The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-01-05
MILLIONS GIVEN AWAY
Startling Report of Auditor Dunn
OF Minnesota.
RECOMMENDS LEGALPR0cEEDISGs

The Auditor Says That Railroads Claim
Nearly Haif the Area OF the State, aud
That Valuable Iron Lands Are Now in
Possession of the Rockefeller Interests
All state lands Must Be Sold at public
Auction.
ST. Paul. Jan. 5.-The biennial report
Of State Auditor Robert c. Dunn to the
Minnesota legislature was given to the
press Sunday night and contains some
startling figures and recommendations,
drawn from a rigid Interpretation of the
law and a careful examination OF the
records of his Office, which includes the
land department
He says that he realizes fully the i'm
mense benefit the railroads have been
to the state, but in view Of the immense
grants of land they have received he
has deemed ii his duty to interpret the
laws rigidly and wherever there is
doubt to give the state the benefit of it.
The general land department business
shows that the grants of land to rail-
! road companies by congress and by the
state within the limits of the state of
Minnesota to aid in the construction OF
the 5000 miles of line have amounted to
over 20,000,000 acres. A reasonable val
uation of these railroad lands is $103,-
100000. or about $4,000 per mile. OF
| these lands the companies have al
ready received over 100000 acres, and
under the swamp act, from the state,
they have received over 5000, 900 addi-
tional.
Must BE Sold at Auction.
He calls particular attention to the
grant originally made to the Little
Falls railroad and now owned by the
Northern Pacific. 1t consists of 100000
acres, and was given to aid in the con-
struction of that railroad from its east
ern terminus to the western boundary
ofthe state. For uncompleted portions
on the line the land should revert to the
state. The line was only built to Nor
ris, altogether sixty-seven and one-half
miles, and the auditor holds that the
grant does not attach to the twenty
two and one-half miles from that to
the state line, making a difference OF
10000 acres in the grant. AS the COM
pany has already received 100000 acres,
which is in excess of what IL earned,
the legislature is asked to take proper
action to recover these lands, which are
valued at not less than S. per acre.
The auditors conclusions and recon-
mendations regarding mineral lands
however, are more startling. He rec
ommends that the legislature direct tha'
action be begun in the courts looking
to the recovery of lands already con-
veyed to the Duluth and Iron Rangt
railroad, amounting to 100000 acres, ant
that the remaining portion, 100000 acres
be declared forfeited. These lands, con
servatively valued, are worth S3,OO0,
600, being located exclusively in st
Louis, Lake and Cook counties, which
comprise the mineral and timber por
, tions of the state.
Lands should Revert.
He then calls attention to the consti
tutional provision that all state land
must be sold at public auction. AS tn
timber has been considered part of tn
realty, ii has been similarly dispose'
i; of i'm like manner. The Rockefeller
: and the Minnesota Iron company hold
I 80 per cent of the mining contracts o.
= state lands, including the famous olive
mine, with it's great ore deposits, an
. these were all secured at private sal'
so that if his contention be approve
; there would be general shaking up |
: mineral contracts.
l. The land where the rich Mountai
. Iron mine is located was selected IN lSS
by the then state auditor for indemnit
school land. In 1888 the same official
a apparently through an error or over
/, sight-executed a REIMBURSEMENT bac
d to the government. This land Is va
d ned at not less than $12,0OO,OO0. Sta'
ID Auditor Dunn takes the ground thu
y possibly the state still holds title
y these lands under the original selection
j. and that the REIMBURSEMENT was nu
d and void because the auditor had J
4. mower to execute such relinquishmen
0; that power remaining with the go
ernor.
z Costly Fire at Nashville, Tenn.