The Wichita daily eagle., 1903-12-23
LAND BOARD
FILES REPORT
Has Fixed Rental on 4187
Quarter Sections.
WILL HOLD THREE YEARS
Text of the Report Is Given
in Full.
WILL HOLD THREE YEARS

Guthrie, Q. t. Dec 2Z.-Ihe school land
board of equalization has completed its
labors and submitted it's report AS will
be seen from the report, the board has
fixed the rental on 4,1S7 quarter sections
of school land, which rental will be
charged for the ensuing three years. The
board heard and investigated Col COM
plants.
The report in full follows:
Guthrie. o. T. Dec. %, 1865.
pTIon. T. B. Ferguson Governor, and
Chairman of the Territorial Board for
Leasing School Lands. Guthrie, O. T.:
'-Sir: We have the honor to report to
you that we have completed out work as
board of appraisers for territorial
school lands. Acting under appointment
from you and by instruction of the secre-
tary of the board, we have been in ses-
sion fifty-three (53) days and have fixed
the rental upon 4.1S7 quarter sections or
school land upon which the leases expire
January /, 1904, going over a large num-
Der of them two and three times.
This land is scattered throughout every
county of the territory, except Cadoo'
Comanche and Kiowa, but the greatest
number of expirations were in Kay, Car
field. Grant, Woods and Greer counties.
Acting under our oaths as public Of
fcials appointed TO fix these rentals at
the reasonable value of the lands, We
have found the work arduous and DIM
cult. but have endeavored 10 perform our
fun duty, as we saw it. and fix the rem
tails on a bliss just and equitable to all
parties concerner-to secure a just return
and protect the rights of the lessees who
are making homes on the lands and cuitl-
waiting and improving them.
IN fixing these rentals we have en-
deavored in all cases to first arrive at
the actual cash value of the land outside
of improvements, breaking. ETC., and then
to fix the rental at a just and equitaple
per cent of this valuation. OF course, IN
attempting to establish The real value
of 4.1S7 pieces of land in the short time
We We're in session we were bound 10
make some mistakes. We were compelled
TO depend on the reports Of viewers whlc n
were often too meager and frequently
in error, and upon pieces so reported upon
to us our valuations were natura Y at
fault. Then there were often local con-
alterations of which We had no knowledge
which determined the value of the land,
and many other conditions with which
we could become acquainted only by
personal investigation. 1t was agreed
from the first that the board would hold
an adjourned session to hear complaints
of The rentals as fixed At this session
about 200 persons appeared before the
board. and about $50 more sent in COM
plants by mail The testimony OF every
person was taken in writing and AT the
close of the six days set apart for hear
ing the board took up all cases. giving
each one careful attentionA-s lKoocmfw
each one careful consideration and in
vestigation. The total number of cases
investigated by us was 664. About Two
thirds of the complaints submitted were
found to be we'll founded in some degree,
and in every such case we made reduc-
ton in rental ranging from s. to $40 per
quarter section. No matter how trivial
the complaint. the board carefully inves-
tigated the conditions and rental on the
land in question. In fact, fully oue-tmro
of the cases taken up by the board were
simply based upon the letter from the
lessee. complaining thai his rent was
excessive or unjust. In reviewing oul
work, the board reduced the rentals or
a number of quarters where no complaint
was made.
1--WE submit herewith 4 statement show
ing the number of quarter sections II
each county upon which the rentals eX-
pire. The total rental fixed for each coun-
ty and the average rental per quarter: