Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1911 — WILL LOOK UP LAND. [ARTICLE]

WILL LOOK UP LAND.

Surveys to Be Made Soon in Many Counties Squatters Said to Thrive on Public Domain.

Indianapolis, Ind., June 12, — Jerome Herff, land clerk in the office of the auditor of state, will leave in a Tew days to superintend surveys of state lands in Laporte, Porter, Lake, Starke, Pulaski, Marshall, Jasper, Newton and Fulton counties. Several weeks will be required to complete the surveys, which will include all the state lands in the counties. Much of the work to be done will require the use of a motor boat, and a boat is being fitted for the purpose. All meandered lands, which the auditor holds belong to the state, will be surveyed, and a number of stretches now held by squatters, where the auditor of state holds the squatters have no rights, will be looked into.

Mr. Herff as been engaged for some time in going over the land records in the auditor of state’s office, and he is convinced that scores of persons in the state are holding lands to which they have no direct grant from the state. “No person has a clear title to any land once held by the state of Indiana unless he holds a patent, signed by the Governor,” said Mr. Herff. “Many tracts are held without such patents. Some were obtained at tax sales, some through squatting, and some through the connivance of county officers in years gone by, The state has an equity in these lands, no matter what kind of deed is shown by the holder, provided he has no legal patent from the state.”

What will be done in these cases, if anything, has not been decided. Mr. Herff believes all such titles should be and that the state’s right ought to be satisfied. ■; "?

The land department is encountering considerable trouble because of low appraisements made of state lands which it is proposed to sell. A report of an appraisement has been received where three local men valued some land in the north part of the state at $2. an acre. An attempt was made to force a sale on the appraisement. Mr. Herff declined to make the sale, and will seek a further appraisement. He believes the land to be worth from S3O to S4O an acre.