! There is no doubt whatever that
I the trustees have effected extremely
favorable settlements. Every acre of
. land that has been conveyed under
! railroad land grants by the present
( trustees or their immediate pTedCces-
sOrS in office, and every dollar of
money that has been paid in settle
! Dald under binding contracts executed
! by former trustees. Who convened
/ upwards of eight million acres of land
! to railroad companies, and upon what
authority were they so conveyed? Who
! SdhCu 10 the state TWO and OnP-half
/ million acres of land the remnant OF
! this vast domain"
Great effort and service have been
! required in carrying on this contest
! for upwards Ct :. 100000 acres of land
and S250,O00 in cash during the past
( seven years. Money has been paid for
/ attorneys fees and expenses. From
/ what source has it been derived? Not
/ out OF the pockets of the tax PAYERS
I Of the stale S223 600. the proceeds
/ of the sale Of 103. 900 acres Of land
/ under reservation. the decd to which
/ was actually in escrow and ready 20
! De delivered TO a railroad COMPANY
! IN 1901. was, for the first time in tho
/ history of the fund, placed in the
banks at interest. and in the interest
! of this fund in litigation has mora
/ than raid all attorneys fees"
With these words the ex-governor
! closed the interview-an interviews
that Smbodies the fullest and most
/ complete statement Of the affairs Of
the internal improvement fund ever
I published in this state. and. it is but
lust to say that it was DUNG Gov.
Jennings administration that the
change Of policy AS to the disposition
Of tho public lards was decided ur0n
1t was Gov. Jennings who secured