Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-08-05
STATE LAND
COMMISSION
Will Make This City Headquar-
ters During Marble Creek
Investigation.

State Land Commissioner George
A. Day, OF Boise City; Senator Free
hafer, of Washington county, and
Representative Harris, OF Fremont
county, composing commission APP
pointed BY virtue Of resolution
passed at the last session OF the legis-
lature for the purpose Of making an
investigation OF the relative rights Of
about one hundred settlers and Of the
state of Idaho to certain valuableI
lands in township 442 east and 44-3
east, are expected to arrive in the
city this evening. The lands involved
are better known as the Marble creek
lands and are very valuable for the
timber standing upon them. The
state made application to the land
department for their withdrawal July
3, 1901, but the officers of the local
Land office failed to make note OF
the states application OF withdrawal,
and in this manner, so 1t is set forth
in the resolution creating the COM
mission, many settlers were infiu-
enced to 90 upon them, believing that
the state had no prior right OF selec-
ton. This was one of the points
relied upon by the settlers in their lit
igation against the state for the land.
The settlers not only claim to have
settled upon the landthat Is, some
of them prior to application for sur
vey by the state, but that they aiso
labored under the impression,
through no fault of theirs, that the
state had no right of selection and
that the records at the land office
failed to disclose that it had any, but
the local land Office decided against
their contention, as did the commits
sioner of the general land office, and
also the last tribunal of the land de-
partment, the secretary. After an adj
verse decision by the secretary the
settlers took the matter up at the
conventions of the two parties In the
state, and both the republicans ana
democrats inserted planks in their
platforms favorable to them. Inc
matter was then taken up before the
legislature and resolution passed
appointing a commission to inVesti-
gate the rights of the settlers TO the
land and directing the commission 10
submit their findings by way OF q
report to the land board.
Board Can Relinquish.
The resolution. besides naming the
members of the commission, directs
that the investigation must be made
and completed between July 1s ant
September Is, and authorizes bth'
commission to secure all evidence 0
a both documentary and oral charae
ter on the subject, and to make, O.
cause to have made, personal ex
animation of the land. The commits
sion is directed 10 make an examina
ton az to the qualification of the en-
TRUMAN. and as to his good faith Il
settling upon the land; his settlement
residence and cultivation and As :
the character of the land: shethe
agricultural or whether it can b
made so. Another feature that II
directed TO investigate and repoI
upon is as 10 whether the settler 9
the time he settled upon the land %
lieved that he had a right 70 setl
upon It, or whether he knew that IN
state OF Idaho had preference rigl
to il. The state land board is directe
to relInquish in favor Of all the Sc
tiers u1Son whom the eommissio
makes . favorable report.
The members Of the eommissio
win make Occur d'Alene their heai
quarters during the Investigation az
viii probably. after considering
the documentary and oral evident
obtalnable on the subject, make
personal investigation Of the ian
The land involved Is situated In o.
Of the finest white pine belts renal
ing Ia the northwest and because
the timber upon It Is very valuable.