The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-01-04


ST. PAUL. Minn,. Jan. s.-Tho blen-
nial report of State Auditor Robert q.
Dunn to the Minnesota legislature. was
given to the press tonight and contains
some startling figures and recommends
tons, drawn from a rigid Interpretation
Of the law and a careful examination Of
the records OF his phice, which includes
the land department. The general land
department business shows that the
grants Of land to railroad companies by
Congress and by the state, within the
limits OF the state Of Minnesota, to aid
IN the construction uf the a200 miles Of
line have amounted 10 over 2O.00o,000
acres The total area Of the state Is
about l9,Q0Q,Q00 acres, A reasonable
valuation OF these railroad lands Is St03,-
100000, or about $4,000 per mile. OF
these lands the companies have already
received over 100000 md under the
swamp land act from the state they
have received over 100000 additional.
He called particular attention to the
grant originally nado 70 the Little Falls
railway and now owned by the Northern
Pacific II consists OF 100000 acres, and
was given to aid IN the construction Of
that railroad from is eastern terminus
TO the western boundary state.
For uncompleted portions Of the line
the land should revert to the state, The
line was only built to Morris, altogether
eighty-ReYen and half miles, and the
auditor holds that the grant does not
ATTACH to the twenty-five and a half
miles from that to the state line, making
q difference OF 10000 acres IN the grant.
As the company has already received
100000 acres which ID 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.
The auditoFs conclusions and recon-
mendations regarding mineral lands,
however, are most startling. He recon-
mends that the legislature direct that
action be begun In the courts looking 20
the recovery OF lands already conveyed
70 the Duluth & Iron Range railroad,
amounting 10 100000 acres, and that the
remaining portion, 100000 acres, be de-
clared forfeited. These lands. conServn-
lively valued, are worth SS,000,0O0, being
located exclusively In St. Louis, Lake
and Cook counties, which comprise the
mineral and timber portions OF the state.
He then calls attention to the consutu-
tionnl provision that all state landa
must be sold at public auction. As the
Timber has ben considered part Of the
realty, It has been similarly disposed Of,
and ths state auditor now raises the
question whether the mineral is not also
q part Of the realty and should therefore
be disposed OF In luxe manner.
The RockefelleTs, and the Minnesota
Iron Company hold ninety per cent Of
the mining contracts on state land8-Tin-
cludlng the famous oliver mine with its
great ore deposits-and tiese were all
secured at private sale, 80 that y his
contention be approved there would be a
general shaking up in mineral contracts
The land which the rich mountain ron
mine IS located was was selected In 1883
by the then stats auditor for Indemnity
school land. In 1888 the same oticlal-
apparently through an error or overHignt
executed rellnuuishment back to the
government. This land IS valued at not
iess than Si2,OOO,0O0. State Auditor
Dunn takes the ground that possibly the
state still holds tide 70 these lands under
the original selection and that the re-
ilnouishment was null and void because
the auditor had no power 70 execute s9cn
reiinQuishment, that power remaining
with the governor.