Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-03-22
10 RENEW MEADOWS
"A Law to Supply Grass Seed to
the Sufferers by Forest
r. Fires.
WILL HELP NEEDY FARMERS

WILL HELP NEEDY FARMERS
Fifteen Thousand Appropri-
ated to Garry Out the Pro-
visions of the Law.
The forest fires that desolated large
sections of Northern Minnesota last
year caused one peculiar damage that
threatens to be be permanent in its
character-that is the consuming OF the
soil on thousands OF acres Of the natural
meadows. The soil had become so dry
during the long absence of rain that the
6res burned the meadows down to the
sand. Unless these meadows are re-
seeded with grass seed this spring they
will grow up to weeds, willows, brush,
etc. If they are seeded with grass seed
at once the meadows will be reclaimed,
and continue to produce usual crops OF
hay. Many of the settlers in the dis
trict above referred to are unable to
purchase the grass seed, and unless
helped at this time would lose much by
reason of the destruction OF the
meadows. Hon. A. F. Ferris, the rep
resentative in the legislature from
Brainerd, appreciated the conditions,
and introduced a bill that will be OF
great benefit to hundreds Of settlers. The
bill has passed both houses of the legis-
lature, and will become q law
in time to give present help. AS some
of the laws provisions must be COM
piled with at once, it will interest our
readers to become familiar with it, and
we therefore print it in full.
1t Is known as House File No. 337, by
Mr.. Ferris. and is as follows:
A Bull
For an Act to Furnish Grass Seed for
Distribution in Certain Counties AT
tlcted by Forest Fires during the Season
OF One Thou and eight hundred and
nnety-four QS94), and to Appropriate
Money FIR same.
Be IL Enacted by the Legislature of the
S,;tre of Minnesota.
Section Inat the sum of fifteen thou
said Isl ',0JW dollars, be, and the same is
hereby appropriated out Of any moneys in
atett for the purpose Of this act.
Sec. :. 1t IS hereby made the duty of
the county auditors OF The counties afflicted
bj forest nres, in Luc state OF minnesota,
wherein the grass and meadows were par
tial.y or Who'll destroyed by forest fires
i'll tue year one thousand eight hundred
anu ninety-four 1854, TO give The no,ice
before the twentieth (sUtl) day of March,
one thousand eight hundred and ninety
five (S95), to The respective Town clerks Of
the several towns in said counties requir-
ing .hcm to post notices Immediately, in
at least three OF the most public places in
eacn tOwn, notifying all persons wishing
to avail themselves Of the benefits of this
act, to meet at the town clerks office and
file with the said town clerk OH or before
the 5, II day of April, one thousand eight
hundred and ninety-five QS9 }, an appllca-
ton duly subscribed and sworn to by Lhe
applicant before SAID town clerk or other
olncer authorized to administer oath:
provided, that in districts not organized
into towns, the said county auditor shall
cause such notice to be posted in sucn
uno,ganized district at such places as he
shall deem necessary.
And, provided further, hat the notice
herein provided for shall also be published
one week prior to the 9TH day of April,
1895. in the official paper of said county.
Sec. g. The application provided for in
the preceding section shall contain a true
statement OF the number of acres of
meadow owned or controlled by such ap-
plicant upon which the grass and grass
rooLs were destroyed by said forest fires
during the season of 1884: and how many
acres of said meadow said applicant in
tends and desires to reseed during the sea-
son of 1885.
Such application shall further state the
amount Of hay harvested from said
meadow annually, prior to the year of
1897, and the amount and kind Of grass
seed necessary to reseed said meadow and
the amount that said applicant desires to
obtain from the state under the provisions
of this act, and that said applicant has
not procured and is not able to procure
the necessary grass to reseed said
meadows so desired to be reseeded, and
that he desires said grass seed for no other
purpose whatever, and that he will not
sell or otherwise dispose of the same or
any part thereof.
Said application shall also contain full
and true description of all real and per-
sonal property owned by the applicant and
the membranes, if any, thereon; and a
full description by government sub
divisions of the lands upon which the
applicant intends to SOW said grass seed.
Sec. 4. The town clerk of each town
shall, on or before the 5th day of April.
him to said county auditor of his county,
who shall file the same in his office, and
all applications by persons residing in any
unorganized district shall, on or before the
5th day of April, 1895, file said application
in the office of said county auditor.
All applications filed in any county au-
ditor's office, under the provisions of this
act, shall be open to public inspection, and
no application shall be considered by
the board provided for in section five of
this act, except such as have been duly
made and filed within the time and man
nrr hereinbefore provided for.
Sec s. The board of county commits
sioners of each county where the provi-
sions oi this act are applicable shall be
and are hereby constituted and appointed
a board of examination and ad jusIment of
the applications for grass seed under this
act, and it shall be the duty of said board
to meet at the county auditors office on
the first Thursday in April, 1895, to exam
inc and consider the applications that shall
have been filed under the provisions Of
this act, aud to determine who are enti-
tied to the benefits herein provided for
and the amount Of money to which each
applicant is entitled. And said board
shall, within ten days thereafter, forward
to the governor of the State of Minnesota,
q statement giving the number of appli-
cants, the name of such applicant; the
l1,.. L. IL