The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1921-07-23

aI1ty the property not the rev, Out VI uie mhhJ
The very heart of the third city of the U. s. A.
belongs to the moi polloi." There is Boshe
vism about it-no ffty-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
muters stepping off trains at Broad street station
or swarming up out of the Market street subways
in We citye of Brotherly Love may find lock and
chain on the whole of Philadelpha's busy center.
There will be Hands OFF" and "No Trespass"
signs everywhere. Pretty soon the sheriff will
appear. Upon stated day he will auction off
all this property at a sheriff's sale
The proceeds to pay off the claims of the
heirs of Colonel Jacob Bakers estate. A for
tune valued at something like an billion
Of dollars long withheld from its rightful owners,
Is at last to 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 Of George Washington,
leased tract of land in the heart of Philadelphia
upon which 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
80 years. 1t appears that the lease was either
erty passed to others.
AT first the claims took in nearly all the terri
tory between the Delaware and the Schuylkill
rivers and from Poplar to South street.-the very
heart Of the city. AS the years rolled on, the
claims considerably modified Lawyers
pointed out how, for slight 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 99-year lease made
during the Revolution. Forty years ago the first
talk Of a claim aired. There was 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-fashoned renaissance Of
the Baker bubble on scale not heretofore at
tanned All over the country there expectant
people just aching for the money with which to
doll themselves out with limousnes trick clothes
and flashing diamonds.
And there's plenty of wherewithal so far as
the value Of the district In question Is concerned
The map given herewith gives hint Of the
values
The city hall cost $26,OOOOOO; the Adelphia
hotel C) Is valued at S23OOOOO; the Ritz
Carlton (9) at $2,2OOOOO and the Bellevue
Stratford close by, at s5OOOOOO. There are scores
of buildings with more than a million EACH such
as the Real Estate Trust, $375OOOO; Widener.
$6300,0OO; Lincoln. $23500O0; Liberty 81 $50 900:
Union League. 100000; Land Title S73OOOOO:
Morris, $2,7O00O0, and Finance. $23OOOOO
Independence hall 81 Is in the district; so IL
Franklin square and Franklin's grave (49) 9th
er noteworthy structures I'm the district are:
2. vendig.