The Monte Vista journal., 1898-03-26
state Lands.

The Denver Republican has
callel the attention of L. c. Pad
deck, Register of the State Land
Board to the fact that there is some
kicking down in the San Luis val
ley over the selling of state lands,
and Mr.. Paddock makes the fol-
lowing observations:
The people who object to the State
Land Board selling the 1000 acres OF
land in tho San Luis valley, advertised
70 be sold next mouth, are evidently not
acquainted with the law governing such
lands. The grant whereby the internal
improvement lands became the property
o, the state intended thu, those lands
shall be sold while the state is in it's In
fancy. The proceed are to be devoted to
internal improvements. II was not the
in:eLticn that tie lands be held for q
numbe. OF years and then sold and the
proceeds used for the building OF roads,
Strictly speaking, the lands have been
held too long already in strict accordance
with the real meaning OF the act under
which they were made state property.
As near as / can learn, those who are
complaining most agains: the sale o! the
lands are those y no are connected direct
ly or Indirectly with the Travellers In
sGraree company OF Hartford, Conn. II
Is easy TO see why tha: company objects
TO the sale o. the lands. By deal con.
slmmGted When NJ. Henry was register
o. the land oilee that company got every
alternate section OF land in that valley
a; price tina; is very much below that
4; which the land is now appraised. l.
is natural that the company wants 10 sell
those lands and resliz. nice profit from
them. That is what they were purchased
for. BY the board selling the lands own
ed by the state in that section it uatur-
ally de,ers the sales that the company
might make until the future. That com
pells the company TO hold its lands Just
th.i much longer, and to pay taxes upon
them.
And not only that, but the person who
purchases the lands. sold by tie state
/ from the company, for the latter buyers
have to pay taxes on their lands from
the Siu.c they purchase them. That is
not the case rs regards the state lands
The purchaser OF them buys on time
paying for the land in Is yearly Install
tnents, with interest at 6 per cent. Until
The purchaser has been given warrant,
deed to the property he does not have u
paw taxes, as the land, in the meantime
belongs To the state. The insurance com
pany sells It's lands on similar install
ment plan. with the rate OF interest The
same, bu: by buying state lands the rur
chaser escapes the payment OF taxes fol
IS years. When you come to figure thr'
UP. it is quito n saving.
There are some complaints that i'm
provcmen,s on the lands have been ap
praised too high. We appraisedShe lane
and Improvements high TO protect the
people who now have lease on tn,
lands and have made Improvements. W.
assessed the improvements at their nc
;unl cost value, and II viii protect tn,
settlers, instead OF beng menace tt
them. II man has house on u piec'
Of land that cost HIM, say. s2,ooo. vher
that piece OF land is put up for sale yor
would no. he hnli 40 inclined TO purchas1
it as IL the improvements had been No
scssed at ono ,hird or less OF their rca
value. That being the case, it allow
tho owner OF the improvements TO bu!
them IN without competition.