Union City News Banner
Friday 1/9/1914
Case Compromised

Land Company Compromises Reelfoot Lake Case With State

The people of Obion County and in fact of all West Tennessee will be rejoiced to learn that Messrs Barr and Puryear, counsel for the State in the suit of condemnation brought by the State against the West Tennessee Land Company have compromised the case. It will be remembered that the juries of view, named by the circuit court, allowed the Land Company $22,500 for that part of the Doherty Grants lying in Obion County and $15,000 for that part lying in Lake County. By the terms of the compromise, the state is to pay the Land Company $25,000 and the possession of the Doherty Grants passes to the people & State of Tennessee.

That ends a tragic and remarkable chapter that opened up when the remarkable man, James C. Harris, began buying up the various Reelfoot Lake grants. The News-Banner felt that Reelfoot Lake could not in the nature of things be private property, that it belonged to the whole people and the matter would never be settled satisfactorily till the people came into their own. That beautiful day has now dawned and Reelfoot Lake in its entirety subject to the J. C. Burdick four year lease on the Doherty Grants belongs to the people of Tennessee to do as they please.

(Abstract by William and Gay Mathis)

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