Show IRON COUNTY u LAND TITLES lIlIES ACREAGE VALUED AT i IS HELD FREE FROM FRAUD Decision of Commissioner Tallman at Washington Washing Washing- ton Acquits Many Prominent of Questionable Practices and Opens Way to Reclamation Projects A A DECISION returning acres of land estimated as worth 15 Iro county to the Newcastle Reclamation company company com corn pany has been handed down by U. U S. S Land Commissioner Clay Tallman at at Washington It was received at the local land hand office today and affirms a ruling made by Register Gould Blakely and Receiver Heber Jex in 1918 S following a hearing which involved many prominent members of the faculty of the University of Utah and well known physicians and other professional men of this city NO EVIDENCE OF FRA FRAUD D. D In his dec decision sion the commissi commissioner ner declares no evidence of fraud was found in the taking up of the land in question such as would justify aside of the patents It means a decided rejuvenation in the affairs of the company according to Nathan T. T Porter state bank examiner who has been secretary of the corporation for several years Dr George GeorgeV W. W Middleton of this city is one of the principal stockholders and president of the concern The Newcastle project which owns acres In the vicinity of ot Newcastle Newcastle Newcastle New New- castle on the edge of ot the Escalante In southern Iron county count was organIzed organized organized organ organ- about 1912 Many prominent Salt Lake citizens were Interested In the project which secured approximately acres of state lands and acres that were taken up under the laws governing desert land entries by Dr Middleton l Mr Porter Joseph T. T Kingsbury former president of ot the university others GOVERNMENT CHARGES About t two tw and ancla a 8 half y years year ars ago charges began belan to be bo made mado by government government gov gov- officials which went to the extent of ot declaring that the entries had been made in collusion with the company and prosecutions of the en- en were threatened on the ground of ot fraud These charges were followed by a I transfer of ot all the patents secured on these entries to the government but subsequently the went to Washington and asked for their deeds back again saying that they had been forced to give them up through duress and because of these threatened prose prose- They also asked for tor a hearing hearing hearing hear hear- ing In the matter HEARING ORDERED In March of ot 1918 a hearing wa wa wa- ordered by the land department and It subsequently took tool place here lastIng lastIng lasting last- last Ing nearly two months more than I forty witnesses being examined The register and receiver thereupon made their ruling recommending that the deeds be returned to 10 the entry entry- men They found that although there therewa wa was some slight evidence of collusion In one or two Instances there wac wai not that clear and convincing proof of ot wrongdoing that would justify the setting aside of ot the patents The fact that the tho company had already spent large sums of ot mont money in an effort t tr II reclaim the land had much to do with the decision In their find findings th Ih local officials are entirely supported 1 by the decision of Commissioner T. T Tallman Tall Tall- Hman H- H man which Is final in the case EFFORTS AT RECLAMATION The Newcastle company compan has spent more than half a million dollars in th th building of the Xe and the driving of ot a tunnel to carry the water from the reservoir to the great basin In which the land is situated Subsequent to the building of the dam darn it was wa found that the lava la formation which formed forme the bottom of ot the would not hold water with a subsequent quent loss Joss of the late water for tor Irrigation irrigation tion when It was vitally tally necessary A great deal of mone money was spent In Sn dry farming experiments which proved only partially successful during bad seasons This decision is of ot great reat Importance to the com company pan said Mr 11 Porter toda today It will permit a refinancing and gives give us an opportunity to get set back much of Continued on pa paga 1 3 3 31 ACREAGE VALUED Continued from page 1 the money spent This is true because the tho land In litigation was among the most valuable of ot our holdings and because because be- be cau cause e the reservoir now holds water watern n much n uch better than It did a few tew years few years ago Although I hav have not yet et had time timeto to lo confer with m my associates I am quite sure we can cnn begin active reclamation reclamation reclamation mation measures at once We will at least make malte an attempt to hold all the flood waters possible this sI t 4 |