The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-11-12

10 tbs United States land department.
With the Official records and maps. and
comparatively feE azd ualmporsant
lasstAxes on ny part have Developed IN sIl
these years. The aggregate OF mr. se-
sscfacns reported has been changed
n some Instances BIZ changes in the areas
o. fractional lots. aud abe secretary hxs
ea0ce4le1 seven or eight selections 80 thas
sae total acreage confirmed Or approved py
naEa . the state for university purposes 10
CONSIDERABLY less than the aggregate Of
seAecssons reported on course the action
OF the secretary is final. except in cases Of
contest Here arises smother question
he supreme court Of this state has re-
sersed the action o. the secret.ry tsee de-
ing one OF my selections and has awarded
the land 20 the grantees OF those TO whom
sod the same. and there are sew
er3i other cases Of similar ma
s1rs pending thai n ali probability will
De decided hy the courts In the same way
Each decision OF this kind will lessen the
amount Of iaads still remaining 10 select
Tor university purposes. and not Until the
last one CT these cases has reached final
adjustment viii il be possible 20 TX the
exact amount OF such unsolicited lands.
In tbs report prepared By Mr.. 2. B.
Johnson. heretofore referred to. consider
able space Is given 20 discussion OF the
tne passage OF the act of congress of March
IA, le5i An action brought II the sape-
sioE court Of King county by I. NJ.
Afvogu, some time sgo, resulted In his
favor and in the confirm alton Of his title
10 several hundred acres OF this class Of
ianas. and recent decision OF the ST.
pretne court Of this state in the case
OF hortne vs.. State Of Washington (Ses
appendix page iaI) has nuiiifed the efforts
OF those who have attempted 10 compel
tne purchasers of these lands 10 again nav
ror the same 81 the rate OF SO per acre.
Instead Of being timber lands. as Mr.
Johnson alleges. only 200 acres Of the total
amount were of that character. The other
:. i54 50 acres were agricultural lands
among them was most OF the noted Sno-
qaalmie hop ranch. the large farm OF T.
a. Aivord on White river, near Kent. and
one OF tbs best farms in Souak valley
near Gilman, purchased from the univer-
sity by William Pickering one of Wash
ingtoa territoTy's most respected gov
ernoFs- These and other smaller farms
were under cultivation at the time OF the
sales. and some of them had been the
homes of the purchasers for from ten 10
Twelve years a. the time of their selection
bat being on unsurveyed lands, titles could
not have been earlier secured. A more
important fact is that not one of these
farms could have been selected by
oil the settlers upon the same. Nearly
or quite al. OF these settlers could have
secured their titles under the homestead
act without cost TO themselves, or under
the presumption act at cost of 81 . per
acre. but they preferred to pay ST. so to the
university. because they supposed they
would thus more quickly secure titles
TO their homes. Under these circum-
stances all the equities are in favor of the
vendees of the university
While considerable difficulty has been
encountered In securing the data neces-
sary FOR the preparation of this report.
the fact remains that the published reports
OF legislative committees and university
regents have greatly misrepresented the
condition of the university lands as To
their selection and sale and approval,
confirmation or cancellation by the United
States general land Office.
The total area granted was, in
acres. ................... 46oso.oo
OF this there have been APP
proved and confirmed py the
secretary OF the interior or %
Additional amount approved
but not confirmed. 2, 047. ITS Geo ss
Balance due. I.0i054
Explained thus:
Claimed reserved for military
reservations. .................... sa4 50
Patented 10 schweitzer, but
awarded 10 the grantees of
the university by the state SUI
preme court ...........-... 81 30
Selections heretofore involved in
appeals. now adjusted. but not
yet approved by the secretary
OF thu interior. ................ 2oo. CO. SIP 30
Balance. 4so "a
"Fhe above amount of "a acres and
10 IS acres referred TO elsewhere as having
been overcharged TO the state, amounting
TO Sol. 40 acres, remain to be selected.
My final report as university commits