Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-12-13
ALLEGED SALE NOT TRUE
The Deal Involves Less Money
and Land II the Transac-
ton Is Made

ton Is Made
The report Of the sale Of two ane
acre tract Of land, lying between
Baxtsr Springs and the Blue Mound
hy.J ". Barnes Of this city, and A
J. johnson Of Miami, which was pub
nShed In the Miami and other papers,
one.hak per cent royalty on o 5000
IL absolutely unfounded.
N. johnson reported to the Miami
papers that he had bought the royal
~ and paid $4,000 for It, has only
Tot an option on it and II the deal
goes though the sale win amount to
more than 100000 less than was re-
ported TO the papers.
Here is. the story Of the alleged SAL
As Il appeared IN the Miami papers:
"Thls land which includes $500
acres extending fOm Blue Mound to
Baxter, was originally leased by ].
W. Barnes at s per cent royalty. He
in turn, snb-leased to the Butte
Superior for TN per cent, and just
after the Butte Superior sold to the
American Metal Company, A. ].
Johnston Of Miami, head Of the
Johnston Mining and Development
company, made q deal with Mr..
Barnes for his pa per cent roy
atty, the consideration being $780,
0O0..
This deal establishes record for
the Kansas field, the development
Of which was only recently begun,
while it establishes a new high mark
for royalties. Mr.. Johnston closed
his deal with Mr.. Barnes for his roy
atty interest Wednesday of last week
giving as past payment q ranch OF
10000 acres located near Spring
field"
Here is an exact copy Of the story
in Mr.. Johnston's own handwriting,
given to the representative of the
Baxter News the day he took the OPP
tion on the royalty:
big Royalty deal, Over quarter of
million dollars made at Baxter
Springs between A. ]. Johnston Of
Miami, Okla, or better known as the
Johnston Mining and Development
Co., Of Miami, for which company A.
J. Johnston is president. This deal
was made between A. ]. Johnston and
J. W Barnes Of Baxter. Among other
valuable property Mr.. Johnston put
in q large tract of land that he own
ed in Missouri. Mr.. Johnston had
been figuring on this royalty for sew
eral months and after he found the
Butte Superior people had sold their
interest to the American Smelling
Company, he was more anxious for
the Royalty as this large concern
are starting actively to put down
shafts and erect mills. This royalty
deal runs over three thousand acres
and runs from Blue Mound to Bax-
ter and state line. Mr.. Johnston is
now located in Miami and has large
office rooms over the Ottawa State
Bank and has other interests and he
is an active man in the lead and zinc
iield and sees a great future for this
district"
Here is the truth of the alleged
sale:
Nearly two weeks ago Mr.. John
ston came to Baxter Springs and. af-
ter a lengthy conversation with Mr..
Barnes he succeeded in getting a |
thirty-fve day option on the royalty |
to straighten out his titles and sub
NIT them to Mr.. Barnes. Then Mr..
Barnes, in turn, was to have five or
ten days notice in which to examine
the titles. Should the transaction 60 |
through Mr.. Barnes is to receive
$3.50 acres Of land in Missouri, near
Springfield, and. $4,000 in advance
royalty in the future. Mr.. Johnston
himself told the representative OF !
this paper that the deal would in
vOlve $3.50, 900, but his own estimates
in his own writing, on the Empire
hotel letter head showed the $780,
900 figure.