Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-06-02
THE WILD LANDS
The Facts Relating to the Abolish
inq of the Land OffiCe--The and
Sales of 1874 and l875--Other
Matters.

| Maine history upon which it is pOsSi-
b,e IN secure more accurate knowledge
than the sale and settlement of the
nub,ic lands. Every transfer of such
land is a matter of public record, and
with a little searching of records it is
possible to ascertain to whom the State
granted or sold every acre of land it
ever owned, through whose hands it
has subsequently passed, and who
owns it today Under such circum-
stances there is not the slightest ex-
cuse for the publication of misstate-
ments regarding the public lands of
our State. 1t must be borne distinct
" in mind that the State has never yet
parted with an acre of land except
upon authority of its legislature. 1t
is perhaps the fact that the various
acts and resolves under which grants
ana sales were made are scattered
through the acts and resolves of sixty
years, making investigation somewhat
tedious that accounts for the fact that
the people of Maine have been less in
formed on this subject than almost
any other in the life of their State,
understanding that every fact per-
tanning To it is a matter of public
record readily Obtainable by anyone
who desires to inform himself on the
subject.
When the separation occurred be-
tween Massachusetts and Maine in
1920, it was agreed that the wild lands
owned by the former should become
the joint property of both states. and
commissioners We're appointed on the
part of each state to have them sur
yeyed and divided upon this basis of
equal oWnership-a work that extended
over number of years.
BY this division the State of Maine
came into between 6.000,0O0 and 1000
900 acres of wild lands. In 1853. Maine
bought frcm Massachusetts for the
sum of $780,. 500 all the remaining wild
lands in this State then owned by that
commonwealth. amounting to some
thing over l. 600. 900 acres. 1t will thus
be seen that since Maine became
state she has, first and last, owned
about 8,000.O 900 acres of wild lands. Not
long ago an article written by a Port
land man, appeared in some of the
state papers conspicuously headed
How Maine Lost Her Wild Lands,
and referring to the auction of sales of
wild lands held at Bangor September
29. 1874 and October 90, 1875, pursuant
to acts of the legislature approved
March A. 1874. and February "a. 1879. AS
the records show only total of pa
IA acres of land disposed of at these
two sales. it is obvious that we snail
haze to look elsewhere to discover how
Maine parted with the 100000 acres of
wild land owned by her after she be-
came State in 1920. AS a matter of
fact the Acts and Resolves for the va
rious years show that Maine was no
sooner State than she began dispos-
ing of her public domain. The i'm
portance of securing settlers to open
up the unsettled portions of the State
was strongly urged in the messages of
the early governors. Every possible
inducemcnt was offered the men who
were willing to make their homes in the
wilderness and convert it to agricul-
tural uses.
Acts ito promote the sale and settle
ment of the public land had large
and important part in the early legis-
lation If our State. Settlers were al
lowed their pick of the best wild lands
owned by the State at fifty cents per
acre, hich they We're allowed to work
out i'm road labor. Moreover. if sick
ness or misfortune overlook them, the
record Of our early legislation shows
that the legislature stood ready to re-
lieve them by special act of their in
debtPdness to the State. NOtWith-
standing these liberal Inducements to
settlers the work of securing men
who were willing to brave the hard
ships and discomforts of the pioneer
life went forward slowly. 1t seems al
most incredible that the fertile lands
Of AroostoOk, now constituting one of
the finest agricultural sections of the
country, went begging to such an ex-
teri that upon the advice of Governor
Chamberlain the State was led i'm 1869
and 1870 to try the experiment of Swed-
ish immigration.
It must not be assumed that the in
ducements held out to settlers by the
State were comprised alone in the IA
vorable terms upon which they were
permitted to secure possession of their
lands The lberalty of the State in
it's dealings with them went much fur
Their. Grants of land We're given for
the establishment of grist mills and
SaWnllllS, tne support anu eiuo"h 'oh.
of schools. academies and colleges; the
building of county roads and bridges;
the Support of the gospel ministry"
Generous grants were made to the SOL
diers of the Revolution and the war of
1872 and to their widows and orphans.
also to widows and orphans of soldiers
during the Civil War. Indeed lacking
money. the State was led i'm it's early
days to secure the things 1t desired by
the grant and sale of it's lands, the in
come from which, for many years. con-
stituted its largest source of revenue.
AS an example of this policy, which
later. generations have not hesitated
to Characterize as wasteful and short
sighted, it is Interesting to know that
the construction of our State House
Mas largely paid for with State lands,
the legislature providing for the sale of
l. townships the proceeds of which
We're to be devoted to this purpose.
Next to the encouragement of set
tiers. the early fathers of Maine legis-
lated most literally for the cause of
popular education. immense tracts of
the States lands being sold. granted
and set apart for this purpose.