The Minneapolis journal., 1903-12-26
The SEALED BIDS
PLAN WORKS WELL
SECY. HITCHCOCK DECLARES II
HAS PROVED IT'S VALUE.
Timber Sold Under New Plan Brings
Much Better Prices Than Had Been
Expected-Good Results Also OBJ
tained in Sale of ,Pasturage Rights
on Indians Lands.
From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building
Washington

From The Journal Bureau, Colorado Building
Washington.
Washington, Dec. 2S.-The follow
ing statement relative to the efficacy of
| the sealed bid" method of disposing
of Indian land and timber was given
| out at the interior department to-day:
Secretary Hitchcock of the department
of the interior is much grattied with the
result of the sale of the timber on the
ceded land of the Chippewa reservation
which took place about a week ago. the
returns regarding which are just being re-
ceived
! This sale was conducted under the
rules and regulations prepared by the de-
partment for executing the terms and
| conditions Of what is known as the Nor
rls bill, enacted at the last session of con-
| gress. In substitution of previous legisla-
| ton known as the Nelson bill, the latter
Delng amended, in many most important
particulars, more especially relating to the
reservation of the land for homestead set
| tiers, instead of selling It,, as heretofore
| with the timber, and the matter Of scaling
the timber when cut. but the most i'm
/ portant of all being the sale of said tim
Der under sealed bids.
.s.g Opposition to Morris Bill.
Strenuous efforts were made to prevent
the passage of the Morris bill, when be-
fore congress, and since it's enactment.
ducing the number Of bidders who have
! heretofore practically controlled the sales
OF this timber, but on Dec: 5 last, about
2l3,O 900 feet of white and Norway pine
We're offered, for which sealed bids were
opened from fourteen bidders, covering
over 800 bids, the timber on every acre
offered being sold at about an average of
81 per thousand feet; or, at least. So higher
than the prices anticipated by the depart
ment the prices realized being the high
est heretofore obtained for such timber in
| the state of Minnesota
The result is all the more important
as it establishes beyond question the alb
solute correctness Of the sealed bid meth
| Cd, the value of which has been heretofore
! fully demonstrated beginning with two
years ago in the leasing of the Kiowa
1 grazing lands for which the Indians own
/ ing the same are now receiving Sis, ,OOO
.annually as against $42 900 previously: in
the sales of Inherited Indian land, and
1 again in the sales of allotted lands in the
Indian Territory, the last two applications
or the sealed bid policy showing a gain in
values received for the lands ranging all
the way from 25 to 125 per cent
The policy thus demonstrated in the
cases Of pasturage land timebr sales has
already resulted to the advantage of the
Indians to the extent of millions of dol
lars, and there is no reason why such pol
| icy should not be hereafter adhered to in
! all such cases.
| Punishment of Offenders.
The information now being received by
the department with reference to it's action
in restoring to homesteaders and settlers
such portions of the public domain as
! have heretofore been Illegally fenced for
cattle grazing is most gratifying, mas
much as some of the most aggressive
| leaders in violation of the law regarding
! the same have, within the past week, been
indicted by the United States courts, in
cluding the officials of one of the largest
cattle companies in the country, who were
charged with having, in one enclosure
| alone, some 5000 acres of the public do
main. and with whom it has heretofore been
impossible to agree upon reasonable terms
or conditions upon which 1t might be
found practicable to protect, as has been
the desire OF the department, the great
cattle raising industry.
I - w. w ,Jermane