The Goodhue volunteer. [volume] (Red Wing, Goodhue County, Minn.) 1861-1864, 1862-04-30
School Lands.

Frequent enquiry concerning tho situation
ofthe School Lands in this stateat the pres
ent time, has suggested to US the propriety
Of devotins whatever space may besaneces-
sary to = clear statement Of it, to that sub
ject. s;r IT., ..,<,.,.,,., ....}.s:.... go.
Prior n the last session Of the legislature
nothing had been done further than to es-
tablish price, viz, seven dollars per acre,
below which none Of those lands should be
sold. No provision had been made for the
sale or disposition in any way Of them, and
1t was question ofgreat uncertainty wheth-
or any person OF persons had q right even to
lease them. 3"'s. .:,. e: ~ Y7s'a~ ~.
At the last session however, ample pro-
vision was made. A general State Land
Ofice: was established at the Capitol Of the
State, and tho State Auditor is ex-oficial
land commissioner. He has control accord
ing to law, Of all the lands owned by, or in
which. the State has any interest, including
railroad grant lands, niversity lands, swamp
lands, land forfeited TO the state for taxes
and school lands. - -. -, 49,
The minimum price of the school lands
Is reduced from 81 to ST. -.
The law provides that whenever, in the
opinion Of the commissioner the public in:
tsrest shalt require it, he shall appoint one
appraiser in the county in which the land ia
Be appraised Is situated, and shall notify the
county commissioners Of such appointment
Tbs commissioners shall thereupon appoint
two other appraisers, whose duty shall be ia
sppraise the school lands within the county
The lands thus appraised are to be- sold, but
in 40 case shall they be sold for less than
their appraised value, and that appraisemsn,
must in no case be less than the minimum
price established by law.
An amount Of land not less than $4,000
acres nor mure than 100000 acres must be
thus appraised and sod On or before the frs,
DAY OF next November. The terms Of sale
will be a. follows if the land is pine tim
bsr, land tho whole amount must be paid
down: for other timber lands, or lands
mostly valuable on account Of the timber
seventy i've per cent. must be paid down
and for other lands fifteen per cent. mus,
Oe paid down, and the remainder at any time
within twenty years, at The option of the
purchaser, with interest annually in advance
Mt the rate Of seven per cent. per annum,
payable on the first day Of June. or within
six days thereafter, each year. Severe pen
alties are provided to be ind ;c,ed On any one
who shall commit any trespass on lands be
longing to the State.
There is one feature Of the bill that ap
pears to US to 10 peculiarly equitable: and
that is, in the appraisement Of the land i,sel,
and the Improvements are to be appraised
separately and If At the sale any person
other than the settler thereon becomes the
purchaser, he shall pay TO the person WIN,
made tho improvements the appraised value
thereof
Another generous feature, to which we
call attention is, that in leasing any improve
Cd land belonging to the State the commits.
sioner shall in all cases give the preference
to the settler. and in No case shall charge as
rent more than five per cent. OF the ap-
praised value Of the number of acres improv~
cd.
The law is very lengthy, containing fifty
Two sections, and We may not be able to pub.
hshit. II We can do so, however, without,
crowding out more important matter
We shall publish it in full in our next issue