The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-12-30
STATE LANDS
FOR SETTLERS
Rich Tracts Yet Available
for the HuSbandman.
EASY TERMS GIVEN
TO ALL PURCHASERS
Several Thousands of Sales Made
During the Past Year.

aA4AP0AA% 0L ONAoAA1E2S
n in the sale and lease of state lands
was done the past year by the
commissioners having in charge this
branch of the commemorative inter
ests. In the business Of the state land
board is found an unfailing indication
or Utah's growth in agricultural area,
grazing domain, and, by no means
!east, the home-making, the most GER
tam evidence of the stability of the
state and the permanency of the peo-
pies prosperity.
While it is probably true that the
more desirable parts of Utah have been
Setlieo Tor many years, it must not be
understood b a all Of the fertile land
capable OF reclamation by irrigation
Just as have all the productive valleys
oeeh reclaimed from desert-Iike condi-
IONS, are taken up. Every year it is
demonstrated that thousands of acres
are well worth securing from the state
Tor armIng and Neutrality-suspicious. pur-
poses. With each recurring wear it is
conclusively shown that what has
seemed to be worthless land has been
made into fertile farms and prosperous
fancneS- BY reason of the fact that the
state offers an inducement of ten
years time for paying on land CON
tracted TO be old. many intending set
z OA SUA A1lttlCA1I- tract reAlnUuISn
their holdings to the state, have the
land board select the holdings to aDplv
upon some Of the state grants, and then
contract with the state for thu pur-
chase of the land on the easiest terms
to be desired. In this way the state is
enabled to do an enormous business in
the sale of lands for the benefit of
Utah's public institutions.
Third Year of Land Sales.
1t is now five years since Utah was
admitted to statehood. but the land
business of the state dates really from
three years ago. the ST two years be-
ing almost entirely taken up with i'm
pOrtdnt p~TeliminaTieS and determining
who were preference right settlers upon
school sections in the older parts of
Utah, and thereby entitled to purchase
their holdings at a minimum price. But
the third year of the states land sales
and leases marks the rising of the long
tide that viii roll UP hundreds of thou
sands of dollars for the states educa-
tional. charitable and other public in
stitutions.
When it is recalled that by operation
of the enabling act. by which Utah was
admitted to the Union of states. four
sections in each township. or about s.
100000 acres, were granted for the
maintenance of the-BubIic schools, nat
125, 600 acres w4Te coded. for maintain
ing the university, that 500. GOO acres
are allowed for establishing reservoirs,
100000 acres for the Agricultural COL
lege. 1905 600 acres each to help supper
the insane asylum,sthe deaf and dumb
asylum, the institution for the blind.
the reform school and the state normal
school of mines, 81. 600 acres for a state
school of mines. $4,000 acres for a state
capitol and $4,000 acres for a miners
hOspital-when it is. recalled that out
of these munitiCent grants of 1900, 900
acres less than 500, GOO acres have been
sold or contracted 20 be sold. it is evi-
dent hat but d small fraction o6stEe
state landsh have been applied for by in
tending settlers and expanslonists.
Purchasers Number $50.
To date contracts of sale have been
made with $50 purchasers. some of
whom have paid cash. but the great
majority have awaited themselves of
the opportunity of paying a tenth of
the purchase price yearly Since state
hood the states land sales have aggre-
gated 497, 090.14 acres, representing a to
tai sale price of 81, 061 .541.06.
During the year 1900. 2S4,24S acres
have been sold, the total sale price be
ing 1893, 974.91. In other words. the bust
ness of the state land board for the
year has been nearly so per cent as
much as for the whole period face the
state became possessed of lands to sell.
The number Of sales made for the year
aggregated 1,545.
In addition 10 the foregoing, leases
of mountain grazing lands have been
made the past year for a total acreage
of l06.531 acres, appraised at 1852. 226,
upon which an annual rental Of S.
3O0.44 is derived. In the three years
prior a total of 1881 acres, appraised
at $1I3,21T. were leased, the aggregate
rentals being 81, fS0-93. Out Of-the to-
tai lands leased Us, GAG acres are school
! sections, lands selected to apply upon
the reservoir grant; and. the university
coming next in acreage. Other Selec-
tons of land are in the leased list to
q larger degree than in any previous
year