The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-01-03
For Board of School Commissioners. Turpentine Lease, Mobile County


 state of Alabama. county of Mobile:
 That at a regular meeting of the board held - there came a report from the land committee of the board recommend Ing that proposition from ---- to lease certain school lands be accepted, and the report of the committed having been received and recommendations adopted:
 Now, therefore. acting under such au- thority, and in consideration of the sum or - dollars, in hand paid, I have this day leased unto -, for the period of four years from ----- all that part of section -. in township -, range -, of land located in Mo bile county, that may be owned controlled or held in trust by the board of schooi commissioners of Mobile county. Ala.
 This lease carries no title to the land, and is intended to only convey to the said ------ the privilege to box the pine timber found thereon and that may meas- ure = inches and upward at the stump. It is further conditioned that if the said --- or his agents, employees or as- signs, shall violate the conditions named in this lease then the board, through its superintendent, reserves the right to con eel and void this lease at any time.
 Witness my hand and seal this -- day of -. Supt. G.S9 For Board of School Commissioners Of Mobile County.
 Governor O'Neal's Letter
 The response of Governor O'Neal fol- lows:
 January 1, 1912. Hon. " J. Martin, State Land Agent,
 Montgomery.
 My Dear Sir: I have examined very carefully your report as to the past management and the present status of the school lands in Mobile county known as the sixteenth section lands. Permit me to express my appreciation of the evident care and thoroughness with which you have made this inves- tigation.
 When you were appointed state land agent, I instructed you specifically to examine and report on the condition of these lands in all sarts of the state, the number Of acres in cath county un- disposed of the rental value of the lands in cultivation and what portion of said lands was claimed adversely, and your valuable efforts to carry out these instructions are entitled to my sincere commendation.
 While l had. reason to believe that the state had not heretofore provided a proper supervision of these lands, I was not inclined to think that condi- tions in any county were as deplorable as your report conclusively shows. The superintendent of education, Hon. Henry l. Willlngham, and myself aft CT full consultation on this question, were convinced that 1t was the duty of the state to make a more thorough and exhaustive Investigation of the status of these lands than had ever before been undertaken, but we were confront-, ed with the fact that the only agency provided by law was your office, and owing to the inadequate salary and want of provision for clerical and legal .f tl...4 1.l~ Il difficult.
 The public schools of Alabama, through the generosity of the national government were the recipients of a most valuable domain, sixteenth section in every township of the state, which if properly managed and conserved would have furnished a munificent income for tho cause of education. While the legis- lature enacted stringent laws for the safeguarding and the protection of this valuable domain, your report conclusively shows that through the failure of the state to exercise proper control, this val uable legacy has been largely dissipated through the grossest neglect and msman- agement on the part of the agent en- trusted with it's control. In my Judgment no statutes of limitation can bar the right of the state to recover the possession of any of these lands which have not been sold by authoritive law, and I have in- structed the attorney general. the law department of the state, to institute suits for all such land now adversely held where no legal conveyance has been made. as well as for all waste, mesne profits and damages, actual or statutory; also sucn criminal prosecution as the facts my warrant. You shall also have the aid and advice of my legal adviser.
 ''I wish you as rapidly as possible 10 continue your investigation in the other counties, and l promise you all of the aid vested in me by law for the recovery of this property and the proper punishment of those who have betrayed an important public trust
 Tn my efforts to correct the wrongs done to tho public schools in this state am gratihed to know that 1 have the earnest and cordial support of the super intendent Of education. Very truly } ours, sE-MNIrT n,>rU-AT