The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-07-14

Ii an ordinance nov pending is
passed by the ciit tusrlnli lissioners il
will subject To litigation in the courts
many homes and much property in the
city OF Pensacola. and cause hundreds
OF residents to defend title to their
property The measure. accompanied
By an agreement, which is referred
10 in the ordinance contracts with
Lee Daniel and tubrey Maura to re
cover for the city all property to
which the city has title, aud authorizes
them TO bring suits ana do other
things to secure possession uf such
property The tide of the ordinance.
which has already been twice read.
and is now consequently ON its third
reading. is: An ordinance to provide
for puieting the title and for the re-
coVcry of the possession of certain
EropeN claimed To he owned by the
city Of Pensacola" and the last Sec
ton of the measure reads az follows:
That by The adoption of his ordi-
nance the city of Pensacola shall ba
bound by the terms and conditions uf
said agreement as completely as If the
same were Fully set forth herein
MUCH AT STAKE.
The passage Of such an ordinance
might subject practically every piece
Of property in the city limits 10 iitj-
CATION. The titles to muca of this
property. was at one time vested in
and grants and ther" Is no doubt but
that much of ii can sin bc traced
back to the city, although the present
owners may have purchased it in good
faith fifty or more years ago, and have
possessed and paid taxes on il for a
life time.
The purchase of the property. now
the site of the present city hall, gives
an instance Of this title The city
bought it from parties who had held
it for many years and no one dis
puted their right 10 ownership, but
still when the matter OF securing the
correct title was brought up it re-
quired an act by congress TO quiet the
title.
Men well versed in real estate mat
ters say that there are now hundreds
Of homes. bought and paid for by
the present holders. which can be at =
tackled in the courts If the commits
sfoners pass the ordinance now pend
ing. 1t will not be the large prop
erty holders who will be the real suf-
ferer, for these men. as a rule are in
a position to pay their attorneys tn
defend the titles in court and are also
in a position to know the laws and
their rights in the premises, but suits
brought against poor people would
work a hardship upon them, for there
are many home owners now in the
city who are unable to bear the cost
which would be necessary or else they
would be ousted from a home which
they lad possessed for perhaps a
quarter OF a century or more.
According to the agreement accom-
panying the ordinance Messrs. Dam
ielI and Maura are to receive from
the city of Pensacola in return for
their services fifty per cent Of the
property recovered, or cash
amounting to fifty per cent OF taa
value of said property.
CREATED MUCH COMMENT.
1t did not become generally known
until yesterday that such an ordinance
was pending before the city commits
sioners, although 1t was known tha4
a measure bearing the title OF an ordi-
nance to quiet the title to some prop
erty had been introduced. Those who
heard Of the contemplated action OF
the commissioners were strong In theiP