Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1891-01-09
MESSAGE.
[CoNTINuED FROM PAGE 81

ton for the Experiment Station is available for buildings and
grounds. The trustees have secured temporary buildings and
competent instructors and have both departments IN successful
operation.
These schools will not, however, be able to accomplish all that
the ample endowment should assure until suitable provision is
session gave the State the authority lori yt to set aside, for the use as of Of the the
college and station, Section 36-l46-49, being a section of public
ia umsI to N make this AVAILABLE lab for the above o. p reuro M,f bv o os es an
act conveying the title to this section of land to the college.
The total amount of public lands donated to the State by the
general government for various public buildings and institutions
is, in the aggregate, $4,000 acres. Section {, Chapter 25, Session
Governor or his duly authorized agent, subject to such rules and
regulations gu a a as may %at be RFss9 : B P9 by the s: interior terror Department
selections %Gts and his report is herewith submitted
un as55 F stpfes f Esni o IF esv st f fsssson ayd e G@ndd Fd ths p 5nd d in the of
clearly vacant unappropriated lands in the two districts, some $751;
600 acr e q He also finds in these same districts that there are
vacanta and unappropriated, and also a long list Of tree claim filings
ab b"ndo eat' T !He; same n i is true 'a aiso Of honest Ra"5n f}iug m''' He
estimates the total amount of all classes Of land from which selec-
900 acres. The vacant lands in the Bismarck and Devils Lake
districts lis 5isS4 are 1o yet to be " located and listed: He reports that there is
grant: not at present, however OF the minimum value fixed by the
e1al go7ernment Of the amount of lands above referred ( Section
7so Of the h, Enabling hnh1ia goA Act provides }royr eSo for TT the selection Of indemnity
and for deficiencies caused by fractional sections. The amountof
indemnity school lands is estimated at $4,000 acres. The Depart
and nefourth cents per acre. Mr.. Power estimates the cost per
acre of the selection Of the lands, unless it lis found necessary to
make more personal field examinations, at one cent per acre, and
the the t total cost d Of o 59leo til ian 1and * s na Ing! patents df sd to the State saeo of
lands, and contingent cost Of contest of the tree claim AMMAN and ID home
stead entries referred to, at not to exceed four cents per acre, in
which event the total cost to the State would be $685. 1000.
There was appropriated for this purpose, by the last Legislature,
$4,000. As it is anticipated that the selection of the entire
amount Of the above lands Will soon be completed, provision should
be made for the probable excess Of expenses over present appro-
prlatlon.
SCHOOL LANDS.
The Board of University and School Lands, in accordance with
the law providing therefor, leased all Of such lands as, in their
Judgment, could be- Leased with profit. The amount received from
has been apportioned to the several counties for school purposes
as sSd pIGTi htxa by yzl law; . The proceeds Zee rf from the aStl Leasing g of these these; lands 555
there not been, IN many counties, collision on the part of persons
This might in a measure nvsi have been obviated Is tn the Board npSif been
empowered to fix a minimum price at which bids for leasing would
Some modification Of this law may be deemed advisable. An
appraisal Of the school lands has been made in such portions of
the State where, in the opinion Of the Board, the value of the
lands would reach or exceed the minimum price at which they can
s ep s1!a; Gs as sl j e S1e d ps e snd o! rni IS "r lss|4si' Of 5 TGs is sst? ;n 9ax snJ
to the sale of school lands provides that not to exceed 100000
between june 20, 1851. and July 29s'1 1851 s. :'s Should D5 id't the So sale s@ Of
these looto 600 acres be made n9 frrom t those lands most valuable, I est
income from the investment of this amount is to be apportioned
among the public schools Of the State. It will thus be see that,
with proper management Of the lands and investment of proceeds,
one of the heaviest items of taxation, the school tax, will soon be
greatly lightened.
AGRICULTURE AND LABOR.
By the provisions Of chapter 46 of the Session Laws of 1890,
the law creating the office Of Commissioner of Immigration, and
defines e6n@,t the d duties ias Of ap te Co%mis w; eeP of Aariicu atrn ' an9 fa5 5%o
and, in addition to his other labors, imposes upon him many Of
IN dutles formerly required OF the commissioner OF immigration.
BY his report it will be seen that the collection of reliable inor-
nation and statistics has been attended with considerable diff
Guilty, owing to a want of authority to compel the various officers
to furnish the information needed. In the absence Of complete
ness and reliability, such information is of little value Hence
the desi1abnity Of the enactment Of such legislation as will compel
the furnishing Of the data required. The labor of this office has
also been somewhat hampered by the fact that the Legislature
failed to make al appropriation for the cost of any scientific in
yestgation, even while, by a concurrent resolution, requiring such
investigation to be made of soil with reference to it's adaptabiity
to the culture of sugar beets. Believing the question of the
a1daptabilty Of the soil and climate to the successful cultivation of
sugar beets, and also the probable extent Of our coal fields, the
exact character Of the coal obtained and its value as fuel, and to
what uses best adapted, and its relative value as compared with
M other Ignite and bituminous coal, to be Of such Importance as to
Justify the very moderate outlay at which, through the almost
gTatuitous labor ofProf." Babcock, of the North Dakota University,
the work could be done, with the approval Of the Executive the
investigation was made, in the absence Of any direct appropriation
therefor. n
AS q very interesting and satisfactory result of Prof. Babcock's
labors. It. is shown that our soil and climate are admirably adapted