Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1921-07-15

atty the property not Of the few but of the many
The very heart of the third city Of the U. s. A.
belongs to the "hoi polloi" There is no Bolshe-
vism about it-no fifty-ffty division of property.
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
muers stepping off trains at Broad street station
or swarming up out of the Market street subways
in We cltye of Brotherly Love may find lock and
chain on the whole of Phlladelphia's busy center.
There will be Hands OF" and "No Trespass"
signs everywhere. Pretty soon the sheriff will
appear. Upon stated day he will auction of
all this property at sheriff's sale.
The proceeds are to pay off the claims Of the
heirs OF Colonel Jacob Bakers' estate. for
tune valued at something like an 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? A
quarter of century ago someone started the ball
rolling. According to the story, Colonel Baker.
an officer In the army II George Washington,
leased tract of land In the heart Of Philadelphia
upon which now stand city hail. the big depart
ment stores, the skyscrapers and what-not of the
central city. The lease was TO run for period Of
90 years 1t appears that the lease was either
lost sight of or wlfully destroyed and the prop
erty passed on to others.
AT first the claims took In nearly all the terri
tory between the Delaware and the Schuylki
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 slight consideration" they
could restore the ground to Its "rlghtful 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 99year lease made
during the Revolution. Forty years ago the first
talk of "claim' was aired. There was a lapse
of some IS years and then the bubble was brought
forth again to gsten in all Its rainbow colors.
Now there Is an old-fashioned renaissance Of
the Baker bubble on scale not heretofore at.
tanned. All over the country there are expectant
people just aching for the money with which to
doll themselves out with llmousines trick clothes
and flashing diamonds.
And there's plenty Of wherewithaI SO far as
the value of the district In question is concerned
The map given herewith gives a hint of the
values.
The city hall cost S26OO0,0OO; the Adelphia
hotel az is valued at $2,3OO0OO; the Ritz
Carlton COZ at $2,20O000, and the Bellevue.
Stratford close by, at $5OO000O. There are scores
OF buildings with more than million EACH such
as the Real Estate Trust, $3750.000; Wldener,
$6,300OOO; Lincoln. $2950.0OO; Liberty $2,s50OOO;
Union League, s3,1OOOOO; Land Title, $7.3OOOOO;
Morris, $27O0O0O, and Finance, $2,3OO0OO.
independence hall ~ is in the district; so is
Franklin square and Franklin's grave (49). 9th
er noteworthy structures In the district are:
q vendg.