Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1856-10-14

been made contrary to law. Sec. 2, on
page 763, K. S., requires that the apprai-
sers shall, before entering upon the du-
ties of their Office, be sworn, and that the
oath shall be annexed to the appraisal and
returned to the Secretary of State, and
sec. z of the same act requires them to
make joint report. in detail to the Sec
retary of State of all they have DONE
Many of the apprisals returned to the Of
flee have neither oath, certificate, report,
or even the name of the appraisers attach
ed to them, or detached from them. In
many instances, there is no evidence that
the books OR papers which purporr to be
an apprlsal was made or intended to be
made for that purpose. The whole amt
of money expended for the appraisal and
selection of school and university lands
in the State See tables marked l.. and
NJ. amounts TO the sum. of thirtv-five
thousand, five hundred, sixty-eight and
47-lO0ths dollars. ($35, ,56S47.)
1t will appear that ample provision has
been made by the Legislature for the Sc
lection of the 100000 acre tract (the
amount for both apprisal and selection is
entered in gross on the books, and the sep
ar;,te items cannot be ascertained.) Not
wnhstanding this, much of this land was
appraised at five, ten, fifteen, and twenty
cents per acre, showing either gross diri-
lection of duty on the part of the apprai-
sers or those who were appointed to make
the selection. The average price per
acre realized to the school fund from the
safes of the 500, 900 acre tract, which was
supposed to be choice and selected lands,
is one dollar and forty-two cents, ($l AZ,
while the average price per acre of the
10th sections, which were choice locations
has been two dollars and seventy-four cts
($2,74.) 1t will be seen by the tables
/ hereto annexed, marked E,
That the whole amount OF the 500 900
acre tract sold is 476, ,795 55-1OOths acres.
The amount unsold, 2 2,lI0 24-l0Oth acres.
Amount of 18th sections sold, 5O3,7l7
47.I00ths acres.
The Committee would refer to the tes-
! timony of Daniel Seaver, to be found in
his affidavit. herewith submitted, In ref
erence TO the Waupaca sales There is
no doubt but that the practice prevailed
/ generally at these sales of making false
bids and then forfeiting the same. The
] Commissioners then re Offered the lots
upon which the bids were made so early
! the next morning after the sale that no
opportunity was offered to bona fide pur-
chasers to bid upon them. Some of the
lois were not re-oaered at all, and they
were then left subject to the private en-
! try of the spectators.
/ The evidence of James Halpin and
DIR. Hunt discloses suggestive and some
wha; remarkable fact in relation to the
sale of Ludipgton. 1t seems that Seaver
who had charge of the Treasury depart
ment at that time, went to Milwaukee and
had an interview with Ludington, the re-
suit of which was the application for all
the unsod school lands, and that Seaver
received from Ludington a transfer of two
| thousand dollars of stock in the Bank of
the West, which he (Seaver) said he had
made clear, out of the transaction. n
In connection with this matter, it may be
as well to allude to the testimony of Messrs.
Ludlngton and Chapman In reference to
the amount required by law to be prepaid
upon the certificates issued to Ludington
on the purchase.
These gentlemen both swear that they
Z
certificates, and which was due on them,
which amount was S13 ,Sl5 IS, and that
this amount was paid to the Treasurer or
his Deputy, according to list and account
attached 10 the affidavit of Mr.. Chapman
marked sc" The whole amount with
which the Treasurer charged himself on
account of monies received from Luding-
ton on Chapman OF. the purchase is Sl0,-
/ lS9 20, making a difference of $4 $50 As
against the school fund OF this latter
amount there is no account whatey er upon
the Trei sGrer's books; and the books of
the Secretary of State agree with those Of
/ the Treasurer within one dollar and nine-
/ ty cents. On the certificates issued 10
| Ludlngton fer that part of his purchase of
lands lying in the county of Iowa, there
was due OH the delivery of the certificates
on account of principal and interest the
sum of 50 .26G 49, which he swears that
he paid; but the only credit at the school
funds for lands sold him in Iowa county
on the books of the Treasurer is Sl4 "a.
are mistaken, and they swear positively
10 the fact, the whole amount due on GER
tiicates delivered to them was paid to Sea-
yer. And this amount SO $50 35, must
i be added to the cash deficit of the Treas
ury. See statement marked III" In
/ the same connection we may allude to the
testimony of n. w. Dean.
On the 18th day of May, 1854, they
purchased 1855 acres of University lands
] in Green, Lafayette and Iowa counties,
upon which, purchase certificates of sale
were issued and delivered 10 him. He
swears that at the time OF the purchase
| he paid the Assistant Treasurer the sum
of five hundred and sixteen dollars, as
part of the purchase money, and one hun
dred and ninety dollars interest on the
balance of the purchase money to the
lst of January, 1856. making in all the
sum of seven hundred and eight dollars,
paid into the Treasury at the time of said
purchase. Not dollar of this amount
is credited to the University Fund on the