The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-09-18
KNoCKER ANDREWS
State Fire Warden Thinks Little
of Timber and Stone Law,

fire warden of Minnesota gave the !
following views regarding the disposal |
of government pine lands in which he
takes a few knocks at the timber and |
stone laws. He says:
1.-The Chippewa Indians. of whom
1000 are living in a much better con- |
ditions than they were ever before, |
once held possession Of all the north
ern Minnesota forest. They from time
to time parted from their title to the
United States. Under the homestead |
law, an actual settler may take 160
acres Of any vacant public land for his
homestead, whether timbered or not,
if it is suitable for agriculture. 1t is
often the case that valuable pine tim
Der is found standing on quarter
section (60 acres), mixed with birch.
maple and other hardwood trees; and,
where settler clears and cultivates
such land, nobody can object if he is
lucky enough to acquiresome valuable
timber. Every such settler has to
take oath that he takes. the land for
cultivation, and not for speculation.
Land which is covered wholly with
pine timber, and the sall of which is
sandy, cannot in good faith be taken
for cultivation.
"If the United States had managed
its pine timber lands on forestry prin-
ciples. it would have had the timber
sold at fair valuation to the highest
bidder, just as the state of Minnesota
is today selling the pine timber on its
school lands. If the government had
pursued that course, the manufac-
turers of lumber would have had a fair
chance to purchase timber in a legiti-
mate way, and the lumber would have
been furnished to tile public at
cheaper rates than now prevail.
congress, however, did not author
ize the government to pursue such a
policy. Up to about forty years ago
the practice was to sell the pine tim
Der lands at public sale 20 the highest
bidder at the various Offices. After
the lands had been offered so many
days, the practice was to discontinue
the public sale and allow the lands to
be purchased at sl.25 per acre at pri-
yate sale. The theory was, that it
looked well on paper, that purchasers
would honestly compete; but it was
found in practice that they would have
an understanding among themselves
not to buy much land at public sale,
but wait and obtain it at private.sale
at Sl.25 an acre. In this way people
obtained pine lands at S1.25 per acre
which were worth S75 or more per
acre.
This syst EN- was finally discontinue
ed. and new ways eff disposing of the
pine lands were adopted, neither Of
which have proved legitimate. One
way was the location of Indian scrip
certificates authorized by congress
to be issued by the interior depart
ment to certain Indians or mixed
bloods that the holder or his substitu-
ties had a right to select and hold
eighty or more acres of vacant public
land. The certificates, being trans
ferable, were purchased at so much.per
acre, and could be used in payment
for pine lands.
"Another way to obtain such lands
was the use of scrip issued to people
who had settled within area taken for
forest reserves, and who were thus al
lowed to take any other vacant public
lands in lieu of what they held in
forest reserves.
Still another way isunder the stone
and timber act, by which any citizen
can purchase 100 acres, and no more,
of pine or any other timber land of the
United States at So 56per acre. Some
of the best tracts of pine lands in
northern Minnesota contain from
1000. 900 to 100000 feet, board, mea-
ure, of standing pine on 160 acres, and
of the value at 81 thousand, the
present average price, of from $4,000
to S12, 1000. What the United States
receives for such a tract under the
stone and timber act, at $3.50 an acre,
is only $780,
1.-THE purchaser under the stone and
timber act has to make oath that he
does not purchase the land for specu-
latiun. Remember that he can only j
purchase 160 acres. What does he
want it for unless fol speculation? He
would not buy mill and undertake
TO manufacture 1t himself. On an
average, the purchasers of pire tim
Der land under the stone and timber
act clear each $1,000 or oyer, which
profit is thus taken out Of the timber
before il comes into the hands of the
manufacturer. This profit must come
out Of the consumer.
Il submit that it would be very
much better for all concerned if the
remaining public pine lands in Min
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