The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1911-03-10


The Legislative Committee was in ses
sion here this week investigating Reel
foot Lake with reference to State owner
ship. The investigation began Tuesda,
morning At the courthouse. Finishing
its business there adjourned to meet a
the lake Mr Mosicr and General Cald
well both addressed the committee, Mr..
Mosier being in favor Of an open lake
and General Caldwell in favor Of the
purchase OF the property as soon as
practical by the State. Mr.. Caldwell
stated as his reasons that no Legislative
act would be final, and that from the
present outlook the adjudication Of the
West Tennessee Land Go. interests would
take at least number Of years, in all
likelihood fiyeor more years. He stated
that the people were restless and wanted
the matter settled, and to his mind the
best solution was the purchase Of the
lake by the State. Asked if the land
company would sell, he answered that
the attorneys had so advised Mr.. Cald-
well said that he was not in favor OF
paying an exhorbitant price, but he was
willing to be reasonable in the matter.
He added further that years hence the
land covered by the waters OF the lake
would be worth half million dollars
II drained, that the country thereabouts
would develop some OF the finest land
in the world. Mr. Caldwell gave a brief
history Of the claims, how they were
first acquired from Wilson, Cochran
and Caldwell and came down to Harris
and then to the West Tennessee Land
Company, saying that the Supreme
Court Of Tennessee had held the titles
to be valid, that the lake was not nav
igable IN law or in fact and therefore
subject to private ownership. The only
question left open by the court was the
amount Of land that the grants Gov
cred. AT that time the lake had not
been fully surveyed, but complete sur
yeys have been made since, with the
understanding that the titles passed up
on cover all the lands under the waters
OF the lake, and General Caldwell said
that there were no doubts on this point.
u
Mr. Caldwell Twas asked what the West
Tennessee Land Company paid for the
titles and he stated that he was not pre-
pared to say, but that counsel for the
company had agreed to submit an item
lied statement of the whole matter to
the proper authority and at the proper
time. /,
In last week ) paper we published an I
extract from bill proposed by GEN
eral Caldwell The fifth section was in |
accord with the general idea of State i
ownership, but the next section was /
somewhat different in its scope. The i
sections are as follows: a
Sec. 5. BE it further enacted, That /
said Reefoot Lake, when so purchased. Il
shall be and remain open, free and equal +
y herein provided for fishing and hunt !
ing IN and thereon to any and all the :
citizens and residents Of Tennessee. u
Sec. .. BE it further enacted That p
40 fowl killed on or from Reelfoot Lake 4
md no fish out of or from Reelfoot Lake !,
shall be shipped, carried or otherwise
out of or from Tennessee. Z
Tor sold TO any person, firm or corpor-
,oration not resident OF Tennessee.
Except to non-residents while in Tennes- is
ee for immediate personal consumption. j,
Seems to us that the last section would Al
fleet the shipping interests very ma a
erially The first one seems reason T
Bile, combining the privilege to citizens in
I Tennessee, but to prohibit shipments m
Inside Of the State is rather circum- al
cribed. Without going into the dis al
ussion on our own hook, we are in in
ormed that bill like this would cause til
5 to lose the Burdick enterprise Mr..
urdick says that he could not do busi-
ess with market only 10 Tennessee.
the hunting and fishing privileges on a.
lie lake are intended TO benefit the cit u
ems Of the State it appears to us that !,
lippers should not be Handicapped in n
'cordance with the section proposing y
limit the shipments % Tennessee !,
lily. We understand that Arkansas n;
d probably some other States have
VS. Of this nature, but what benefits