The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-02-09


pose Of giving the committees time to
meet, there was very little done in that
line for the reason that so many of
the members left for their homes to
stay over Sunday.
But one committee from each house
put in the time to advantage. That
was the public lands committees. and
they devoted themselves assiduously to
getting the public lands bill in readi-
ness to be reported. The house COM
mittee on counties met in the morn
ing, but did not accomplish anything
definite in the way of preparing n
report on any of the measures be-
fore it.
MANY AMENDMENTS
The public lands committees met
Jointly and decided upon a list Of
amendments to BOlitho's H. 3. No 90,
which was considered the best bill on
the land subject. A subcommittee
was then selected, composed Of Sena-
tors Chidester and Snow and Repre-
sentatiYes Critchlow, BOlitho and SOr-
enson, which went into session and
prepared the verbiage Of the proposed
amendments. The bill was carefully
prepared up to section %, which was
as far as the committee got when adj
journment was taken. The bill as it
will stand when the subcommittee
finishes its Iabors will be submitted to
the full committees for their sanction,
after which it will be reprinted and
reported upon to the house
ITS PROVISIONS.
The bill as thus far prepared pro-
vides:
That board Ct state land commits
sioners shall be created, to consist OF
five members this will probably be
changed to three who shall continue
in Office till the first Monday in jan
uary, 1901, or until their successors
qualify.
The governor is to appoint the
first board during the present session.
The commissioners are required to
take the necessary oath Of Office and
give bond for $780, 00, and are to
receive a salary Of 81. 200 and necessary
expenses, payable quarterly. Provision
is made for the organization Of the
board, which. when organized, shall
elect a secretary, not a member of the
board, whose salary is fixed at 81 200
and who is required to give a bond for
$4,000.
ITS POWERS.
The board is given the management
and control Of all lands heretofore or
which may be hereafter granted to
the state by the government or other
wise except lands used or set apart for
or are occupied by public buildings and
is given power to sell or lease such
lands for the best interest of the state.
The board must cause all public lands
to be selected or registered. and the
funds derived from the sale or lease
thereof must be invested as provided
by the act.
The board must designate what lands
shall be assigned to each fund for
which land was granted by the gov
eminent, each fund to receive as nearly
as possible its pro rata share Of the
different classes of lands selected.
Such assistants, whose pay shall not
exceed s4 per day, as may be neces-
sary in locating and selecting lands,
may be appointed by the board from
the householders of the counties in
which lands are to be selected. The
board is empowered to cancel or release
the claim Of the state and to reconvey
to the United States any tract listed
to the state upon which a bona f1de
claim had been made by an actual
settler at the time of selection
CLASSIFICATION.
Provision is made for having state
lands classified and maps thereof made
under the classification of "agrfGul-
tural. grazing. timber. natural gas
producing, mineral, coal, stone, saline
or arid land" showing whether the
same are improved or occupied. After
abstracts of all state lands have been
made they shall be appraised, pro-
visions for which is made. and at any
time thereafter, when it shall be deem
ed conducive to the best interests OF
the state, the board or its duly author
lied agent shall offer at public auction
at the court house Of any county such
unsold or Unbiased lands as may be
situated in the county. Such sale or
lease to go to the highest bidder, pro-
vided that no land shall be sold for
less than its appraised value. and such
sales can only be made TO citizens Of
the United States or persons who have
declared their intention Of so becoming.
THE PREFERENCE
Actual settlers or occupants Of land
who were on land on January 1, 1894,
are given the preference right to pur-
chase the land whenever such settle
ment was made to the extent Of $50
acres. for a sum not less than the ap-
praised valuation In making such ap-
praisment the value of improvements
must not be taken into consideration
and such preferred purchasers must
make application within six months
after the filing Of the plats in the coun-
ty treasurer's Office.
SALE OF TIMBER.
The board is granted power to sell
the timber on state lands, but no con-
tract for the sale of timber shall permit
the purchaser to cut or injure any
growing trees less than eight inches
in diameter at the butt
These are the salient features Of tbs
bill up to section %, as 1t will undoubt-
eddy be presented to the house, although
some changes may be made. Beyond
this an abstract of its provisions can
not be given as the committee is max
ing radical changes from the printed
copy in almost every section. The bill
will probably be reported on some time
this week.
WILSON'S BILL.
An error in stating the purpose of a
bill introduced by Representative Will
son last Thursday made it appear that
the bill if passed would repeal the act
giving mayors of cities the veto power.
Mr.. Wilson's bill is not so intended. It
repea1s simply one section OF the pres
emit statutes, which extends such power
to mayors and is calculated to give the
same veto power to mayors Of all in
cities as is held by those
of cities of the first and second class.
On Saturday, Feb. IS, we will place
on sale our new spring hats In Derby
and Fedoras. They embrace the cele-
brated Miller, Warburton, Schoble and
Stetson makes. Each distinct in shapes
and styles and are very swell. we
invite your inspection.
BROWN, TERRY & WOODRUFF co.