The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1905-10-28
WILL SELL STATE LAND.
Land Board Holds Important Meeting at
the Capital.


The Idaho Statesman says that the
state land board has decided to hold
public sales of state land in both
north and south Idaho within the
near future. Dates have not yet
been arranged, but the sales will
probably be held within the next
month or so.
Land Commissioner c. j. M1nson
attended the board meeting. He ar
rived in Boise from the north in
company with Special Agent Marvin,
who has been upstate lookig over the
records in the land offi"e at Coeru 4
Alene.
While Commissioners Munson has
the whole state of Idaho as his field
Of labor in behalf Of the state land
department, be has lately been devot-
ing all his time to the work in the
northern part Of the state. where
there Is much business of Importance.
He hopes to have things Strengthened
ont in a few weeks so that he can de-
vote more Of his attention to the
work in other parts Of the state,
particularly in the south where,
within the next few weeks sales of
state lands will be held, and it is the
intention of the board to let Mr..
Munson have charge Of this feature
Of the work.
At the land borad meeting ID was
decided that so far as practicable. in
both the northern and southern parts
OF the state, sales Of lands will be
held in all localities where there
have been applications made. In the
northern part of the state the lands
70 be sold include agricultural, tim
Der and grain lacds. bat do not in
clude such tracts as lie contiguous
to towns, and which 'thei efore may
have a speculative value. The
board believes that lands Of this
character shuold not be sacrificed at
this time, for the reason that with
the inevitable progress of develop
j
other prats Of the state, these lands
will be greatly increased in value
and that the state should have the
benefit. The board believes in en-
eouragiug homesteaders where they
desire land for lease or purchase, and
is strictly following out this polio y.
The board united in congratulating
Commissioner Munson upon the fine
work be has done in the north in the
way of protecting state timber lands
from forest fires. Fires ragged pro
miscuously in that region this sum
mer, and it was only through the ex-
ercise Of great vigilance on the part
Of Commissioner Munson that the
state vas protected from the loss by
fire Of millions of feet of valuable
timber. As it was, the state escaped
With he loss Of less than 200 acres
while the private companies suffered
the loss Of a large amount Of timber.
Commissioner Muasou explains
this fact by saying that the state land
borad vas prompt 10 authorizing him
to employ all the fire fighters be
needed. The state, be says, this
year escaped with loss, compared
with other years Of equal value, than
ever before, and he attributes this to
the promptuess of the board il tax
ing steps in the matter
La all other ways Commissioner
Munson has done magnificent work
for the land departmer t. He has
selected for the state a total Of SO, 70
600 acres Of the finest timber lands
in the northern part Of the state. and
II the contest now ON between the
state board aud the Northern Pacific
railway is won by the state, which all
mem bers Of the board are confident it
will be, the state will have acquired
over a million and a half dollars
worth of timber lands Half Il this
immesne holding IL for the benefit Of
the common schools Of the state. the
remainder being for the benefit Of the
state university and other kindred
institutions, both educational and
charitable. The greater part Of the
selections made for the benefit Of the
common schools, however, is for the
benefit Of the state university, and
he board Is Of the opinion that
vithin the next decade this vast real |
y holding Of the state will be Of
,uch value that all, or nearly all of |
10 state institutions will be on self
importing basis, which means that
ke tax rate will be low.
Commissioner MunsOn and Special