The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-03-06
NJ n ERAL LANDS.
ALMOST GIVEN
AWAY
INVESTIGATION is BEGUN or
METHODS USED IN SALE OF
STATE TAX LANDS-CoMPANv
GETS VALUABLE TRACT.
From a staff Correspondent


LANSING. Mich, March 6.-The
throttle has been pulled wide open ON
the investigation OF state department
methods OF handling state tax lands
and state tax homestead lands.
! The legislative committee appointed
! TO investigate these matters. composed
Of Reps. Maxey, OF Baraga; Bieel. OF
! Bay City; Dusenbupry. oil Isabella;
Guy Miller. Of Detroit, and Oates, OF
! houghton. mad subpeaned the head
Cfficials OF the auditor general and land
commissioners departments to appear
before them with books and papers.
/ and they were on hand In force with
stacks OF documents.
| The work was largely pertaining t.
learn just how the details OF these de
pal tments could be reached and the
length OF time required.
Each member Of the committee en-
tered into the questions which were
mostly answered by the deputies and
clerks who appeared very guarded Ia
every word they said Only by coli
slant probing could the committee get
! facts on specific points, yet al the
, close of this session AuditorGenerai
Fuller and Land Commissioners Rus
sell each profusely offered all the aid
possible. Some sharp talk between
Maxey aud Deputy Auditor Simpson
drew out from the latter that he had
| advised with Attorney General Bird as
to whether the department could. I'M
der existing laws. withhold these lands
from sale on resolution simply from
the legislature The opinion was given
that when money is rendered the de-
partment must sell until new law
is enacted In place OF the present laws
lis enacted In place of the present
laws governing these matters. Simpson
said with emphasis: I'VE can't risk
the responsibility Of a possible viola
ton OF the law for long. although sales
have been suspended since the resoiu-
ton passed" This indicates that when
money Is paid or rendered for state tax
lands they will be sold. at least, till the
Maxey hill becomes law
Dusenbury aud Gen. Fuller debated
1.-The question OF mineral rights which
the committee feels should be re-
served to the state. Fuller commended
this would confiscate the original
owners right OF reserve TO minerals
when he sold it. but, Dusenbury, on
close questioning. showed that the
state acquired these lands through
non-payment OF taxes and thus Sc
cured all titles to il, for the original
owner loses his mineral right by not
seeing that the taxes were properly
Paid.
Coming to the documents a few I'M
portant facts were struck which gives
a lead on more TO come. The method
of would-be purchasers seems TO be
sendlng to the departments for de-
smriptions OF state lands in any par.
ticuar county Those lands bought
by writing only are set I'm TO the
purchases If the full price as APP
praised in the land Office or assessed
by supervisors in the auditor generals
office accompanies the letter. The
follasfng big deal was brought out
iHe&3rimmer Land Co. OF Saginaw,
thought. state lands In the. past few
months from both departments
amounting To something over 100000
} acres. They could not work out the
exact acreage on so short notice, for
the small amount OF $l2.S9S.SS. Max
lie ytook the may locating many or
these descriptions in territory famil.
lar TO him since childhood and knows
that much OF this land contains some
of the richest minerals I'm tire stats.
anG to his own surprise located two
} pieces OF land this company had
bought as some he supposed he own
ed Well" said Maxey. Il am will
; ing TO lose some property If we can
: only preserve what is left 10 poster
ity' referring TO state lands with mir
: eral and forest wealth.
The lands bought by this company
are scattered through several counties
and indicate very careful selection or
the best lands Questions as to just
how they could get AT such choice
property brought no light in that line
but the committee hopes TO throw Il
into the limelight before they get
done
During the probing Gov Warner
and State Game Warden Pierce were
brought into the AFFAIR with queries
as TO where the state lands they
bought were located and were told In
Ogemaw county, but the matter was
pushed no farther
Large quantities OF land are bought
= I'm the name OF Wright and Wilkin-
; son, the first named an eXclerk or the
auditor generals department. and the
> last an eN-deputy OF that department.
From the few letters complied today
the following is the number OF acres
with price they paid Tor same. Forty
acres for S6O. another OF 100 for $3.50.
still another OF Gao for $3.50, and $50
acres for 1920. The Geneva Land x
Mining Co is down for l20 acres at
$120. and one L. !. Miller got 500
acres for 500 These are all select
parcels OF land said to range in actual
b value from SIS to 500 pur acre.
The committee requested each de-
partment 10 run out details which was
agreed upon and data Is 10 be ready
next week when the probing will con-