The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-08
STATE UNIVERSITY LANDS.
Report OF John Arthur From TIL
United States Land ONCE.

Report OF John Arthur From the
United States Land Office.
yesterday the State university land and
building commissioners held meeting at which
John Arthur presented the following report on
the results OF his trip to Washington City:
Section 4 Of the act creating this board pro-
vides as follows:
"The board of university land and building
commissioners are hereby authorized and
directed to ascertain how much laud is left OF
tue grant made 10 the state OF Washington for
university purposes by the act OF congress com
monty called the enabling act approved Feb
Iuary =, 1889, how much mas been selected and
remains unsold, how much remains to be select
ed, and shall select the quantity yet to be select
scribcd by law Po
At its meeting on April :, 1891, the board
unanimously adopted q resolution instructing
me TO proceed TO the city of Washington and
examine, III the central land Office the original
Msts Oh selections OF lands in the territory of
washington TOT university purposes, and TO pro-
cure certified copies thereof, and do all matters
ana things in relation thereto which he III shall
ma expedient ana necessary"
IN compliance with this resolution. went in,
the latter part of May last to the city of Wash.
lngton aud made the examination and procured
tne certified copies required; and / herewith
oellyer TO the board all of said copies These in
ciude the various lists of lands selected by the
authorities OF the territory of Washington for
university purposes under the reservation of two
townships OF land made by congress July II a
" 1904, and the act OF the legislative assembly of
the territory of Washington authorizing the sale
OF the lands so reserved; and also eleyan copies
OF documents on file in the genera! Land Office
i p,aIsins upon the selections aud sales of these
lands by the territorial authorities and which T
consider Important as throwing light rpon the
proceedings by which the state OF Washington
mas been deprived of nearly all OF the 46 OSO
acres reserved by congress in 1854
Inehty-one lists OF such selections by the
territorial authorities have been approved by
the land department. These lists embrace an
aggregate of 44,909.46 acres, leaving vet to be
selected by this board ], 170.54 acres
The officers OF the general land office rendered
me every assistance in their power in making
the necessary examination and preparing the
copies herewith delivered to the board You
WIN observe by an examination of these copies
that an immense amount of very careful work
was required in their preparation No pains
were spared so to prepare them as to make for
inns BOARD very convenient, systematic and
intellgiDie record and history of the transac-
tioif connected with the disposal of the lands;
ana the result of this painstaking labor is in
my judgment, highly satisfactory
Under the laws OF the United States the gem
erai land Office is obliged to charge Is cents for
eacn lUo words OF copy so furnished, with an
additional sum OF 81 for the commissioners GER
tncate OF verification, with the general land
Office seal. Revised Statutes, section 46ll The
Commissioners OF the general land office, Hon.
ihoinas III. Garter, was anxious to furnish these
copies Tree of such charge to the state of Wash
lngton; bat, upon careful consideration OF the
law, he decided that he had no right to do so
consequently was obliged 10 make the pay
tifcates furnished to me-
herewith
My lahors in the general land Office were be-
gun on the 4th day OF June, 1891, and closed on
the 2Sth day of July, 1891.
Appended to the report were vouminous
lists. The commissioners win meet again to-
day.