Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-01-20
Proven False by Official Figures.

Proven False by Official Figures.
Ii amy evidence WAS needed to dis
prove the iallariou~ r"a-oning OF the
small-mlndcd man who by accident
ILLS the office Of executive Of this
state. i"r his veto al the capitol con-
>tructiun bill 1T i found in a report
made. hN Land Commissioner Bridges.
III response To queries of Il special ley
islatiNc committee appointed to aScer-
tain the value OF the land grants for
that purpose.
1t Is a matter OF regret that limited
space will not admit of publication in
full by the SrANDAEp, OF the catcgor-
ical questions and answers, covering
every point to show that the veto, so
far As this objection is concerned, at
least, has no leg to stand upon
The Iucric: elected the following
information: OF the 1872 900 acres APP
rropriated by Congress for building a
capitol, 129,9S1 acres have been Sc.
lectcd, and the location of 9S,166.14
approved. The lands lie III Chehalis,
Clallam, Cowlitz, Douglas, Jefferson,
King, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pierce,
Skagit, Skamania, Stevens and Wah-
kiakum counties. The value Of the
lands situated in Western Washington,
exclusive of timber, is placed at $780,
13J. The character of the timber is
largely fir and hemlock, with a fair
proportion OF cedar, spruce, larch and
other varieties. Its value, as estimat-
cd by cruisers, is 5000, $4,000. These
lands were selected and their values
estimated by cruisers j. Mcintosh, II.
n. Pierce, +. w. Brown, r. Strobach,
F. +. Meloy, l.. Il. LIE Roy, Frank
Bush, q. b. Dcering and William
Jameson, all gentlemen.of skill, exper-
fence and fair judgment.
Mr.. Bridges gives it as his opinion
that while the valuation placed u pom
the timber in Eastern Washington
may have been excessive, that upon
. the western divide was reasonable, and
the land worth more now than it was
at the time of selection, and more
than at any time in the history of
the State. He estimates the value to
be twenty-five per cent. more than it
was when fixed by the appraisers. The
demand for such lands is large and in
creasing, and he thinks that the State
should take steps to place the timber
ON the grant in shape for public sale.
Its immediate sale would enable the
State to liquidate the indebtedness
against the grant with its accrued in
terest at eight per cent.
The lands selected and yet awaiting
approval are in Vancouver and Seattle
land districts, and are chiefly valuable
for their timber. The value of the
land is placed at 100000 and the
timber at $43O,91O. The reports of
the cruisers upon which their values
are based, seem to be entirely reliable.
In the opinion of the Commissioner at
least 80 per cent. OF the selections will
be approved, the remainder rejected
only on account of adverse claims
Other selections will, of course, be
made, until the full amount of the
grant is completed.
1t will thus be seen that at no time
has the value of the grant been less
than ample security for the expendi-
ture contemplated and authorized by
act of the last Legislature. Even had
the valuation been less than now, the
purchasing power of the dollar was at
that time correspondingly increased in
the price of labor, materials and sup
plies Of all kinds that were to have en-
tered into construction of the build
ing. At no time, therefore, have &C
tive operations been less feasible than
now, and it will be seen that the value
OF the grant is ample for completing
the structure under the original, and
certainly the amended plans, at this
time. The aggregate of estimated
values of the approved and selected
lands, made by experienced experts,
amounts to considerably over a mil
lion and half dollars, despite the
contention Of the palpably prejudiced
and venomOusly vindictive executive,
who stands absolutely alone in the
chief grounds given for his officious in
reference.