The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-05-02
CURTIS WRITES ON REELFOOT LAKE WAR Tells How Controversy Has
 Stirred Tennessee THE QUESTIONED INVOLVED How Fishermen RetaIiated When Or dered to Procure Licenses and
 How Night Riding Spread
 Over the State.
THE QUESTIONED INVOLVED

William E. Curtis. in Chicago Record
 Herald
 Nashville, Tenn.-Up in the northwest ern corner of Tennessee, only few miles from the bank of the Mississippi river. is 8 lake from 15 to IS miles long, varying in width from half mile to five miles, and fin depth from a few inches to F feet In the deepest part. It covers a superficial area of about 27o00 acres. and is one of the results of what is known as the New Madrid earthquake of 1s11-12. Prior to that date that section of Tennessee was comparatively high land, covered by dense growth of timber and traversed by two streams, called the Obion river and the Bayou de Chein. The courses of these streams can still be identified at the bot tom of the lake.
 Before the earthquake all of the area now covered by the lake was disposed of by the state of North Carolina to indi- viduals for settlement. The oldest grant bears the date of 17SS, and the most re- cent that of 1794 Since the earthquake the face of nature has been so changed that the boundaries of these grants can not be identified, and it Is contended by some authorities that the failure of the grantees to take possession prior to the upheava1 vitiates their titles on the theory that grants issued by the state for land cannot legally be applied to water. Ten nessee court has already rendered a deci- sion on one claim and sustained the title.
 It is curious situation, and has only recently assumed interest or importance, but for the last year has been one of the livest propositions that the Tennesseans have ever experienced, and involves night riders, assassinations, military expeditions and martial law, and six men are now un- der sentence of death for crimes growing out of 1t.
 Reelfoot Lake was named after an Indian chief who dragged his foot after him. Before the great system of levees was built along the banks of the Mis- sissippi to protect the plantations from the annual flood the lake had con- nection with the river, but the levees have cut it off and only occasionally, when the water is very high there is an inflow and then an outflow. The latter is fed by a large number of springs and revulets arising from them in the neighborhood and is one of the finest fishing places in the country. The water is fairly filled with black bass, crappie, drum fish, perch, buffalo fish and other varieties equally edible and popular The perch and black bass. which are served regularly upon the tables of the hotels and clubs at Mem phis, Nashville and other cities and often shipped to St. Louis, are as fine as any fish in the world and there is great demand for them.
 Until recently fishing was free under the general regulations adopted by the legislature and enforced by the game warden, which make it unlawful to use any method or device except ang ling with hook and line. Licensed fisher men were allowed to take fish for the market in wing nets and adjacent landowners were allowed to set traps for fish for use on their own tables only, and not for sale-except during the spawning season. These laws have been very well observed
 The abundance of fish in Reelfool lake has attracted about 100 fishermen who, with their families live upon it's banks and have engaged regularly with wing rets, shipping to the neighboring mar kets their catch, which has amounted to about 100000 pounds per annum, and could be increased one-half as much more without injury Besides the regular fish ermen, sportsmen have come from all parts of the state; several clubs have heen located, and the farmers in that vicinity have been in the habit of going town to the lake on Sundays and when ever they could get away from their tasks and have supplied their own families.
 Two years ago five men living in the peighborhood-Judge Harris, R. z. Tay- Tor, Seid Waddell, J. R. Deason and w. A. Pleasant. all very reputable citizens bought up all the titles they could discover 1ol-. O. fnn of water and shore, and organized the West Tennessee Land company. They have proceeded to lease the lake and the ex- elusive privilege of fishing to J. c. Bur dick of Union City, Tenn, for a term of ten years for rental of S600O a year. He built two or three small and mex pensive docks and a few storage sheds, but did not spend altogether more than s20o0 or $2500 He then gave notice to the professional fishermen that they must come to him for permits to continue their business and must pay him a royalty of half a cent per pound upoD their catch. Notices were posted prohibiting all other individuals from fishing in the lake with out permits. which could be obtained from MT. Burdick upon the payment of fees.
 As no one had ever been called to pay for fishing in Reelfoot lake before, and everybody, great and small, black and white. had been allowed the privilege without restriction as long as they did not violate the game laws, there was a revolution in that vicinity. Indignation meetings were held protests were adopt ed, lawyers were consulted, the sheriff and even the governor were appealed to- but the West Tennessee Land company showed a title to the ownership and Bur : dick showed by his lease that he was pay- ing 5000 year and must get his money back from the men who caught and sold the fish.
 Most of the fishermen refused to nay the royalty, or even to take out a license but a minority of them, having no other means of support, did so under protest rather than starve. They were admon- ished, entreated and threatened by other fishermen who refused to pay and finally a band of might riders" was organized to punish all persons who recognized the right of Burdick and the land company They began by burning docks, boats and warehouses; then they whipped honest fishermen who continued to work and paid royalty to the lessee: they burned the houses and boats of fishermen who would not join the association, and created reign of terror which culmnated in the assassination of Captain Rankin, a we'll known and highly esteemed lawyer who acted as legal adviser to Burdck and the land company, and prosecuted several might riders for outrages they had com mitted.
 The situation became so serious that the sheriff of the county and other of fcers of the law were absolutely DOW I,