Arizona republican., 1909-06-06
MIDDLEOF CHANDELIERS LAND
Most Remarkable Homestead Entries Ever Made A Fine Old Valley Farm With no Owner Till Shaw Filed on 1t.


 claims in the Salt river valley worth at their present valuation $50,000 would appead about as difficult as finding the pot of gold at the foot of rainbow. Yet that is precisely what Edward L. Shaw and Louis Garesche did last Friday
 The land filed upon by Shaw and Garesche has been under cultivation for fifteen years. One hundred and sixty acres of it is now in the finest stand of alfalfa. It is under irriga- tion, with plenty of water for 1t, and even has a fence around it. The av- craze observer would consider it one of the most prosperous farms of the valley, yet, according to the records of the land office, a patent has never been taken out on it .....
 It is one of the most remarkable fil- ings ever made at the local land of flee and the story of it reads-not like the Arabian Nights-but like one of the stories sometimes seen in the Saturday Evening Post; of the poor young man who had just come to the metropolis and happened to Overhear. in a street car, conversation between two Wall
 
 a tip on stocks that makes him a mill ionaire in a few minutes.
 Ed Shaw got his tip Tn the cafe of the Ford hotel It was 5 o'clock Thurs day afternoon. He was leaning against the bar dallying with a sloe gin rickey. Presently the tipster en- tered. He had enough to make him garrulous. The tipster had his friend with him to whom he immediately be- gan to eenfide the innermost secrets of his heart. When he got down to the real secret, the secret that was to stand between him and poverty, he whispered innuendos, then hinted at a gold mine in an alfalfa field; then he came out with it and told the secret. Shaw, who was standing near by, could hardly help hearing the conver- sation. He drew a long breath and asked for another rickey.
 You know I work for Chandler" said the innocent tipster, and Chand- Ter thinks he owns most of the land south of Mesa-but he don't
 Don't he?" asked his friend
 No, he don't There is a half sec ton right in the middle of his land that he don own and know it. When I quit working for him I'm going to file on it."
 The secret was out and Ed Shaw was not the man to let fortunte knock twice at his door.
 It was now a quarter after j. He sought out his friend, Louis Garesche, and together they discussed the situ- ation The land office was closed so they got an automobile and started for Mesa Shaw had obtained a gen. eral idea where the land was situated, but he was not quite sure. They started out from Mesa Friday morning and drove eight miles south. They came to section 3I and Shaw decided that that was the piece of land refer red to. The section is at the head of the Highland canal and on the ad- joining section the government is bor- ing five wells for irrigation purposes. Shaw pointed to the east half of the section and told Garesche that that was their gold mine. One-half of the land was in alfalfa and all was irri- gated The land on either side be- longs to Dr. A. J. Chandler The half section was a part Of an enormous field all fenced in, and Shaw and Ga resche had to open three gates to get at the land.
 When the adventurers saw the land and knew at once that it was worth from $50 to $2OO an acre they threw on the high speed and started for Phoenix and the land office. Late Friday morning they tumbled up the steps of the land office in the Elem ing block. They asked for the dope" on section 31, township l south, range : east.
 They were informed that no patent had never been issued on the eastern half of the section. Garesche at once filed on the northeast quarter and Shaw on the southeast
 There is not very much more to this tale of sudden wealth. Friday night there was a little champagne supper at the Ford hotel at which Shaw was the host II was rumored for time that there might be more land in the same district that might be subject to entry, but a close scrutiny of the rec ords has not yet brought any to light. Just how it happens that S50,OOO farm has gone begging for fifteen years in plain sight of thousands of people has not been explained. Friends of Doctor Chandler say that the doc tor has the titles up his sleeve. He was in Phoenix yesterday, possibly for the purpose of looking up the records.
 According to the records there Is no contest possible as the land was de-