As to the titles of the "New Orleans Land
Company "to the New Basin Tract and to
some lands along the New Canal, I have to
state that The State Land Office allowed
the New Orleans Land Company to enter
some lands on the New Canal; lands
already patented to me & other portions
not patented. The Land Office in reply
to a written enquiry by J. Ward Gurley Jr
replied that it was a mistake in the
land office and that the Company should
not have been permitted to enter lands already
sold by the State." This letter must be
among Ward Gurley's effects, wherever they
are. The mistake of the Land Office, no
doubt, was due "to a change" of administration
and made six or seven years after my
purchase from the State. The New Orleans
Land Company have no valid title to any
of the lands, and they know it. How
can they be holders in good faith ?
If the letter alluded to from the Land Office
to J. Ward Gurley Jr admitting the mistake
they had made in allowing the Land Co
to enter lands on his property entered by [them?]
The N. O. Land Co. six or seven years [after?]
his purchase from the state, cannot a
copy record of this letter be found in the Land
Office Archives ?
Was the land actually owned by the Land Co
when their entry was admitted to be a mistake
of the Land Office ?
Extract from [Ramold's?] Preliminary Report.
It would appear that the New Orleans Land Co is in
possession under titles translative of property. This
would make them possessor in good faith. It is
well to note how ever that Section 16 could not have
been acquired under a title of that description
& hence that portion of the New Basin Tract
adjoining Section 16 is apparently not [re--?]
the N. O. [New Orleans?] Land Co as a possessor in
good faith
