The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1885-07-16

TIE WORyHINC1ON LAND OFFICE.
The Sioux City Journal, which ar
rived at noon on Saturday last, brought
as the first intimation that Il new Re-
ceiver had been appointed to take the
the place "f Hon. T.. II. Smith. The
Pioneer Press came on the down train
in the afternoon and brought us a
more full account of the matter. The
new Receiver, it seems, is August Pc
terson. Il Norwegian, Of Albert Lea.
For year past the business of the
Worthington land office has been
light. owing to the fact that the gov
ernment lands have been taken and re.
taken until the business is now con(in.
ed chiefly to final proofs, and these will
soon cease. as the great bulk of the
land is already d,eded. We have been
expecting the consolidation of the Of
flee with the Tracy office. It would
seem from this new appointment that
the office is not to he consolidated with
any other for some time. The Pioneer
Press says of the new Receiver:
August Peterson, the new appointee,
is a resident of Albert Lea, and Il Nor
wegian. He has held the office of reg
lister Of deeds Of Freeborn county.
-Four or five years ago he was rated as
Republican. but later he went with the
Democrats aid has been acting with
that party ever since.
It alse publishes an interview with
Mt. Smith, the retiring Receiver, ~
follows:
q. H. Smith, tho present receiver at
by Peterson, was in st. Paul yesterday.
A Pioneer Press reporter gave him the
first intimati0n he had of the change.
He expressed no surprise; in fact he
said be had been expecting the bounce
for some time, and the only complaint
he had to make was that his removal
had been so long delayed. He believed
that the Democrats should have the
offices, as they had elected their presi-
dent, and therefore he was not 1T all
disturbed over the fact that no was
called upon to step down and out. The
fact of the matter is, rs Mr.. Smith puts
it, there ls no longer any money in the
position of land officer at Worthingtos,
and he should probably have resigned
after the Ist OF August il this change
had not been made. His successor will
find it pretty dry picking-at least un.
til next spring. There will be some
little business between now and Aug.
l, but Peterson cannot secure bonds
men and get ready to take possession
before that time, and then Smith says
lie will be only too glad to vacate. Fl.
nancially, Peterson has not picked
much Of \ plum. There is but little
vacant land in tho district, and there
is but little business to do outside of
final proofs. Mr.: Smith says he ex-
pected Cleveland would consolidate
ing to the small amount Of business
done by some of them; but the present
action would indicate that there are
not enough holes for the pegs, and
therefore mono of the Offices will be
abolished. Mr.. Smiths term of office
expired two months ago, and it is q
matter Of wonder that he has been al
lowed to hold on as long as he has.
The appointment of Peterson gives the
land Office at Worthington wholly over
to Norwegian control, Mons Grinager.
the present Republican register, being
of that nationality also. He also halls
from Albert Lea, the home of Peter
son. GriDager's term does not expire
for more than . year, but 1t is likely
that he will resign, even if he is not re.
moved, as there is DO particular in.
ducement for man to hold tho of1ico.
Mr.. Smith expresses the opinion that
the appointment OF Peterson by the
Kelly bureau IL but another part Of the
scheme to capture the Scandinavian
support for the Democrats by q judici
ous distribution of the offices.