The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-11

sane, at jamestown, 20, 900; soldiers home
at Lisbon, 100000; blind asylum at Bath
gate, 10000; industrial school at Ellen
dale, 100000; scientific school at Wahpeton,
10000. This special grant Of lands was
almost altogether selected from govern
ment lands in 1891 and 1892 Some of the
tracts then chosen were sold last fall for
prices as high as $30.75 an acre. AS the
lands could scarcely have been given away
then, the increase to more than $50 in ten
years is an object lesson to the man who
Is thinking about buying cheap north
western land but has not made UP his
mind.
The entire North Dakota grant of lands
from the national government amounts
to about 100000 acres.
1t was an especial mark of wisdom in
the constitution trainers that they pro-
vided that no lands granted to the state
should be sold for less than $40 an acre.
able at time of sale; one-flfth in five
years; one-ffth in ten years; one-fifth in
fifteen years and the balance in twenty
years at per cent interest.
Great Land Sales.
In the years 1891 -s3 the state sold
100000 acres of its school lands in the
Red River valley where even then prices
were high on account of the extraordinary
fertility of that happy valley and it's
opening up by the railways. The average
price was $780, This is thought to be
the highest average price ever received
by any state for a large amount Of school
land, to be used for agricultural pur-
poses. The next sale occurred in Novem-
Der, 1901, when offerings were made in
twenty different counties in the state
There was then sold about $4,000 acres
for which the purchase price was $1,413,-
059.65. Most of this land is situated in
counties where eight or nine years ago
there was plenty of government land
There is no free land left in those coln-
ties to-day. Some of the state land went
at $30.75 an acre and large chunks went
at $18 to $25.
Altogether not one-eleventh of the
North Dakota state lands have been sold
and yet, already, a permanent school fund
Of S3,730, 464.67 has been realized. OF
this amount about s2,657, s53 is drawing
interest at per cent per annum and
1,392,61 at per cent, making an in
come from this source for the support of
the schools, of $2OS, LOT, which is distrib-
uted to the school districts Of the state
pro rata according to the number of chill
dren. The state also leases lands. Dur
ing 1901 the leased lands amounted to
about 100000 acres. the income from
which was STE, 1924.
A Large school Fund.
Within few years the state school
fund will amount to SIS, O00, 900.
These are important facts for the pros
pectiye settler. In North Dakota he will
find himself in rich and solidly estab-
lished state, with splendid provision made
for the education of his children at little
cost to himself. and yet this Is state
where excellent cheap land can be bought
or taken free from Uncle Sam
Further information about North Dako-
ia school lands may be had by applying to
D. j.. Laxdal, Bismarck, land commission
ser. from whom the facts here set forth
were obtained.
South Dakota.
The South Dakota school lands receive
attention in the article on South Dakota
published in another column suffice. it
to say that the permanent school fund
OF that state Is now about 81, O00, 900 and
that there remain to sell nearly 2. 600. 600
acres Of school land and about 700. 900
acres Of special endowment land.