The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-08-29

=
~ merchant OF Richmond,
Va, exploded a vertitable
bombsheIl in the Old Do
aE minion and sent state Of
]. !. ]: !. J. !. !.
EEa icials, historians and at
kS1%SA torneys scurrying to dig
* II HE in the archives by declar-
EASgE ing that he is the real
E - Il owner Of the greater part
Of the land upon which
49, stands the state capitol
and that he wants 10 be paid for it
on the basis Of its original valuation,
made in 1874, of some $1,000, plus
compound interest at the rate of 8
per cent a year for 146 years. And
that has set some Of the mathemati-
clans TO figuring just how colossal a
sum would be a principal of $1,000
plus compound interest for nearly a
century and 3 half
The Richmond merchant says that
the state Of Virginia can not produce
any records 10 prove that the land
condemned in 1874 for public square
was ever paid for and says he will
ask relief from the general assembly
at its next session if the state refuses
10 consent TO a suit alleging breach OF
contract.
Failing in that step, Mr.. Gum has
been advised by counsel that he can
60 into the federal courts on he
grounds of the violation Of consti-
tutional property rights and he affirms
he can prove his contention by exist
ing records.
Mr.. Gum points TO letter sent 10
Thomas jefferson, then ambassador TO
France, by members of a legislative
commission, asking Mr.. Jefferson to
engage an architect in Paris 10 pre-
pare plans for q state capitol and as
surfing the author Of the Declaration
Of Independence that ''the hill on
which Gums yellow house stands,
and which you favored as the best
situation (for state capitol contin-
ues 10 be preferred by US"
The original Jefferson letter is In
the custody of the College of William
and Mary. The original condemnation
order has been placed on record in
the Henry County court, after re-
naming obscure for nearly 100 years.
Mr.. Gum has been working on his
claim since childhood, but made no
effective Roadway until the original
condemnation jury's report was un-
earthed from dusty archives.
Thirty years ago. 1 met man
who was then ninety years old" Mr..
Gum said recently. Asking me if i
were a descendant of the old Gum
family Of Richmond he told me that
his father, who worked for the state
government, had informed him that
the state Of Virginia never paid for
the land condemned for use as a
public square and the permanent seat
Of the state government. The rea-
son, he said, was that the condemna-
ton proceedings records had been lost
and that no claim against the state
could be proved in court.
Il was told by my family as boy
that my family never had been COM
pensated by the state My efforts
were blocked until the original con-
demnation order was found. The pa
pers by mistake were sent in 1854 TO
the city clerks Office for recording,
instead of TO the clerk of the Henry
County court. Those papers, plus
maps uncovered and the letter to
Thomas Jefferson, which shows Mr..
Jefferson had inspected the old Gum
plot while governor of Virginia and
favored ii for a state capitol site,
speak for themselves.
Il have been informed by Auditor
c. Lee Moore he can find no record
of the state having paid for the prop
erty il condemned in 1854. took the
matter up with Governor Byrd toward
the close Of his administration.
1.-The governor, after referring my
letter TO the secretary of the COM
monwealth for investigation, informed
me that the facts were as had stated
them to be. insofar as the existence
of any record of payment by the state
was concerned.
in the judgment of legal advisers
the mere condemnation proceedings
IN lDe aDSeDce OF payment QlO mol
take the title TO the property from my
ancestors. | fee; l have a substan-
tial claim TO ownership of the land
on which the state capitol now stands.
j cannot sue the state for breach OF
contract without the states consent
and the statute of Limitation has ex-
; pired. But ! believe the people of
Virginia would like 10 see the proper
settlement made"
Nor is this Richmond merchant the
only one who is interested in this mat
ter for he declares that other old
Richmond families. among them the
Snyders. curries. Archibald Carys
Prices and Acrille Coches, had half