The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-04-13
VOLUME xxx. NO. Is

VOLUME xxx. NO. IS
Former Public Examiner, S. T.
Johnson, charges in his report that
certain prospecting leases were issued
to individuals, some of whom assigned
their interests OF parts of interests
therein to clerks in the employ of
State Auditor Dunn. The reports of
the auditors Office show that a half
interest in two leases were assigned
to one I. G. Patterson during the time
he was a clerk under Mr.. Dunn, and
that certain fractional interests in
several other leases were assigned to
l. G. Patterson and Geo. A. Finn,
formerly clerks under Mr.. Dunn,
about two months after they had left
the employ of the State. The records
show that all the fees required by law
were duly paid to the State for all the
leases and contracts mentioned by
the public examiner. The records do
not show that any person who now is,
or at any time was employed in the
State auditors Office, owns or possess
ses any lease issued to one Mabel
Evans, referred to in the report of
the former public examiner, S. T.
johnson, and the records also show
that when Mr.. Dunn issued the pros
pecting lease December 30, 1902, and
State Auditor Iverson subsequently
on November 20, 1908, issued the
mineral contract to Mabel Evans, they
did so in compliance with the provis-
ions of law governing the issuance of
State leases and contracts, and that
all payments due the State therefore
were duly made to the State treasurer.
There is no evidence before the COM
mlttee to warrant the assumption that
the State has been unlawfully deprived
of any of it's iron ore or mineral lands
by State employees. However, the
State has now, through its legal de-
partment brought suit to determine the
validity of the lease known as the
"Mabel Evans Lease.'' The testimony
before this committee shows that
Messrs. Iverson and Dunn were in
strumental in securing for the State
the title to several tracts of mineral
land which it now holds. from it will,
no doubt, receive large revenues in
the future.
Your committee endorses the recon-
mendations made in the different re-
ports of the State auditor that he be
given additional means for the in
spection of mineral lands and for
supervising the output of iron ore on
State lands, as the growth of the
mining business an,sthe iron. ranges
has been exceedingly rapid and has
assumed vast proportions. It is, in
the opinion of your committee, of first
Importance to the State that it's iron
lands and mines be carefully inspected
and that the supervision be thorough
and continuous.
CUTTINGS UNPAID.
Under the head of "Cuttings I'm
paid" being the second part of the
report of the public examiner, dated
January p, 1905, appears the follow
ing general statement:
"This is a list of cases not hereto
fore reported, showing how, since
1903, persons have entered upon State
lands and cut State timber upon which
the records do not disclose any pay
ment as ever having been made"
Then follow twenty eight cases,
where, it is alleged, no draft and no
payment has ever been made, etc.
Believing that the practice of the
Office not to make draft until settle
ment had been made Or arrived at was
squarely in conformity with the law,
State Auditor Iverson transmitted
letter to the attorney general upon the
subject. The following is a copy of
the correspondence:
| AUDITOR TO ATTY GENERAL.
February 10, 1905.
Hon. E. T. Young, Attorney Cen
eral of Minnesota.
Sir:-I beg leave to call your atten-
ton to section 80, chapter 1853, general
laws of 1895, the section which author
ICES the State land commissioner to
compromise and settle cases of tres
pass on State lands. Permit me to set
out the proceedings in a case under
this section.
A State land examiner or cruiser
reports case of trespass to this
office, giving evidence upon which to
make demand on behalf of the State.
In the demand, the statement is made
| that remittance is to be made to this
Office in check or draft payable to
the State treasurer of Minnesota. At
ter due consideration, the trespasser
acknowledged the case, and sends