Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-10-10

about four acres. 1t is a part Of a
tract of 60 acres purchased by Bishop
Edward Partridge in 1881 with funds
belonging to the Church. The deed
was in the name of Edward Partridge
and the title so remained until after
the saints located In Utah. About the
year 1850 firm of real estate dealers
came into possession OF u part Of this
SO acres, including the Temple lot, but
their title was defective. Many years
after this the Temple lot WAS purchased
by the Hedrickites. After they had
held possession OF it for several years,
the Re-organized church made claim
to it on the ground that it was prop
crty that riyhtfully belonged to the
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day
Saints, and that they We're the lawful
successors to the Church. They sought
to enforce this claim by Il suit in eject
ment. The litigation was prolonged
and assumed great Importance to the
different bodies that believed in the
divinity of the mission of the Prophet
Joseph. The nature of the case re-
CURED an exhaustive investigation into
the laws and history of the Church
established by the prophet. The Re
organized church was successful in the
trial court, but on appeal the decision
of the lower court was reversed and
the property in dispute was awarded
10 5tile ~IleuEicklteS, VINO sui nOlu III.
They are a small band of worshipers,
numbering in and near Independence
about $50 souls, and are very devout.
Their loyalty to the Temple lot is un-
bounded. They taxed themselves
heavily to meet the expenses OF the
litigation over it, and money could not
buy it Of them. They believe in the.
divinity OF the Book Of Mormon, and
in all OF the revelations received by
the Prophet Joseph UP to the close of
1883 But, strange to say, they be-
lieve that, in that year. the Church.
fell into disfavor with the Lord, in
consequence of which they were ex-
PEELED from the promised land They
are waiting for some manifestation
from the Lord. showing them what He
wants them to do with the Temple lot
Meantime, as one OF their leaders re-
Gently said to me. postage stamp
would buy it as quick as MILAN dol
lars would. On the market, aside from
sentiment, it would be worth about
$4,000
1T will be a matter of interest to the
Latter-day Saints generally to know
the exact legal point on which the case
finally hinged. 1t was this: Under tho
laws OF Missouri, when the defendant
in q suit in ejectment succeeds in prov
ing that third party, not interested
In the litigation, has a better title to
Inc property IN dispute tnan has the
plaintiff, the latter will be defeated and
the property will be awarded to the de-
PENDANT. The Hedrickites won the
case by proving that the Utah Church
was the true successor to the Church
established by the Prophet Joseph
Smith. and for that reason had a bet
ter title to the Temple lot than could
be shown by any other claimant.
1.-THE town of Independence is laid
ont In blocks of Irregular size and
streets of irregular width. and build
ing lots vary In size. Generally, how
ever building lot will be about so by
$50 feet in size. Such a lot is valued at
from 5000 up to s1.500. What is con-
sidered the finest vacant residence lot
in the town is now on sale. 1t is SO to
i1kO feet IN size. Is a choice location on
the best street, and is held at SLIGO.
Farms In the immediate vicinity of In-s
dependence are valued pretty high,
about the lowest being 500 per acre.
Speaking generally, land in Indepen-l
Gence is high In price In proportion to
population, but the town is q suburb OF
Kansas City, which is growing faster
than any other city in America. The
extremely rapid growth of Kansas City
is causing real estate values within a
wide radius to advance rapidly. Farms
within Is miles of Kansas City have
doubled in value within the last five
years, and the advance seemG likely
to continue.