The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-01

iating to school lands are in the Office of
the commissioner of public lands, it ia adj
visahle that such payments be made to
said office.
The absence of any provisions prescrib-
ing terms of sale Of timber lands has
caused some confusion upon that subject,
ana deem 1t advisable that there be some
legislation covering the points in ques-
ton.
The time for making payment of the
purchase price Of school lands should be
extended upon condition that the interest
be paid promptly when due. In this way
none of the school fund would be idle.
and the security would be the best posi-
ble-the land itself. The money would
thus be kept within the state. and the
purchasers, a very large majority of
whom are bona fide settlers, would
be enabled TO build up comfort
able homes. and the wealth and tax
able property of the state would be greatly
increased. This would operate to the adj
vantage of the state as well as to the pur-
chaser, for the reason that county bonds
the only kind of security IN which the
funds can be invested-bearing 6 per cent.
interest, are now selling at a premium of
from l to per cent, and for the further
reason that large amounts must necessa-
rily be idle from the time when paid into
the state treasury until invested in bonds.
Again, most of the counties desiring funds
have been bonded for the full amount re-
quired, and the bonds are held by Eastern
parties. 1t will. therefore, be necessary in
the future to send the money out of the
state in order to make the Investments re-
quired BY law.
About $500. 900 have been received from
the sale of school lands in the past two
years, and the receipts will be larger in the
future as additional sales are made. There
should be some provision by which this
money can be kept in this state and made
interest bearing.
for the purchase of school lands is ex-
tended. as heretofore suggested. the time
is not far distant when much of the school
fund must remain idle or the state will be
forced to accept the terms of Eastern
bondholders and send the money out of
the state for investment. The best method.
perhaps. would be to require as first
payment such per cent. of the purchase
price as would render the security per-
fectly safe. and extend the time for the
payment of the balance over long Pc
Rod, requiring the interest to be paid an
nually at fixed time, say the first of the
year.
The above method of extending the time
for payment would in measure prevent
the accumulation of large amounts in the
treasury. But the first payments on the
new sales would still create large fund
which could be invested in way that
would result In benefit both to the school
fund and to the general fund. AS already
stated, county bonds bearing per cent.
interest can not be purchased for less than
about per cent premium, while at this
time the state has outstanding warrants
to the amount of about 1885, 900. These
warrants bear l per cent interest. If the
state constitution were so amended as to
authorize the investment of the school
fund in state warrants the interest ON
such warrants could be reduced to- per
cent, and the school fund could DO in
vested III them more simultaneously than
if invested in any desirable bonds. The
state would save per cent. interest on all
warrants issued without danger of their
being sold for less than par. The school
fund would absorb all issues of warrants,
and at the same time yield q greater in
come than at present. The circumstances
demand immediste egislation relative to
this subject.
The law upon this subject needs to be
amended in many of its provisions. The
law should clearly define tide lands and
thus determine the right of the state to
dispose Of land situated between the line
of ordinary low tide and the inner harbor
line.
The exclusive right to purchase tide
lands of the second and third classes should
be limited to q reasonable time. Under
the present law the improver of second
class tide lands can occupy and use the
same indefinitely, to the exclusion of all
others, for the reason that tide lands of
the second class shall be surveyed and APP
praised only upon the application of the
person or corporation having thereon val
liable improvements" 1t is true that
person or corporation desiring to purchase
tide lands of the third class may make ap-
plication for survey of the same, but the
estimated cost of survey must be depos-
tied, and the same is forfeited unless the
applicant becomes the purchaser. The
law gives the upland owner the exclusive
right for sixty days following the filing
of the final appraisal of the tide lands to
purchase all or any part of the tide lands
In front of the lands SO owned" This
provision practically allows the upland
AUDITING tide lands indefinitely,
for but few would assume the
risk of forfeiting the cost of survey when
the upland holder is given the exclusive
right TO purchase for sixty days after sur
very is completed. Neither the plats of
survey nor the reports of appraisement are
flied III this office, as the law provides
The commissioner of public lands has
no means of determining. from records in
his office, the tide lands not applied for,
or the appraised value of the same. with
in five days after receiving said sealed
bids as aforesaid, the said commissioner of
public lands shall open the said sealed
bids in the presence Of the board of equal
ization." The commissioner of public
lands is not a member of said board and,
therefore. cannot advertise for bids with
out first having arranged for meeting so
that the bids can be opened at the time
and in the manner provided bylaw.
No payments can be received until the
state board of equalization and appeal APP
proves the application and certities that
the applicant is entitled to purchase. The
law should provide a limit within which
the applicant shall execute his notes and
make first payment, after receiving notice
that his application has been allowed, and
his right to purchase should be declared
foefeited unless payment De made within
such prescribed time.
The right Of the upland owner should be
more clearly defined. Under the present
law the following questions arise:
First-Shouid the boundaries os the up
land be extended IN a direct line, at right
angles to the line of ordinary high tide, n.
right angles to the line of ordinary low
tide, or at right angles 10 the inner harbor
line?
Second-Has he right TO purchase all
the tide lands extending from the line of
ordinary high tide 10 the line OF ordinary
low tide Tor inner harbor line) or is he
limited to that portion situated between
the line of ordinary high tide and the first
street running parallel with the shore line?
The varying courses Of the shore line
render it very difficult TO determine the