The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-01-07
LANDS ARE IN DISPUTE
MINNEsOTA's ACREAGE HAS BEEN
ALMOST GIVEN AWAY.
Roclefellers and Others Have . Mo-
nopoIy of Iron Mines Claimed
by the state.

St. Paul, Jan. 3.-The bienniaa report of
state Auditor Robert c. Dunn to the Min
nesota Legislature was given to the press
tonight and contains some startling figures
and recommendations cs avn from a rigid
examination of the records of his ONCE,
which Includes the land department. The
general land department business shows
THAT grants OF land to railroad companies
by congress and by the state withln the
limits OF the state OF Minnesota, to aid In
the construction OF the $500 miles OF line
have amounted to over 20. .0OO, 900 acres The
total area OF the state Is about A. 900 900
acres. reasonable valuation OF these
railroad lands is $103 O00. 900, or about &c.,
Oo0 per mile. or these Iands, the companies
have received over 10000. 900 acres already.
and under the swamp-and act from the
state they have received over 2, ,000, 900 acres
additional.
He calls attention to the grant originally
made to The Little Falls railway, and now
owned by the Northern Pacific, Consisting
of 100000 acres. 1t was given to aid In the
construction of that raiiroad from tts east
ern terminus to the western boundary of
the state. For uncompieted portions of
| the limo the lands revert to the STATIC The
| line was only built to Morris, altogethcr
S11a miles, and the auditor holds that the
grant does not attach to the 22h miles
from There to the state hne making a dif-
| ference Of 10000 acres In the grant. As
the company has already received 2Oo, 90
| acres, which Is In excess of what they
earned, the Legislature is asked to take
proper action to recover these lands,
which are valued at not less than IS per
acre.
Mineral Lands Lost.
The auditors conclusions and recon-
mendations regarding mineral lands, how
ever, are most starhling. He recommends s
that the legislature direct that action be
begun In the courts looking to the recov-
cry OF hands already conveyed to the Du-
luth Iron Range railroad, amounting to
100000 acres. and that the remaining por-
3, tion 403. 600 acres. be declared forfeited.
These lands. conservatively valued. arc
worth S3.000,0O0, being located exclusively
In st. Louis. Lake and Cook counties,
which comprise the mineral and timber
| portions of tho state.
He then calls attention to the consti.u-
tional provision that all state lands must
be sold ait public auction. As the timber
land has been considered part OF the real
ty. 1t has been similarly disposed of, and
the auditor now raises the question
whether the mineral Is not also a part OF
the realty, and should therefore be dis.
posed OF In like manner The Rockefeller
and the Minnesota Iron Company hold n
per cent of the mining contracts on state
lands, and these we're all secured at pri
vate sale, so that If his contention be ap
proved, there would be a general shaking
up In mineral contracts.
| mi.
was located was selected In 1888 by th<
then state auditor for indemnity schoo
lands In 1888 the same official, apparently
through an error or oversight, executed G
REIMBURSEMENT back to the government
This land Is valued at not less than S12
100000. The state auditor takes the grount
that the state still holds the title bo thes,
lands under the original selection and tha
the relinqulshment was rendered void.