St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-04-15
The Special Committee Re-
ports on Mile Laos Pine
Land Sales.
Majority and Minority 0pin-
ions Touching the Facts
as Aseeptained.
Full Review of the Testimony
Full Review of the Testimony
Given by Parties on
Both Sides.
No Action Taken by the House
Until the Matter Is
Printed.

The special committee of five to in
VeStigate alleged irregularities in sale
OF pine land in Mile Laos county re-
ported yesterday and was split The
chairman, Mr.. Dunn, and Mr.. Fleming
signed one report. Messrs. German, I.
Cole and Zelch signed the other. Both
reports are printed below.
When presented in the house after
recess very little argument occurred, and
the two reports were ordered printed to
be considered later.
Following is the report of the majority
of the committee:
ST. PAUL, April 13.-HOu. William E.
Lee, Speaker OF the House of Repre-
SentatiYes: Your committee, appointed
10 investigate alleged irregularities in
the Office of the state auditor, begS leave
10 report as follows:
On Feb. p Representative Dunn in
trOdGced the following resolution, which
was adopted:
Whereas, 1t is charged that the pine
timber on school section 30, township
-. range %. Mile Laos county, has
been sold to Minneapolis lumber firm
al less than half its market value
Therefore be it resolved, That the
state auditor be, ana is hereby directed
TO report to this house within five days
of the receipt of this resolution whether
the pine timber on said section So has
been disposed of, and when, to whom
and for what consideration, and whether
the sale of said pine timber was public
or private, and if at public sale. when,
where and in what manner notice Of
said sale was given.
Resolved, That the chief clerk Of this
house be, and is hereby directed TO
serve copy of this resolution on the
stale auditor forthwith.
On Feb. 2S, in response to the above,
the following communication from the
state auditor was received in the house
of representatives, as appears on page
two % of the house journal of Feb. IS:
State of Minnesota, Auditors Office,
St. Paul, Feb. -, '93.-HOn. William E.
Lee, Speaker of the House of Repre-
sentativeS.-Sir: In response to resolu-
ton of the 18th inst. have the honor
to inform YOU that the timber on section
81, township II, range 20, was sold TO
{. A. Smith Il Co., Minneapolis, Jan.
2G, 1898, at private sale. The price said
timber sold Tor was s. per 1000. Very
respectfully, \. BIERMANN,
State Auditor.
March l Representative Dunn intro
duced the following resolution, which
was adopted:
Resolved, That the speaker appoint
committee of five % to investigate al
legged irregularities said to exist in the
state auditors Office. more especially
with reference to the sale of piue timber
on section So, township A., Mile Laos
county, and that said committee be en-
powered to employ Stenographer, and
send for persons and papers. and re-
port TO this house not later than two (2)
weeks from this date.
Pursuant TO the above resolution the
following COMMITTEES was appointed:
Representatives Dunn, Leonard, Zeich,
Fleming, Cole, T, and German.
On March the committee held its
first meeting at Room Is, Capitol build
ing. Present-Dunn, Fleming, Zelch
and Cole. T.
The first witness examined, John
GOss, Anoka, Mimi, said that he had
the land in question estimated by COM
petent cruisers, with a view of bidding
for the timber on the same at a public
sale advertised to be held at Princeton
in May, 1892. He further said that he
would be willing 10 pay 81 per 1000 for
said timber.
Z. S. Page. also of Anoka, testified
that he was willing to purchase the
timber on said land if it had been Of
fered at public sale; but on cross-eXam-
inatiOn, when asked if he would pay 81
per 1000 if lie were required to cut it
clean, he answered that he did not
know.
r. F. Mcclellan, county surveyor of
Mile LacS county, testified that he was
familiar with the pine on the land in
controversy, and that it was of excellent
quality and worth 81 per 1000.
Robert Burch. of Mile Laos county,
testified that he had examined the tim
Der on said land. He estimated the
amount of pine thereon as not less than
5,500.000 feet in the section, and that
the timber was worth 81 per LOCO
March 10 the committee met with the
following members present: Dunn,
Cole, T.; ZeIch and German. C. A.
Smith testified that he had bought the
timber from the state auditor at private