Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-29
THE UNIVERSITY.
CONCLUSION Or THE WINTER MEET
INC or THE BOIRD OF REGENTS.

INC or THE BOIRD OF REGENTS.
Mr.. G. N. Nelson Defends His Permit to Cut
Timber Money Expended on Dams and
CAnaIs--The Secret Observation-Disclosures
the Faculty---The Report Adopted Pri.
vately.
The board of regents Of the State Univer-
Sity met again yesterday morning in the
Governors rooms at the [capitol. There
were present Regents Sibley president
Chute, Marshall Gibson, Lamprey, Burt,
Pillsbury and Professor Folwell. Mr.. q. N.
Nelson appeared before the board with a
communication referring to his permit to
cut timber LAND belonging to tho university
in township % and rs, range SO. In town
ship 25 the original permit was extended SO
as to include class of timber not contem-
plated when the permit was first granted. In
order to drive out THIS timber, Mr.. Nelson
claims he had cut canals and ''cut offs'' and
done great deal of grading and built new
dam. He considered these improvements
his till toe timber is cut off or till he is paid
for them by the State. He contends that in
small timber the university 10 the gamer by
the permit. Much of the timber, he says,
is damaged by fire, q destructive one pass
ing over it in 1871
The communication brought up the aues-
hon which had been discussed at great
length at the spring meeting, when it had
been referred to the state auditor.
Mr.. Whitconb stated that in accordance
with the request of the board he had ap-
pointed a competent man to 60 over the land
and report Mr. Marston'srepor showed that
there were still on the land upwards of 3d.
100000 feet of sound, merchantable timber
of 24-feet logs and 12-inch top. There were
upwards of 100O00,0OO feet of timber of all
kinds, damaged and otherwise. When the
board had agreed to let Mr.. Nelson cut tim
ber at $l,531 8, it had been represented that
the timbsr was much burned, and little of it
of service for logs. This representation
was based upon the inspection of one Spen-
ser.
Gen. Sibley asked if Marston was present.
Mr.. Whitcomb withdrew and brought in
Iarston, who stated that he had had
over eight years experience in tim
Der. His estimate was a correct one;
he examined the timber carefully; it
had not been cut according to agreement;
the finest logs had been cut and great guam
titles of fourteen inch tops had been left;
fire had run over the timber in places, but
had not done much damage.
In answer to questions from Gen. Sibley
Mr.. Nelson said he had expended from $15,-
900 to 1000 on dams and canals.
Mr.. Whtcomb-Eas not logs been cut
there for years?
Mr.. Nelson-Yes.
Mr.. Mathematician is it then that the
improvements have been made so recently?
Mr.. Nelson-Becau.e they were necessary
to get out the logs.
Mr.. Lamprey-Was there not dam be-
fore you built one.
Mr.. Neson-Yes, and built two new ones
Mr.. Chute--How wide IS the stream?
Mr.. Nelson-Three or four feet.
Mr. Chute moved that the subject be laid
over.
Mr.. Nelson then withdrew.
Gov. Pillsbury- is time this matter was
settled. Nhe board made a mistake in
granting a permit to cut logs at $1.331hA, but
they had been mlsinformed Of facts and
misled. The case is plain and simple. Nell
son entered into contract 10 cut logs of
fourteen-inch tops at 1910 in the lower
township, and S53. 20 in the upper. He found
get out of his bargain, and he put in the ap-
Plication which the board granted through
misrepresentation, and Nelson has been
cutting logs at IS 49, a for which he should
have paid 1910 and $500 for. That is
the whole substance in nutshell.
The permit to cut at 81. 3311 was through the
misrepresentation that no timber existed on
the land except damaged timber, small logs
and tops, while the facts are that there are
3O,OOO,OOO feet of valuable timber He
thought the auditor should be allowed to
take the legal course and sell the timber by
auction ct not less than minimum estimat-
ed value.
Mr.. Whitcomb stated that there are logs
enough cut and lying at Saltwater to set the
State right
Gen. Sibley thought there was an extraor-
binary discrepancy between the reports of
Spencer and Marston.
Gov. Pillsbury Spencer was evidently to
blame for his misstatement.
Mr.. Lamprey thought the board should
comply with the law and sell the timber
less than 14-inch to the highest bidder, and
hold MIR. Nelson to his original contract.
Gen. Sibley thought Nelson should be
compensated for his improvements.
Mr.. Lamprey-He is entitled to nothing
in equity; he knew all the facts; he cut the
canals to get out the larger logs.
Mr.. Marshall thought the law should take
its course, because of bad faith in Nelson.
He thought Spencer had been tempered
with.
Gov. Pillsbury-Exactly. I can vouch
for MarsLon, and would not hesitate to buy
on his recommendation; have employed
him IN my own business.
Gov. Marshall moved that the matter be
referred to Gov Pillsbury, Mr.. Lamprey and
the State auditor with power to act. The
matter was carried.
The board then went into private session,
Gov. Sibley explaining that there was moth
ing to be brought up which the board did
not wish to go before the public. But when
the qualifications of teachers and salaries
and other such matters were discussed, it
was but fair to the person concerned, that it
be done priva ely.
The reporters then withdrew.
Secret Session.
The session from which the reporters
were excluded continued from to 5 Pm.
and was for the consideration of the report