The Teton peak-chronicle., 1905-04-06

StdtC ioHu OooiA, uuueItaKcn DV
Governor Frank Gooding, imme-
diately after his Inauguration. has
been evidenced by recent dispatch
from Senator Hepburn, announcing
that the commissioner of the gener-
al land Office had finally accepted
the states REIMBURSEMENT of AS
600 acres of land on Dumacque and
Joseph Plains, in Idaho county,
and allowing the state the privilege
of selecting other land in lieu of
those lands relinquished. The state
administration is highly pleased
over the news, and in the opinion
of the Governor and other members
Of the state land board, this action
will result in profit to the state to
an amount greater than half a mill
lion dollars.
In July, 1903, the state land
board filed a blanket selection of
$4,000 acres of land in the Lewis
ton land Office, the lands selected
being all in the Salmon river coun-
try, and on what was soon discov
cred to be lands only valuable for
grazing purposes, and with little
or no selling value. probably for
many years to come, and which
very probably will never have
sufficient value to be worth the
minimum price of $40 an acre for
the state lands under the constitu-
ton. In February, 1904, the state
filed REIMBURSEMENT of As, 900 acres
of these lands, and in September,
1904, the commissioner Of the gen
eral land office refused to accept
such REIMBURSEMENT, at that time
notifying the state land board, that
its filings could only be relinquish-
ed in the event that the filings con-
flicted with the claims of prior
settlers, that the land was mineral,
or that fraud had been practiced in
the selecting of such lands.
When the new administration
began, it was decided to make
strenuous effort to save this large
amount of land to the state. A
vigorous investigation was com
menced. and a mass of testimony
was gathered. Senator Hepburn S
interest was enlisted and this testi-
mony was by him submitted to the
secretary of the interior. to whom
an appeal had been taken. By
persistent and painstaking effort
the attention of the land department
was directed to this matter, clear
showing was made that the various
endowment land funds of the
different state institutions was be-
ing depleted by this section. and
the decision outlined in Senator
Heyburn's dispatch was the result
In addition to this great saving to
the state investigation of the books
of the land department shows that
in one case one institution was
charged with having 400 acres OF
land, which had never been select
ed. Even at the minimum price OF
$40 an acre this would represent
saving of $4,000.
The Intermountain Wagon Road
Commission adjourned this even
ing, after a two days session, and
Commissioners M. +. Lewis and
Joseph Wheeler will leave tor
home tomorrow morning. During
the two days that the commission
was in session number OF dele
cations of business men appeared
before the board, and presented
petitions for roads. The commis-
sion organized by the election OF
M. E. Lewis as secretary. A Teso-
luton was passed that the commls-
sion would demand that halt the
cost of anv road it was decided TO
be built, must be borne be the
section benefited The road S
which were listed as petitioning 10
be built by the state aggregated III
probable cost, even if half the ex
pense of building is borne by the
sections imprOyed, over *llU,UU,