The American. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1857, 1857-09-05
THE GREAT FORT SMELLING
ssSTEELE.,,

1t 80 happens that occasionally single trans
action of the Government smacks SO of fraud or
the malfeasance of those employed as agents in
the particular act, that those who know all the
circumstances cannot resist the idea that there
has been gross dishonesty and corruption in it.
We need not illustrate this The purchase and
sale of the military reservation at Fort Smelling
Minnesota, by the Government to Mr.. FRANKLIN
STEELE suer of the troops at that post is at once
fact and an Illustration
This stupendous swISDLE has attracted much
attention, as well it ought, and has been 80
severely commented on by the public press, that
the Government have thought it necessary to
endeavor to make out that it was fair and honest
transaction on their part. The Estates" has
undertaken to defend the Government and to
show that 1t is an honest transaction and good
sale.
ltappears that Major s. Eastman, United States
Army, and w. K. HeiskeIl, were appointed CON-
missioners to examine and dispose of this reserve
ton, reserving twenty-five acres to the Catholic
church now standing thereon. They were d.
rected TO "se all that part of the reservation not
included in any tract 10 which an actual settler
may have just claim, either at public auction,
after giving due notice in the principal papers in
the Northwest, or at private sale, in tracts or lots
OF forty acres each, so as to enable persons of
small means to purchase, or in whole, whichever,
in their opinion, might be deemed best; but in
neither case at less than 81 so per acre"
In their report to the Secretary the commits
sioners say:
OF this reservation, under your instructions, we
came to the conclusion that, unless we sold the
same at private sale, it would in all probability be
sold at little, if any, over 81 20 per acre"
How they could come to any such conclusion it
is impossible to divine; for any one who knows
anything about the value placed upon that pro-
perry by the people Of st. Paul, st. Anthony,
Minneapolis, and their vicinity, and who knows
what general anxiety to purchase portions Of
this reservation prevailed among them, must
know that, had the reservation been divided into
lots Of forty acres each, and sold at public SALE
the competition would have been very great, and
the land would have brought au average of at
least fifty dollars an acre. The utmost astonish-
ment is expressed and the greatest indignation
felt by the people in the vicinity of this reserva-
ton that, in the first place, they were not allowed
at least chance to acquire small tract Of it,
each; and, in the second place, that it should
have been disposed of secretly and in the dark, to
a single individual, at about one.fourth, perhaps
not fifth part, Of its valuel
1t is admitted by all that the site of Fort
Smelling is one of the most eligible and beautiful
on the Mississippi river for town. 1t is high,
commanding position, at the confluence of the
Minnesota or st. Peters river with the Mississippi
The country back is extensive, and highly rich,
agricultural one, rapidly settling with good,
substantial, wellto-do farming population. The
soil of the reservation Is rich prairie, and is
worth seventy.6ve dollars an acre; and yet il was
sold to Mr.. STEELE, secretly, at twelve dollars an
acre.
Major Martin, the commissary Of that post, has
been heard to say, that had the disposing of this
property been committed to his charge, he would
have laid off town site where the Fort now
stands, and sold the lots at public auction; and
that he would then have had the rest of the
reservation surveyed into forty-acre tracts and
sold in the same manner This would have been
the proper, open, fair, and honest course
Mr. Heiskell, in a letter TO Mr., Floyd, dated
June II, says