The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1921-08-06

The very heart Of the third city of the Q. S. A.
belongs to the "hoi pollois There is no Boshe-
vism about it-no fifty fifty division OF properly.
The only stipulation is that your name is Baker
or that you can prove your connection with the
family tree of a supposed Colonel Jacob Baker,,
who roamed these parts In Revolutionary war
days
Just imagine this! Some morning soon COM
muters stepping off trains at Brpad street station
or swarming up out of the Market street subways
In ye citye of Brotherly Love may find lock and
chain on the whole of Philadelphia's busy center.
There viii be Hands Or and mo. Trespass
signs everywhere. Pretty soon the sheriff will
appear. Upon stated day he viii auction on
all this property at sheriffs sale.
The proceeds to pay off the claims OF the
heirs Of Colonel Jacob Bakers" estate. for
tune valued at something like even billion
Of dollars long withheld from Its rightful owners.
Is at last to come into legitimate ownership.
Ever hear Of the Baker estate" before?
quarter Of a century ago someone started the ball
rolling. According to the story, Colonel Baker,
an officer In the army Of George Washington,
leased tract Of land In the heart Of Philadelphia
upon which now stand city hall. the big depart
ment stores. the skyscrapers and what-not of the
central city. The lease was to run for period OF
50 years. It appears that the lease was either
lost sight Of or wllfully destroyed and the prop
erty passed on to others.
At first the claims took in nearly all the terri
tory between L0e OeiaWdFe anu lHe ocuuy1hiu
rivers and from Poplar to South street.-the very
heart Of the city As the years rolled on, the
claims were considerably modified Lawyers
pointed out how. for .sight consideration" they
could restore the ground to its "rightful owners
and bring half the banks and trust companies OF
Philadelphia to their knees
As the story developed. 1t seemed that the fam
lily Of Colonel Baker" removed to somewhere up
In Canada, after his death In Philadelphia intes-
tate Then the squatters lived on the land In
accordance with the famous 09-year lease made
during the Revolution. Forty years ago the first
talk Of sclaim" was aired. There was lapse
Of some Is years and then the bubble was brought
forth again to glisten in all its rainbow colors-
Now there Is an old-fashioned renaissance OF
the Baker bubble on q scale not heretofore at
tained- An over the country there are expectant
people Just aching for the money with which to
doIl themselves out with limousines, trick clothes
and flashing diamonds
And there's plenty Of wherewithal, $50 far as
the value Of the district In question is concerned
The map given herewith gives hint Of the
values s
The city HAN cost $28OOOO00: the Adelphia
hotel Cd Is valued at S2.3O0O00: the Ritz
Carlton COZ at $2,2000OO. and the Bellevue
STAFFORD close by, ut $5,OOOO00. There scores
OF buildings with more than million each. such
az the Real Estate Trust, $3.75O.OO0; Widener.
s6,SoOOOO; Lincoln $2.350O00: Liberty, s2S5O.OOO:
Union League, $3,10O.O0O: Land Title $730OO00;
Norris, $2.700OOO. and Finance $2,3OOOO0.
Independence hall ~ Is In the district: SO Is
Franklin square and Franklins grave (49). 9th
er Tnoteworthy structures n the district are:
z vendig. -