The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-01-02
MONTANA AS
LAND OWNER
STATE HAS TITLE TO AN I'M
MENsE DOMAIN.
OVER THREE MILLION ACRES
Matter Of Making New Selections
Practically compIeted-Grants
in Various Counties.

According to the report of the board
of state land commissioners Montana,
still holds title to 3,O2O,977.73 acres
hof land. Of this vast amount 304,-
S14.24 acres are timber land, showing
an estimate of S92,297,O 900 feet OF saw
timber; S., 693.03 acres are classified
as agricultural and the remainder OF
!, $780, 40 acres is designated as graz
ing land. The land under lease
amounts to 1,7S4,000 acres, being IS
per cent of the state lands, exclusive
Of state lands not subject to lease.
Up to the present time the state has
sold 4O.S39 acres. made up of the sew
eral land grants.
"The federal government having
withdrawn from filing, other than
homesteaders, a large tract of land
in the northern part of the state, with
a view to constructing %irrigating
canals and reservoirs" says the
board in it's report, 1.-THE board not
wishing to hamper or in any way re-
tard this work, adopted the follow
ing resolutions June A." Here follow
the resolutions by which the state
board waived any selections of land
in northern Montana that might in
terefer with the reservations made for
irigating projects. |.
Selections About Completed.
GIN the matter of making new state
selections" the report continues, this
part of the work is practically COM
| pleted. The several grants are now
| complete with the exception of the
capitol building grant of which there
remains approximately 25 900 acres
to select. The state having made ap-
| ~plication for survey Of some valuable
timber land in the year 1899, thereby
| establishing a preference right in MAX
ing selections it is the desire of the
board to fill this grant with timber
land selections. During the year 1901,
6O,124 acres and in 1902, 61,439 acres
were selected, making a total of 1911
564 acres" 5
Accompanying the report are a num-
Der of tables showing the status of
the several grants in the various
counties of the state. 1t is shown
that the schools of the state have q
1898, 489.32 acres of surveyed land, of
which 2,265,275.T acres have been
appraised, having an appraised value
of $3,498, O95.15. OF this land 1885,
1866 acres are classed as grazing
land and 56,732 acres as agricultural.
There are ia, 879 acres of timber land,
having 156,640,OOo feet of timber to
the credit of that fund.
There are 1%51,441.15 acres in the
public building grant, valued at 1892,
O68.51, of which 1879 acres are graz.
ing lands, $50 acres agricultural and
70,398 acres of timber land with an
CSLlIudLCu dulOuuL VI OOC,GCU,pUU l0Gi
of timber.
The school of mines grant contains
g. ,150.29 acres of the value Of 1858,
OO5. Of this amount Ga, acres ar:
grazing land and $50 agricultural
There are 28,422 acres of timber lan6
in the grant, estimated to possess SO,
| E1E 00n foo+ re %ir,hor
The state normal school grant has
, 98,502.54 acres of land, valued at $152,
765.78, of which So, 744 acres are graz
, ing land and 1850 acres agricultural
, There are also 27,269 acres of timbe,
land that it is estimated have $1,000,
, 600 feet of timber thereon.
The Various Grants.
. There are in the agricultural col
lege income grant S8,771.31 acres val
ued at $15O,121.66, of which 1897
: acres are grazing lands. The gran
contains 1872 acres of timber land
estimated to have A. 95, 900 feet O
timber.
f The agricultural college bond gran
contains 49,458 acres valued at $50
1877. OF this 1S,448 acres are grazing
GAL agricultural and 31,367 timbe
: land. The timber lands is estimates
at 100, 55O,0 0 feet.
The reform school grant contains
46.812 acres valued at $73,S80. o
this land 40,139 acres are classed a
grazing and 6,673 as timber land. TIL
timber is estimated at 81, 1885, 900 feet
e In the deaf and dumb school gran
there are 1857 acres, valued at $50
342. OF this Bliss acres are classe'