The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1855-04-25
The Reserve Lands.
WAsHrxcrox, d. G., March 20, 1885.


that portion Of the Fort Smelling Reserve ~
ing on the left bank of the Mississippi river
was offered at public sale under proclamation
OF the President, a copy Of which is hereby
transmitted. In accordance with the notice
thus given, the sale took place at Saltwater on
the day Aforesaid, aud was attended by large
concOurse of people interested in the purchase
Of the lands and all the lands offered for sale
were bid for and purchased at the minimum
price established BY law.
In letter dated the 18th Of September, the
Register and Receiver of the Land Office at
Saltwater, notified the Commissioner of the
General Land Office of their belief in the ex-
ist.nce of combination which prevented
said lands from being sold for more than the
minimum" . .. ..- .i1, -,..f -.
On the 4th of October they were instructed
by the Commissioners to report the facts and
circumstances going to show the existence of
such combination, with the testimony they
might be able SO procure on the subject. La
u letter OF the 9th OF December these gentle
men replied that their " belief in the existence
OF the aforesaid combination was based mainly
upon public rumor," &c, and that the utmost
harmony prevailed during the sale" The Com
missioner. in letter dated February I'd, 1855,
censures these officers for having. in their COM
nunication of September 18th, by implication
at least, charged the purchasers at the sale
therein referred to with bein. guilty of an Of
fence against the laws of their country, for
which, if convicted, each would have been liza
BILE to o fac of one thousand dollars and two
years Imprisonment, and that too upon mere
rumor, which, upon investigation, seems to have
been without any tangible foundation" A
copy Of this correspondence is herewith SUBJ
mitted.
1t is provided BY the 4th section of the act
Of March 3lst, 1880, regulating the sales of
the public lands that il Any person or per
sons shall before Or at the time Of the public
sale Of any of tn. lands of the United States,
bargain, contract, or agree, or shall attempt
to bargain, contract or agree, with any other
person or persons. that the last named person
or persons shall not bid upon or purchase the
land SO offered for sale, or any parcel thereof
or shall by intimidation, combination or unfair
ma agement, hinder or prcvent,o shall attempt
to hinder or prevent any person or persons
from bidding upon or purchasing any tracts OF
land so offered for sale. every such offender ibis,
her or their aders and abettors, being thereof
duly convicted, shall for every such offence, be
fined not exceedidg one thousand dollars. or
imprisonment, not xceedng two years, OR both,
il the discretion Of the court"
desire to Gail your attention to several i'm
portant facts connected with this subject, and
to submit for your consideration such proofs
as are in my possession, tending to show that
such combination did exist; that the Regis
ter aud Receiver ut Saltwater could have OBJ
tanned the proofs had they performed their du-
ty; that no investigation under official instruc
tons has taken place and that if these sales
are confirmed. the government will be defraud-
ed out Of three hundred thousand dollars, which
49, hall 70 ha Ia of thn limit tod
States and not to the citizens OF Minnesota.
The act of March 4th, 1907, securing the
government the exclusive right to the public
d Reserves, provides that persons taking pos
session Of or making settlements on any lands
&C led or secured to the United States, not pre-
viousy sold, or the claim to which has not
been recognized, or persons causing such lands
to be occupied, surveyed, &c, until authorized
by law, forfeit their right, &C.
Cuder the provisions OF the act Of August
&c, 1853, reducing the limits of the Fort Smell
ling Reserve, the proclamation Of the Pres-
dent offers for sale certain lands within the
Reserve on the left bank of the Mississippi,
sOitioh lands are not subject to pre-emptaon
claims"
10 the month of February last l visited
these lands personally and found that claim
houses had been built upon them for several
years past; that long previous to the sale,
these pretended claims had been in the posses
sion OF spectators living in st. Paul. and that
the actual value of said lands for more than
twelve months past has been from forty to three
hundred dolla. per acre.
The portion Of the Reserve offered for sale,
lies between the towns of st. Anthony and ST.
Paul. and derives its value from the proximity
of these towns which are but nine miles apart.
Some of these lands, bordering on the town OF
ST. Paul, we're neld at two hundred dollars an
acre previous to tn sale, and are now much
more valuable. The average value of the
whole tract is at least lightly dollars per acre.
] consider the value an important point, tend
ing to show the existence of combination to
prevent the government from deriving more
than a minimum price. No pre- cmption or
other rights were recognized by law, and free
competition was Invited by the terms of the
pr0clamati on.
To suppose that the land agents aud specu-
lators who were present, were prevented from
bidding from motives of personal friendship
for the claimants holding possession of the
lands, would be to cast an imputation upon
their character as business men, not compati-
bic with the known reputation Of land specu-
lators throughout Minnesota
respectfully submit copy Of protest
signed by Lyman q. Dayton, and FLED in the
General Land Office, showing that on the 9th
day Of August month previous to the sale,
Charles II. Rice sold to said Dayton forty
seven acres of land within the Reserve, for the
sum of 81 ,937 which laud the said Rice bought
at public sale or the 18th Of September, for
1925 per acre, or about $50. 80 ..l.sna. p.
In the agreement accompanying the protest
Ia copy of which is also submitted) Mr. Rice
blinds himself TO the amount of the consider
alton paid to him to use his influence, and do
evervtninp for tina nrotection and securing of