The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1911-12-21
RFELFoOT LAKE SUIT.
Question Of Ownership
Now In Courts.

Another lawsuit. growing out of the
recent nightrider troubles at Rel
foo. Lake. was begun In the chancery
court at Union City Monday. II Il
expected that the case VIII be dis
po..d OF In a few days. Up TO Tues
ola, morning, only one deposition had
been taken, that of Monroe Golden,
prescnt circuit court clerk. formerly
county surveyor lie testified con
corning distances and depths and con
tents as to growth and condition of
Ga, lake. His report was that the
lake was fourteen miles long and four
miles wide. and It's average depth
was eight feet His evidence Is re-
rarded a. strong In supporting the
rights Of the states ownership.
The style OF the case Is the state
of Tennessee against the West Ten.
u,ssoc Land Company and others.
], Involves the ownership of Reclfoot
Lake. The state seeks To have all
rrauts and private claims upon II
declared void. the purpose In view
being to have tho lake set aside az
public hunting add fishing preserve
The Issue Ia WHISTLER the West Tcp,
ncsscc Land Company has clear
title TO che property which n win be
ueocssary to condemn or whether the
lake ls ALREADY the property OF the
state The land company Ia the owner
OF practically all the outstanding
grauts.
Recent Investigations which have
been made by attorneys and others
Interested IN the case have brought
some interesting facts 20 light II
has been found that the earliest
grants to che property were made
10 Goorge Doheriy by the state Of
North Carolina In i7ss These grants
included only about 1000 acres OF the
land now covered by the lake. and
hcso are the only grants outstand.
ing which were laid upon the land
before IL was submerged.
An the other grants TO the land were
procured from the state OF Tennessee
10 more recent years. with an evident
view to acquiring ownership OF the
lake In 1858 a batch OF grants we're
obtained by w. II. Caldwell. These
grants covered nearly all the lake. In
1915 Galloway a Bennett procured
some grants. which are reported To
have accurately and fully taken In
tlo waters OF the lake.
According to history. the lake was
created by the earthquake OF 1911
and 1872 After this time George
pohorty seems TO have treated his
lands az lost and abandoned them
90 Tar a. any direct control was con
cerned Repeated efforts TO control
the hunting and fishing privileges
and secure the timber rights were
made under the Caldwell ownership
and la'er under the Galloway a Ben
nett grants. but these efforts were
varying in their success.
10 remained for the late J. G. Har-
ris Of Tiptonvillo. whose purpose
was to drain the lake and reclaim
che land. TO inaugrate his scheme OF
buying outstanding grants He bought
an the grants except those of Gal
loway a Bennett. Then the Harris
interest was combined with those and
the West Tennessee Land Company
was formed. This company began
the first effective control OF the lake.
which resulted In the nightrider trou'
hles. the murder of Capt. Quinten
Rankin and subsequent disorders
The principal contention OF the stat
Is that the lake Is body OF naviga-
bic water which. in law. Is not sub
Jet 70 entry or private ownership
IN any manner. Upon this point a
large volume OF proof has been taken
as to the depth and extent OF the wa
Ter and its capacity for the carriage
OF craft. The defendants will rely
upon the insistence that there are
many stumps and trees In the water
and that the distractions unfit II for
navigation thereby removing 1t from
the class OF navigable streams. This