The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-06-07
changed. nor have been the
principles governing it's practice.
Long LcnSe mt Small Rent.

materially changed. nor have been the
principles governing it's practice.
Long Lcnsc mt Small Rent.
The village Is built partly on cor
porat!on land and partly on land pri-
vately owned, and ~ governed by a
municipal organization, the single tax
corporation exercising no governing
power. It's town lots and it's farm
lands. now reaching miles into the
country, or n very large part OF both
are leased to tenants on ninety nine
year leases. for which they agree to
pay the full rental value OF the land
only. exclusive of all improvements
Lately the corporation has adopted the
SomerS system rs the falrcst method
OF assuming the rental value. This
rent Is payable scmiannually. Town
lots Of. say, 75xi5O feet rent for from
81 to about $40 year. according TO
the location and the use for which
desired. Farm lands rent for from
about 30 cents an acre to three times
as much according 10 location and
character.
In general. the lcssee for this long
term may do anything with the land
that he could do If he owned the title
In foe simple. save only that he can
not sell or devise the title. He may
sell his lease with the assent of his
lessee. or sell his improvements sub
jcct only to any claim there may be
against the land for unpaid rent.
The first duty of the corporation IS
to pay all taxes assessed by State au-
thority on the lessec's lands. improve
ments and all personal property other
than moneys and credits. The sccre-
tary and treasurer are the only sal
aired officers, and their pay is less
than that of brakeman on the aver
age railway. After these and other
small expenses are paid. whatsoever
remains OF the rental fund must be APP
piled to purposes that Will benefit all
lcssees alike, roads. bridges. schools.
maintenance OF public grounds. and
such Ike. The corporation borrows
nothing and owes not a dollar. save in
ordinary course of business from day
to day. 1t has never sold a foot of
land. no dollar Of profit has ever
gone to any member, and for several
years there has been only ono occa-
sion to sell any improvements for un-
paid rent, az the law authorized it to
do when necessary, and In Its twenty
years OF life 1t has had exceeding
small use for a policeman.
VIII Stand Comparison.
Along the chief road leading away
from the bay the farm development.
need not shrink from comparison with
the best rural regions In the South.
The village itself fronts westward
on the bay from 50 to $50 feet above
its level. and has daily steamboat COM
munication with Mobile, one quite large
steamer plying between Mobile and
Fairhope only. making no other land
ing. She has fairly outstrippcd the
other villages In the county. though
some OF them are far older, and. prfmi-
tive as il may look to the city dwcllcr.
the intelligence of its people is plain
from the much larger use they make
of tho mail
AS before said. II Is not free from
GROWERS and sorchcads. Some OF them
arc even now trying to persuade the
courts that the venture IL all a mis-
take and ought to be dissolved: but
even though that should he done, no
degree OF any earthly court can ever
wholly undo the work that cnthu-
siasts have done here to make this
once wilderness bloom like a garden
and not even the presence of the dis
and snarling can rob the place
OF its charm as a delightfully."- reStful
dwelling place. Nor can their presence
belle the fact that here is one OF the
very few places where the relatively
poor man can get the full use for his
own and two later generations at least
OF farm or Il home place. and have
all his ready money, save half years
rent, left TO build or develop his farm
q. NJ. MCCONNELL.