Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-11-14
STATE LAND OFFICE.
Annual Report VIII Show d Big Increase in
Profits.

FlOHtss
The report Of the state land office
for the fiscal year ending Nov 30th,
1900, will show that the amount Of
business transacted during the past
T. months largely exceeds that ofany
previous year in the history of that
department. The increase over last
year In the sale al stumpage andland
leases, it Is figured, will not he less
than 100000, and probably more,
making II total gain ui about ~ per
cent. This estimate /, based 81 the
increase ipr the II months ending
Oct. 81 aud the probable gain for the
current month,
THE land Office has had plenty of
business during the past year, con
,idrruNly more than was don" the
year previous, aud from the figures
ut hand believe the increase will not
fa'l short ui - per cent said Assist
aut State Lnul Register R%5undulph
Thompson yesterday. "Ba-inG my
estimate on the per cent OF gain for
the month of November. lN99. I'VE
previous months nj the year, | feel
sale Ia saying that the total cOlIcc-
tipns for the fiscal year ending Nov.
30 will be- close to S2lO,OOO. For the
year ending Nov. 80, 1889, the receipts
amounted to 500, 1915 30, and for the
month oi November, the snme year,
the collections we're Sj2,GS0.SJ. The
collections for the present month
wilhelm the neighborhuod of Sd5, Don,
At the close OF business Oct. Il
there was n total Of cash On hand to
the credit of the various institutions
enjoying land grants OF $lG3, 500.
This money has been collected during
the year ana represents II large pur-
tiun ri the total receipts. There is
still about $4,000 To be paid in on
outstanding delinquent leases. We
expect this will be paid before the
! close ri the fiscal year.
"Of the money already collected to
he distributed among the various
funds the general school fund gets
So, 900; university Sll 900; school of
mines, 5000; capitol building 50 1000;
state normal school, $4,000; agricul-
tural college, $4,000; reform school,
=, 900; deafund dumb asylum, $500"
One OF the features of this years
business In the state land depart
ment is the fact that II large part Of
the revenue in derived from the lease
of lands and the receipts ofland sales
grow less each year. Lust year the
land sales amounted to S3S,00O and
this years receipts from that source
will not exceed $4,000, while in the
aggregate the total receipts Of the
department show m increase OF ~
per cent.
The state now has title To G,0OO, 900
acres Of land, OF which 5,OnO,O 600 acres
belong to the general school fund.
Scarcely Onc-thirl Oi the land To the
credit oi the school fund has been mp
praised or I'VE surveyed. Therefore
the record OF $1,000 acres leased dur
Ing the year, part of which belongs
to funds other than the school fund,
is II very good showing. The state
leases land for live years aud this
years business will be IA constant
source of revenue In the future.
OF the ] 900. 900 acres outside OF tn,
various grants In the school fund.
over one-half belongs to the various
institution funds.
The stumpage sales have not been
unusually large this year, as thestat,
Is holding some al its best timbel
lands until thepromisei construction
= uf several new branches Uf railroad
| is assured. When tie pine oi Mon
tann Is placed within reach of 4
market the value Oi some oi thC
states stumpagt will double.