The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1854-02-14
From the lansing Journul.
STATE LAND OFFICE REPOHT..

STATE LAND OFFICE REP0hT.+
The recentAnnual Report of the Hon. Pom
TER KIBBEE, Commissioners of the State Lane
Office shows that during tho last fiscal year
the lsales of Primary School and Universi,,
Lands were suprecedently large. The follow
ing table exhibits The gross amount of sales o
all descriptions of State Lands made during
the year:
OF Primary School Lands, $225,IGo II
OF University Lands, 95,043 2(
OF Normal School Lands, 9,S70 AZ
OfAsylum Lands, 4,76S 1G
OfStato Building Lands, 2,096 2s
Of Internal improvement Lands. 4,064 0s
OfAsset Lands, T2O OC
Total amount Of sales, S341,721 25
OF the sale of Primary School Lands above
gvon, the sum of $29,s74 90 is for village lots
in Lansing; about onc-scvcnth Of tho whole
amount. In addition to this our village has
contributed $l. .207 to the gross amout of sales
of State Building Lands, a pretty fair conri-
button of ono year, considering the nowness of
tho county, our distance from markets, and the
still moro distant prospect of our being able
to reach them any other way than in the in
terests of one or two selfish corporations may
seem proper to permit
The principal of the Primary School Fund
at the date of this report, was sS2,0s9,636 81.
The increase during tho last year was over
M ee hundred per cent, and the Commissioner
states"that We may reasonably expect cores
ponding increase for the coming year"
Tho principal of tho University Fund is
1885, 6l35 04-incrcase the last year, nearly
equal to tho total sales Of tho eight years pro-
visions.
The sales of Normal School Lands have
more than dou led during the year Tho pres
ent principal of tho Fund is $35,4 ,470 81
The selos of tho Asylum Lands hayo nearly
doubled. Total Of present principal of this
Fund, arises from sales, $ll,l20 SO.
The results exhibited in this report illustrate
most clearly and forcibly the rapid strides our
State is making i'm wealth and population; the
vast quantity Of State lands bought, has boen
purchased for tho most part by actual settlors;
and when to the quantity here referred t.. wo
add the recent Swamp land sales, and the
Government lands purchased mt tho several
United States Land Offices in tho State, and
grand total must far exceed that of any one
year during tho great land excitement of 1885,
SO, sc.
Happily all this is done without any false
excitement; tho present activity of tho land
market is based on no speculative mania. but
is the actual and necessary consequence Of the
provement which havo brought tho Peninsula Of
Michigan, few years since two weeks dis
tant from New York, now within as MANY
days travel oft. Time makes distance and
our boatiful Peninsula is now tho near neigh
Dor of the great Metropolis Of tho New World
and shares in tho advantages of such q position.
That position enables our aGriculturalists TO
at all times the best possible market
Of all tho productions Of their industry -
While our position and advantages have thus
changed and prices of our lands have remain
cd the same, and tho consequence, is their
rapidly increasing sale: and unless we arc
greatly deceived, II comparatively short time
only will! elapso before all land belonging to
The State. if the present prices be maintained
win be entirely nlienated. But, TO return to
ho report. Tho Commissioner, speaking of
he Swamp Lands, says:
1--WE have received lists and diagrams of
hcso lands for the Detroit and Kalamazoo
Land Districts, amo uniting to 414,435.24 acres.
"The public press, in some portions Of tho
State, have questioned the proprioty of bring
ng these lands into market, and | deom il
proper to explain my course in tho promises.
have done simply what conceive to bo du-
y requiredby tho law providing for their sale.
"The lists were received about four months
since, and believing it to be a favorable time
20 offer them, have given notice of the sale,
part of which are 10 be offered at Port HUI
on, and the balance at this Office.
"Act No. 1877, of 1851, provides that "tho
of the State Land Office shall
rave the control and supervision of said lands,
md of the sale thereof, and shall, as soon as
he lille PESTS IN the State, cause tho samo TO
20 sold at public auction, at such times and
n such quantities as he may think proper"
at will be seen by the provisions of the act
bove referred to, that tho duty imposed upon
no Commissioner is not discretionary, but i'm
erdtiye.
"Suflicient information has been received
t this office, to warrant the conclusion that
his munifcent donation amounts to over g.
100000 of acres, a much larger area of acres
han all prior grants by Congress to this State
nd il prudcntly husbanded, will extingush
ur State debt after applying a reasonable a.
Mount for drainage, and leave surplus to tho
ause of education.
"what State will Michigan be when free
I dcbt-with a revenue boyoud the wants of
no State government without taxation beyond
hc specific taxes provided by law"
We cannot leave the report of tho Commits
onor without bearing our cheerful testimony
} the private and public worth of tho present
of this responsible and laborious
fficc. We can assure our friends that tho
fairs Of this Department Of tho State Govern
tent arc conducted with promptness, efliicien-
y, and the strctcst regard for tho public in
crests.
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