The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-07-19
Says That Only One Side of
the Matter Was Published
and That He Had Offered
Information For 81, 800.
Pensacola, Fla. July IS, 1914

Pensacola, Fla. July IS, 1914
Editor Pen sacola Journal:
There are always two sides to every
question In your article IN Mondays
issue touching the recovery of, city
property you absolutely gave Ddt one
side of the matter and the aspersions
cast against me were entirely unwar-
ranted by the facts and had The Jour
nal publish ed all the facts relating to
the proposed contract the article
would have been shorn of all its ap-
parent craftiuess.
This same question was brought
before the Old council by other parties
and was considered and approved by
the finance committee and the mayor,
w hen It was proposed to pay twenty
five hundred dollars for the infornla-
tion which l have agreed to furnish
for fifteen hundred dollars, but for
reasons best known to the members of
the council when 1t came before that
body it was quietly put to sleep.
It is apparent from the article that
some people think the city does own
great deal of property of which IL
is not now possessed.
If the city does own IT, It seems to
me It makes no difference whether the
present claimants are rich or poor, so
far as the citys rights are concerned.
It is very apparent also that 1t would
be much better for the present claim
to which t3 in the city to have the
titles cleared than for them to remain
IN their present status, and that feat
ure was uppermost In my mind when
1 took the matter up with the COM
missioners.
/ deny most emphatic that It was
the intention Of the parties to the
contract to rob any poor man of his
home or take anything from the rich
man that belonged to him, or to at
+nV1 nf
tention of the writer and Of the COM
Tnissioners was to clear up these
Clouded titles on basis equitable to
the city and to the claimants Of the
property. 1 know what my own inten-
tions were. as a matter of course, and
know those OF the commissioners
from numerous consultations with
them regarding the matter.
The statements in the article that
hundreds Of homes could be subject
and that practically every piece OF
property in the city could be affected
by it," were statements greatly ex-
aggerate1 end has needlessly fright
ened many people regarding title to
their properties. As a matter Of fact
the amount Of property involved is
quite small.
This matter was brought before the
commissioners in September of 1913
when it was suggested that 1 PUT be-
fore them a proposition. This did by
a agreeing to furnish to the city for fif-
teen hundred dollars information re
lating to the property belonging to it,
OF to take a contract upon a fifty
Der cent basis. Every one VINO has
any knowledge OF realty matters
knows that all such contracts are
based upon fifty per cent of the re-
suits The same as that offered TO the
city for fifteen hundred dollars was
the same as that offered to the old
council for twenty-five hundred dol
lars Personally l preferred the cash
consideration but the commissioners
after going into the matter thorough
" and having before them kno'yiedge
Cf what might be done, decided uoon
the contract basis.
I want TO say right here to the
prominent real estate man quoted in
your article that if he knows how to
make one hundred thousand dollars
out Of the contract in IL months I
wish 10 test his sincerity l hereby
agree TO enter into an agreement to
convey TO the Pearl Eag gan Home five
thousand dollars worth OF property if
he can demonstrate his ability to
make good his statement, if he will
agree to convey to the same home five
thousand dcllars worth Of property If
he fails. I challenge him to reveal
mis- identity and accept my PROPOSE
ton / may be knave but scarcely
thought I was foolish enough % Of
fer to the city for fifteen hundred dol
lars information that was worth aC-
Continued on PaSs Five