The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-07-18
CLAUDE'S FOR
HOMESTEADERS
Whom The Consolidated Ma
val Stores Company Seek
TO Gust.
Ry Il. c. Sparkmanl

nv II & SDaTkman)
Wy . ,o,t
Washington, July lin August ~
four parties, all poor people ANXIOUS 10
build homes for Their iamilleS' e"C"
home Steadcd lou acres IN ' oIuS'a Cou"
ty. They went ahead ana improved 'hG
land, raised crops and were on inc ~, ioau
TO prosperity and conlenlmeh'' lhey
had complied win an 'lie lo'li 'N.epr','
laws and The thought that their properly
and improvements was not SAFE never
for once crossed their minus;
Suddenly they are ordered 10 Naca e
and discovered that Inc STATE Oh r'ol ~"
had consented TO allow inc use vi 10
name in suits TO ouS' mem lhS,lEu.eu W
inc ' -, So"S Spnnnd ,hat The land they had
In , came under the act Of
ISs0 STonling swamp and OVERLOOKED
land 70 the state.
The homesleaderS fought the suit and
winning out before the Gainesville land
office The prosecutors appealed 10 the
general land office at Washington.
THEY then having already spent about
5000 in attorney and other defense
fees appealed to Congressman L'Engle
to aid Them in getting a decision based
upon the evidence and upon justice
from the general land office. Mr..
L'Enele then took the matter up with
the Commissioner OF the general land
office and hopes that the decision OF
the Gainesville land office will be up1
held and those people be allowed TO ic-
tain their homes.
MIR. LEnglc went further than that:
He has written the following letter,
which is explanatory, protesting
against the state of Florida allowing the
use of its name in The prosecution of
suits to deprive good and lawful citizens
of their home and property:
>, W, M.D.
hon W. a. Nlclta H,,.I,.o
COMMISSIONS Vi ~ i'cu''u'e'
laiianassee' r'o''u'
Dear MIR. McRae:-
| have had several complains rom
homesteaders i'll Florida to the effect
that the State was Lending lis name IN
suits brought to Dust lhem on me
ground that the land they had entered
and improved was swamp ana over
flowed. =,
In some cases the people have lived
on the lands for two years or more;
have built homes and otherwise i'm
proved the lands. they entered these
homeSteads in good faith and were not
informed al the time OF entry that they
were reserved as swamp and Over
flowed.
In one instance the homcSteadcrS
have paid out SlZOO in attorney fees in
an endeavor TO save the homes they,
poor people, have built and improved
Frankly, think ii an outrage for the
State OF Florida to become party TO such
suits. Technically the land may be
claSSed as swamp and Overlooked, y
but in common justice these people, en-,
tering their homcSteadS legally and in
good faith should not lie compelled 10
! give up all they own in the world,
when they have not Intentionally done
any wrong.
The State OF Florida has every oppor.
IuniIy to investigate these cases and see
if the people really did enter in good
faith and if they have made improve
ments, the loss of which would be a
SIeil DuIueh I'D iheHl.
My sympathy is all with the home
SteaderS, though ] can do nothing for
them except to aid them on appeals
when the matter is brought up to the
General Land Office here for final &C.
lion will do this in every case be.
cause ! think the If cause is just cause.
E,or;do ~ onootoa IVY S ~ 'nI i2'Iae %
encnuroao bo no,,eodim% N o WI'O, ma, ~
Iond ito none ~ snoh 61ro"ra, ~ ,L W.
ConsoI;dated Naval StoroS Snnnn, 40 '' ~
site ~ Jonrivo thoSa nooDI D'''p "a y IL
homes o Sni,s Witch "ron Gi'I , 90 ,mv,'
luJ heor boayiiv mon ,La,,, u" n,,os,,.
and o,bor defnHso p fons ''e"' III "''o'"'!
Twisb Won u,ouIJ oou This ,o.,o.,,
tho ottoriion Of tbe Comorn ,S o "'J'' N, ~
otticiaIS in nboroa s,,o S'mm a,, 1n" 0'iiei
II il is dosira6Io 7 'I n,n " far,,,d 900.
comics If corraSno,donna fpa u" ''u Sou
fice which hcIipVn v'iHI oo eo,n ,'S 81. VI,
h,t thn St,te nf EloTida u ia luz o ~,
name n he ncJsocn,ion 81 ho Iu," s;, w.
ialile ~ 'ne persecution OF honeSl GU,
wbo SaWo T hniI, ", N'o and h no law ana