The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1911-01-05

and many human lives, tell only part
of the sad story. To this we must
add losses by trespass and dor
ton and loss by neele.p oard d
forests. as we'll 1iibrafs -,portuni-
ties for reforesta -. 1t is estimated
that the aggregate forest resources of
Minnesota are worth 100000, 900,
which is thes strongest possible argu-
ment for adequate methods of protec-
ton, development and administration.
The forest problems of our state
have been sadly neglected. For pro-
lection against forest fires Minnesota
spends less than one-fourth of what is
required for effective results and in
the way of practical forest admins
tration conducts only few scattered
experiments, with nothing like COM
prehensive, scientific and businesslike
system of forestry.
DEPARTMENT OF
GEOLOGY AND MINES.
After mining and shipping to the
furnaces 254,000,000 tons of iron ore,
the worlds record of production, Min
nesota has now definitely located a
body of ore, amounting to 1,347 1885, 900
tons, which is one-third of the avail
able and merchantable ore of the Unit
ed States and upon which taxes are
paid into the state treasury. And yet
Minnesota has no state department of
mines, and not even, in operation at
this time, the usual geological survey
found in most of the states of the
Union
Our educational institutions, notably
the public schools, university and agri-
cultural college, lead the world in
wealth and income from these mines.
1t has long been apparent that mineral
resources which promise our schools
and university a future income of
more than s1OO,OOO,0OO require detailed
expert administration. Other North
western and Mississippi Valley states,
such as Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois,
Iowa and Missouri, which together
possess and control for educational
purposes but small portion of our
wealth, all conduct permanent geologi-
cal surveys and some of these states,
as well as many Eastern and Western
states, have separate departments OF
mines and Minnesota should do the
same. The expense of such admins
tration will be returned in revenue to
the state many fold.
STATE DEPARTMENT OF
GAME AND FISH.
Nature has richly endowed the state
| of Minnesota with game and fish. II
| is one of our natural resources, in the
conservation of which the state has
been most fortunate.
The total disbursements of the de
partment for the year 1910 amount tc
| sos, 40717. Out of 504 prosecutions
there have been only thirty-two &C
| quittals and the sum total of fines fol
the year 1910 amounts to $8,624.45.
A suggestion is made in the report
| of the commission which l believe
worthy of particular consideration
namely, that some method be institut
| ed whereby it may determine the
/ amount of game killed in the state
from year to year in order that it may
determine with greater accuracy what
ought to be done to preserve the game
in the future.
/ Minnesota has larger number anC
also larger area of inland lakes thar
any other state in the Union and fish
ing both as a sport and an industry Ii
constantly increasing. The fame o
our summer resorts and beautiful
lakes attracts thousands of visitor!
from distant states annually.
i One of the best investments mad
by the state is the improvement Of ou
!, fish hatcheries so as to increase thu
supply of fish. The total distribution
. of fish fry for the years 1909 and 191t
amounts to 1879 1886, 967, which is an liz
!, crease of 1OO,5O5,667 over the year.
1907 and 1908.
STATE DEPARTMENT
OF WATERWAYS
One-fifteenth of Minnesota's surfac
consists of lakes and streams. Gu
water area approximates 100000
acres. The elevation of this waite
: area ranges from 700 to 1900 fee
above the sea, the average altitude c
: our lake and stream reservoirs bein
about 1000 feet above sea level. w
haua ahnnt z s00 maandered lake