The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-09-10
THE HOMESTEAD LAW.

Some Interesting Facts From the Report Of
Commissioner French. OF the State Land Office
The new homestead law IL responsible
for the decrease in the amount Of public
lands 10 Michigan. as shown by the re-
port OF Land Commissioner French for
the year ending June 30.
At the close Of the fiscal year in 1897
the state held 72o,3S5 acres Of land.
The were 55S acres Of part paid lands
forfeited to the state during the year,
691 acres OF swamp land forfeited, 3d.
426 acres decided TO the state by the
auditor and subjected TO the homestead
entry, 3, 957 acres OF homestead land re-
verted TO the state, and l27 acres pat
ented Ia the state by the general govern.
ment. The number OF acres sold during
the year was 22,37l; number OF acres Of
swamp land licensed, 3 ,634 and 81 ,l07
acres of homestead land, leaving the
amount OF land held by the state, $685..
lat.
The land held by the state are leasei-
fed ns follows: Primary school land,
1S9, TAG acres; university land, 40 acres;
agricultural college lands SS,3ll acres;
salt spring land, $50 acres asylum land,
1853 ncres; swamp land, 104 ,047 acres;
tax homestead land, 81 ,405 acres.
The receipts to the state for land sold,
interest and penalties paid amounted TO
$141,125.5s The primary school fund
was augmented To the extent OF $685.
All, and agricultural college lands TO
the amount OF sos 500 lG were sold
Commissioner French shows that the
homestead law il good thing. Under
il property bid in by the state for delin-
quent taxes for more than three years
il decided TO the state by the auditor
general and becomes subject TO home
stead entry. There were 29I, 900 acres
OF these lands subject TO homestead en-
| try in June, while there were 307 900
acres which had been examined, but for
which deeds had not been issued. IL is
insisted that the law has had the effect
OF compelling the payment OF taxes.
Most OF the lands were owned by
wealthy lumbermen and corporations,
who had stripped them OF timber and
allowed them to be sold for taxes.
Some Of the lands, il is said, can be
made into good farms, while others are
absolutely worthless. The law Is said
TO be "A good one, although IT will need
20 be amended to overcome some objec-
tions raised by the courts. The law
passed at the special session OF the leg
islature TO protect the rights OF home-
steaders Is now in question in the AL
pena Circuit court, and may lie passed
upon 10y the Supreme court before the
next session OF the legislature. At all
events the commissioner urges the gov
ernor TO recommend to the legislature
the enactment OF a law which will ade-
quately protect the rights OF the home
steaders.
Under the head OF Forestry, Commits
sioner French says that Michigan should
be foremost OF all Of the states in the
Union in the preservation OF forests, as
40 much Of our material prosperity de-
ponds upon them. lt il said
"At the last regular session Of the leg
lslature bill providing for forestry
commission was introduced, but failed
90 secure the attention Of either house,
being held by committee. think it
would be advisable To have bill max
ing similar provisions enacted into
law at the next session, TO provide for
commission and duties OF snme.
There are thousands Of acres OF land |
owned by the state, but only portion
OF them could be used for forestry, and |
not those without proper legislation
IL might be possible To utilize some of
the tax homestead lands. those not
suitable for agriculture"