GENTLEMEN:
Inclosed you will receive a Commission, by which you are appointed, to carry Into effect, the provisions of the Act of Assembly, that directs the laying out and surveying a Town and out lots upon Beaver Creek. The Act will point out the object of your duty, on this occasion; but you will be pleased to make a particular report to me, of the quantity and situation of the land, which it will be necessary to reserve, out of the Town Lots, for public uses; and of the expenses Incurred, In making the necessary surveys. As I am desirous that the designs of the Legislaturs should be accomplished as soon as possible, I have directed the Surveyor General to communicate to you, at what period he will be ready to proceed on the necessary Surveys, and I have assured him of your punctual attendance.
I am gentlemen your most obedient hum. servent,
Philadelphia, Oct. 3rd, 1791. THOMAS MIFFLIN.
GENERAL JOHN GIBSON, WILLIAM TODD, and ALEXANDER McCLEAN, Esquires.
IN TESTIMONY, That the above is an extract contained In the record of Beaver Town lots, pages Nos. 3 and 4, remaining on file in the Department of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania, I have here unto set my hand and cause the Seal of said Department to be affixed, at Harrisburg, this seventeenth day of February, A.D., 1892.
THOS. J. STEWART,
[SEAL.] Secretary of Internal Affairs.
ORDER OF THE GOVERNOR AS TO THE PUBLIC SQUARES. SIR;
The Governor directs me to Inform you that beside the lots marked
Public Square," he deems it expedient to reserve for public uses, the lots in the town plot of Daniel Leet's survey, near the mouth of Beaver Creek, numbered as follows, to-wit:Nos. 1, 20, 21, 22, 155, 156, 157, and you will be pleased accordingly to make an official entry thereof on the original survey deposited in your office.
I am, with great esteem, sir, your most obedient servant,
SECRETARY'S OFFICE, A. J. DALLAS,
PHILADA., 11 March, 1793. Secretary
To DANIEL BROADHEAD, Esq.,
Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania.
IN TESTIMONY, Mat the foregoing is a copy of an Executive order directed to the Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, as the same Is recorded in the book of "Beaver Town Lots," page No. 8, remaining on file in the Department of Internal Affairs of Pennsylvania, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of said Department to be affixed, at Harrisburg, this twenty-eighth day of May, 1889. ISAAC B. BROWN,
[SEAL.] Deputy Secretary of Internal Affairs.
INSTRUCTIONS TO COMMISSIONERS TO SELL LOTS AND OUT LOTS. PENNSYLVANIA, ss.
In the name and by the authority of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. THOMAS MIFFLIN,
[SEAL) Governor of the said Commonwealth.
To David Bradford, James Marshall, and Andrew Swearingen, of the County of Washington, Esquires:
WHEREAS, In and by two several Acts of the General Assembly of this Commonwealth, the one entitled "An Act to empower the Governor to lay out a town and outlots at the mouth of Beaver Creek, for the uses therein mentioned," and the other entitled
"An Act to confirm Daniel Leet's survey of a town and outlots, at the mouth of Beaver Creek, and to supersede the powers heretofore given to certain commissioners for superintending the said survey." I am duly authorized to sell and convey certain town lots and out lots contained In the survey of the said town returned by the said Daniel Leet, to the Surveyor-General, (a copy whereof is hereto annexed ), at the place, and on the terms and conditions In the manner, and subject to the limitations, reservations and restrictions In the said recited Acts contained: And whereas, for the purpose of making such sale In a fair, impartial and effectual manner, It is expedient and necessary to employ and appoint proper persons, resident at the place of sale, to superintend the same:
NOW, KNOW YE, That confiding in your judgment and integrity, I have appointed, and by these presents do appoint you, or any two of you, agents to superintend at the town of Washington, In county of Washington, the sale of such and so many of the said town lots and out lots as are for that purpose numbered and designated In the Instructions herewith transmitted unto you: And in so doing you will In all respects faithfully conform to the said instructions, and make a full, true, and accurate return, in writing, to me, of all and singular your proceedings In the premises, as soon as conveniently may be after the said sale shall be closed.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have set my hand and caused the lesser Seal of the State to be affixed to these presents, at Philadelphia, the twelfth day of March, In the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three, and of the Commonwealth the seventeenth.
By the Governor, A. J. Dallas, Secretary.
INSTRUCTIONS to David. Bradford, James Marshall, and Andrew Swearingen, the agents appointed by a commission bearing even date herewith, for superintending the sale of the town and out lots herein-after mentioned, contained In the survey made and duly returned by David Leet to the Surveyor-General, In pursuance of two Acts of the General Assembly of this Commonwealth, the one entitled "An Act to empower the Governor to lay out a town and out lots, at the mouth of Beaver Creek, for the uses therein mention," and the other entitled "An Act to confirm Daniel Leet's survey of a town and out lots, at the mouth of Beaver Creek, and to supersede the powers heretofore given to certain Commissioners for superintending the said survey."
First. That the said agents, or any one of them, shall give a previous notice of at least ten weeks, In one or more newspapers of the City of Philadelphia, and In the Pittsburgh Gazette, that there will be held In the town of Washington, on the day of next, a sale for the disposal of a part of the town lots and out lots surveyed by virtue of the said recited Acts, at the mouth of Great Beaver Creek.
Second. That on the said day of and on each and every succeeding day, (Sundays excepted), until the sales shall be closed, the said agents, or any two of them, shall put up severally to sale the town lots and our lots numbered respectively in the copy of the town plot and survey to their commission annexed as follows: that is to say, Town Lots
No and Out Lots No And the said town lots and out lots respectively, after a reasonable allowance of time for all persons to bid who are desirous so to do, shall be struck off to the highest and best bidder, whose name, with the amount of the purchase money, shall thereupon be inserted in that space of the said town, plot and survey which contain the number of the lots respectively struck off, as aforesaid.
Third. That on said day of opening the sale as aforesaid, one of the agents shall publicly read the said two recited Acts to the persons attending the sale, and shall then and there declare the conditions of sale to be as follows: ist. That the highest and best bidder shall have the lot; and all disputes touching the sale shall be decided by the acting agents. 2nd. That one-half of the purchase money shall be paid to the acting agents at the time of sale, and the other half to the Receiver General,at the time of applying for the patent. 3rd. That unless the patent is applied for, and the whole purchase money paid within ..... months after the sale, the first payment shall be forfeited, and the lot revert and remain to the use of the State.
Fourth- That as soon as the sale shall be closed, the acting agents shall Pay Into the office of Receiver-General, the whole amount of the purchase money with them deposited as aforesaid, and shall make and transmit, under their hands and seals, a full and accurate report thereof to the Governor, returning therewith the town plot and survey now annexed to their commissions, and a statement of the costs and charges of advertising and selling the lots.
Fifth. That the four lots in the center, and the four corner lots of the town Plot, marked "Public Square," shall be announced as lands deemed necessary for public uses, and reserved by the Governor accordingly.
Sixth. That in order to ascertain the boundaries of the lots sold in the several and respective patents hereinafter to be granted, the streets, lanes and alleys in the said town plot shall bear and be designated by the names thereon respectively written in the survey annexed to the commission of said agents.
IN TESTIMONY, That the foregoing is a copy of the Commission and Instructions of Governor Mifflin, relative to certain tracts of land, at Beaver, Pennsylvania, as recorded In book of "Beaver Town Lots," pages 9 to 14, remaining in the Department of internal Affairs of Pennsylvania, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of said Department to be affixed, at Harrisburg, this twenty-eighth day of May, 1889.
Isaac B. Brown, Deputy Secretary of Internal Affairs.