The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1904-12-20

Lands Are Too Valuable.
AS to the sale of Seattle tide lands
now under lease, the reason for dis
approving the proposed measure is
| the Seattle tide lands make it profit
| able for the state to retain title to
| them. The land commissioner esti-
mates that proper appraisement of
the states tide lands under lease and
| the sale thereof at this time would
| bring to the state not to exceed
! S., OOO 900. He estimates that if the
growth of Seattle continues at the
general rate for twenty-five years
these tide lands at the expiration of
the leases, which will be in about
! twenty years. will sell for $2O,O0O,000.
The commissioner recommends the
passage of law prohibiting the
| lease of state lands that have timber
on them Sometimes lands are leased
and timber cut off and sold on the pre-
tense of clearing the land and using
it for agricultural purposes.
He recommends the passage of more
stringent fire laws for the protection
of state timber and suggests that each
timbered county be required to appaint
fire warden for three and one-half
| months during the dry season and give
such fire wardens power to impress
help in fire fighting, the expenses to
be paid by the state
Law Reduces Competition.
The commissioner again voices his
disapproval Of the Mccoy act, which
prohibits the sale of timbered land,
but permits the sale Of the timber un-
der a requirement that it be removed
within three years The commissioner
| in the sale of timber. He thinks the
| board of state land commissioners
is sufficiently trustworthy to prevent
| the sale of large bodies to spectators
without the existence of an act which
builds up private enterprise at the ex-
pense of the school fund.
The commissioner recommends an
increase in salary for the land commits
sioner, but points out that in view of
the fact that the total receipts in four
years amount to near $3,000,000. the
bond required of the commissioner
should be increased to 100000, and
taht the assistant commissioner be
required to furnish a bond of $4,000.
1t is apparent the intention of Com
missioner Calvert to question the
honesty of future commissioners or
the commissioner is made responsible
in the event of rObberies of the vaults
or the breaking of banks, the state
should be pratected.
Protection Is Inadequate.
The commissioners bond is now
fixed at So, 900 and the assistant is not
required to furnish a bond. The daily
receipts, for the last four years have
| averaged $4,000, and in some instances
| have gone as high as $4,000, thus in
dicating inadequate protection to the
state through the comm ssioner's bond.
| In statistical matters the report dis
closes receipts in four years amount
ing to total of s2,S63, 997.s7. There
are about 1000 open accounts ON which
| payments are received annually.
The timber sales in four years have
aggregated $537, 335.7O
| The income from leases Of common
school lands gives the common school
fund annually $11S,237; the interest
on contracts nets $5S,63494 and the
interest on permanent school fund in
vestments nets $1O2,69S.O3, making a
total annual income Of the current
school fund of $279,57O.S3.
The report of the Seattle & Lake
Washington Waterway company,
r! Wn1cn mas a contract WITH the Sldle
for dredging waterways in South Sc
attic and filling tide lands, occupies
portion of the report.
Value Increased TenfoId.
This report discloses that the east
waterway has now been dredged to
the required depth for a distance of
5000 feet from the entrance, and that
the west waterway has been dredged
700 feet. The waterway company had
filled, up to September 80, 1904, 1926
acres. The value of these lands be-
fore filing, according to the report,
was $685. 1000 or $4,000 per acre. After
filling they were worth to the owners
$9,9O0,O0O.
HEART FLUTTERlNG.
| Undigested food and gas in the stom-
ach located lust below the heart,