The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-05-07
C. LOPER BAILEY
BUYS SCHOOL BLOCK
At Masters Sale and There
by Invites Certain Liti-
cation.


the circuit court by Hon. James T.
Wills on the '3Oth day sf March,
wherein Robert ]. Edwards and
Francis L. Chaplin, as executors and
trustees under the last will and tes-
lament of Jacob Edwards, deceased,
were complainants and the Florida
Commercial Co., corporation, was
defendant, Hon. E. E. Haskell as
Special Master, on Monday in front
Of the court house, sold at public
auction to the highest bidder for
cash, who happened to be Mr. G. Lo-
per Bailey of this city, abo1t one
half of block No. So in the city of
Palatka-and thereby hangs tale.
Block No. So in its entirety hap
pens to be the block which was pur-
chased a little more than two years
ago by the Putnam county board of
public instruction for the purposes Of
Palatka High School building. The
school board purchased the property
of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway,
was given a WARRANTY DEED to
the property. The consideration was
$4,000.
The story of the transaction though
fresh in the memory of some is re-
peated for the benefit of the many.
The people of Palatka were de-
manding better school facilities. On
ly short time before the people
had organized the Palat'sa Special
Tax School District. Howell A..
Davis, always a plugger for better
al,o, Of hD hoard
trustees for this special tax district.
He and the other members Of the
board saw that Palatka would soon
demand better school quarters. De-
sirable property in good location
was scarce. Mr.. Davis and his con-
ferees settled upon block SO. They
learned that it was the property of
the A. C. L. R'y.
Mr.. Davis approached the company
by correspondence with the view to
purchase; he was met with reply
that the property was not for sale;
Mr.. Davis is not gutter; he went
back to the railway company again.
The correspondence that resulted over
this desire to purchase was voluml-
nous. Finally, when its need for
school purposes was thoroughly un-
derstood, the company receeded. 1t
asked Mr.. Davis to name price
This Mr.. Davis refused to do, but he
suggested that the railway cores
pond with real estate men Of Palatka
and get a valuation. Two real es-
tate men were consulted. One firm
named valuation of $4,000; ano' her
named $4,000. When the company
had considered these values its of
ficials wrote Mr.. Davis and named a
= price of $500. This was accepted
bv Mr. Davis and his board.
The company wanted to know to
whom the deed should be made; Mr.
Davis replied that it should be made
out to the Putnam County School
: Commissioners (naming them) and
their successors in office, send the
, deed to the Putnam National Bank
together with draft on the county
school board for the amo mt. This
was done. The deed laid in bank
7 three days and during that time the
attorney employed by the board eX'
= amined it and pronounced it straight
t as indeed it was.
linen Jue HlUHSJ wac pliu'
Of this amount the Putnam county
r board advanced $4,000 with the un'
derstanding that when the amount
was paid back to the county, they
= would execute a deed of the property
= to the Palatka Special Tax District
E The Palatka district at the time hac
: to it's credit $2,500, which was paic
= with the $4,000 from the county.
1t was only late last year that any
E suspicion gained currency that there
: was a cloud on the A. c. l.. Railroad
title.
l The question hinged upon whether
l paper executed in 1895 by the
2 Florida Commercial Company to ia
l cob Edwards was deed or mort
| gage. This document Judge wills
has construed to be a mortgage, ano
/. the sale last Monday was fore
5 closure of that mortgage. 1t is q
= peculiar document, one that has puz'
{ zled lawyers to understand.
} Last Monday on advice of Attor.
l new A. H. Odom. Lands & Fish OF
l DeLand and MacWilliams & Bassett
e of St. Augustine, the latter firms be
5 ing attorneys for the A. c, L., Mr.
Frank D. Wattles, since January
: chairman of the Putnam County
r School Board, had a high wire fence
erected surrounding the block, to.
!, gether with gate which was CLOSED
1 and locked and to which was at
tached a "No Trespass" sign. The
. A. C. L. authorized Mr.. Thigpin, its
>. local agent, to lend the section hands
= of the road here to assist in erecting
= this fence. The fence simply is
legal formality denoting possession.
Hon. Robert W. Davis of Gaines
r vile who was in the citv on Mon
S day in consultation with Mr.. Bailey
: has given the opinion that his titl'
. is perfect. This to about one-halt
= the block. Other lawyers are o.
e same opinion. The court also 81
ruled when it made the order for sal,
5 rnder foreclosure of the mortgage.
e That the county is safe is showl
S in the fact that its title is WAR
t RANTY DEED. The A. c. L. R!
: will undoubtedly make good it
v warrant. But it is more than likel.
e that it will defend its title and tha
$ lis why The News makes the pre-
I,4;o, fbof Mr. PaiIau has invite,