The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-04-15
PROBE COMMITTEES
REPORT IS FILED
State Has Lost Much Money Through
Neglect or CollusiOn---Chairman
Aliens Charges.

Olympia, April 9.-The report of
the legislative investigating commit
tee, made public last night, shows that
| for years the state has been systemat-
ically pillaged through the 'laxity, in
competency and inefficiency" of en-
ployes in the state land department.
| Thousands of acres of the best tim
Der land in the state have been cruised
| by inspectors from the land depart
ment and sold for a mere pittance,
while in reality the timber alone was
frequently worth fivefold what the
state received.
The committee has reported several
of the most fragrant instances of
fraud, and recommends that the legis-
lature make provision for an honest
cruise of every acre of timber land
which has been sold in the state It
recommends criminal and civil pro-
ceedings to recover to the state the
value of the timber fraudulently taken
by the timber barons.
The committee has reported the re-
suits of it's investigation of the opera
lions of the Silver Lake Railway &
Lumber Company, in Cowlitz county
One tract of land containing 565 acres
was cruised by James Med. Israel and
C. A. Billings, for the state land COM
missioner, in 1901. The state cruisers
reported finding 4,2S6,OOO feet of tim
Der. The committee employed F. E.
Springer to cruise the timber on that
tract. Instead of 4,286,000 feet,
Springer found 24,743,OOO feet.
Another tract of 355 acres, in Cow
litz county, was cruised by E. E.
Huntington in 1901 and 100000 feet
was reported. F. E. Springer, acting
for the committee, found 3,064,000
| feet.
One hundred and sixty acres in
| Cowlitz county was sold to Joseph
O'Neill in 1901 as having 1,323,00O feet
of timber 1t was cruised by James
Med. Israel and C. A. Billings. w. M.
Clinton, acting for the committee,
found 15,215,OOO feet of timber.
Another tract of 100 acres, sold to
G.. w. Taylor in 1902, was estimated
by the state cruiser to have 1,258,00O
feet of timer. The committees cruiser
found 13,918,OOO feet.
| A section of land in Pierce county,
sold to Charles H. Williams, of Ia
coma, in 1901 for $2,287, was esti-
mated to have 3,O5O,0OO feet of timber.
The county cruise shows 34,326,500
feet, and it is estimated to be worth
100000. Other smaller deals in tim
Der lands in 1905, 1906 and 1908 are
reported by the committee.
The committee made thorough in
spection of all the state institutions.
1t found that the Western Hospital for
the Insane was we'll managed and rec
ommends the plan to purchase farm
in Skagit county for convalescent pa
tients.
The committee deprecates the rival
ry between the state college and the
university, and recommends that a
committee be appointed to settle ques-
lions relating to government, mainte-
nance and curricula of the states five
institutions of higher learning.
The committee commends the work
of the Cheney Normal school, and says
no necessity is apparent for three
schools. 1t recommends that the nor
NAL schools be rearranged by the legis-
lature
1t recommends separate school for
the boys and the girls at the state
training school at Chehalis.
| 1t criticizes the state dental board
for not keeping it's records open to
the public, for demanding $25 fee
1or an examination not given, and for
charging for expenses in excess of the
legal allowance.
The committee reported that the
charges filed against F. A. Clark, state
oil inspector, were not sustained by
the evidence, and recommends
changes in the inspection law.
The committe found that the secre-
taries of the state fair at North Yak
ina had been grossly negligent and
apparently incapable.