The independent-reporter., 1920-10-28

To the Supreme Judicial Court within
and for the County of Somerset:
Forrest II. Colby of Bingham in said
County of Somerset, respectfully repre-
sents:
I. The petitioner Is Land Agent Of
the state of Maine, duly appointed and
| qualified as such; and institutes these
proceedings under the provisions of
Statutes of Maine.
H. The Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts, by deed of a special commit
tee Of said Commonwealth. acting un-
der authority of the General Court
thereof, copy of which is attached TO
this petition and marked Exhibit A."
on January 2S. 1898. conveyed To one
William Bingham certain lands then
prising in all one hundred thrtY-two
thousand. five hundred forty-oue
(132,54D acres, lying in the County Of
Lincoln and Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts. including in said tract all the
territory now comprised within the
limits of Township Number one Range
Two. b. x. =. w. *. r., otherwise
known as Pleasant Ridge Plantation
in the County of Somerset and state
Of Maine.
Ill BY the terms of said deed there
were reserved in each township or
tract of six miles square, four lots of
three hundred and twenty (320) acres
each. one for the first settled minister,
one for the use of the ministry, one for
the use of schools and one for the fu-
ture appropriation of said General
Court. Said lots to average in good
ness and situation with the other lots
of the respective townships. These
reservations were in accordance with
an act of said General Court of said
Commonwealth approved March &c,
1888 requiring such reservations In all
conveyances of public lots thereafter
to be made.
" Under the provisions of Para
OIL nh Of Ja Arff {
Separation between Maine and Massa-
chusetts, adopted June 10, 1919, the
state of Maine succeeded to the rights
and duties of the Commonwealth of
Massachusetts in reference to such re-
served land.
V. A portion of the aforementioned
/ tract so conveyed to William Bingham
to wit, thirteen thousand, four hundred
and thirty-six G3,43G) acres thereof
was duly Incorporated as a plantation
under the laws OF the State NJ Maine
under the name of Pleasant Ridge
| Plantation October II. 1910, and there
! Legislation, the title of the successors
in interest to said William Bingham to
lands derived from him and situated
| in said Pleasan Ridge Plantation was
subject to a reservation of such por-
tion of twelve hundred and eighty
| (12S0) acres of land as thirteen thou
sand. four hundred thirty-siX G3.I86)
acres would bear to Il township or
]
VI. On october 2S, 1875, Parker 7.
Burleigh. then Land Agent of the State
/ of Maine, by virtue of the authority
then vested in him by law conveyed to
/ Abner Coburn of SkowheEan in said
County. one hundred eighty-seveR
| GS7) acres of land in common and un-.
divided in said Pleasant Ridge Planta-
ton, being that portion OF said reserv
ed land in said Plantation which had
been reserved for the future disposi-
ton of the Legislature. a copy of said
deed being hereunto annexed and
marked Exhibit b."
VII. On March a. 1905. Edgar +.
Ring, then Land Agent of the State of
Maine. by virtue of the authority vest
ed in him by an act of the Legisla
ture of Maine, approved March 3, 1905,
entitled AN act in relation to the land
reserved for public use In the Planta-
tion of Pleasant Ridge" which act Is
Chapter 1853 of the Private & Special
Laws of 1905. conveyed to benjamin
p. ]. Weston of Madison and Levi w.
Weston of Skowhegan in said County
of Somerset certain parts and portions
of the lands reserved for public uses i'm
said Plantation of Pleasant Ridge be
ing such proportion of five hundred
sixty one (56D acres as eight thousand
hve hundred 0500) acres then main
tained to thirteen thousand. four hun
dred thirty-six G3,436) acres, a copy Of
said deed being hereunto annexed and
marked Exhibit G."
VIII Neither the portion of said
reserved lands so conveyed as afore-
said in common and undivided, nor the
balance of the acreage of said reserV-
cd lands not disposed of by any author
ty of law, has ever been lawfully To-
Gated In severalty for the purposes OK
pressed in said conveyance to William
Bingham.
WHEREFORE your petitioner re-
spectfully requests this Honorable
Court, after due notice and hearing. to
appoint three disinterested perssns
fn mt 4 h.a
seal of this Court requiring them ms
soon as may be to locate in separate
lots the acreage of said Pleasant Ridge
Plantation reserved for the purposes
aforesaid. and designate the use for
which each lot Is 40 reserved and To-
Gated. such lots to be of average quail
ity with the residue of lots therein.
Dated at Augusta in the County OF
Kennsbec, this third day Of September
a. D. 1920.
FORREST II. COLBY.
Land Agent of the State of Maine.