The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1913-11-05
100000 DANK ACRES
DISPUTED BY STATE
State Drainage Commission to Inves-
tigate Charges Relating to North
ern Minnesota Swamp Lands
MAY BE 100000 TRACT
Auditor Iverson Declares Much Of
Questioned Property Is in Iron
Ore Zone
NAY BE $1o,ooo,ooo TRACT

V10 AVuC
Peculiar interest attaches to the
inspectation trip of the State Drain
age Commission next week because
of the charges filed with Secretary
Of the Interior Franklin X. Lane by
w. R. Mackenzie and C. M. King Of
the Northern Minnesota Development
association that the. state has not
kept it's contract with the Federal
government in regard to draining
swamp lands coded under the grant
of 1860. The petitioners asked that
the patents to about 100000 acres
still due to the state under this
grant be withheld until the Legis-
lature makes provisions for using the
money procured from the sale of
lands already patented for their i'm
provement. =. r. ~ ~.
State Keeping Faith.
According to State Auditor Iver-
son, the commission will view a sys-
tenn of bitches in Northwestern Min
nesota which will drain thousands of
acres of these swamp lands and make
them suitable for agriculture. He
said the trip will show that the state
Is keeping faith with the government
and that the complaint of the De-
league Officials has no
basis. : ~. ~
There was much speculation at the
Capitol Monday as to the reasons
which prompted Mr. Mackenzie and
Mr.. King to make the protest.
Mr.. 1verson estimated that the
land in dis pute is worth at least
$10,000,000. This estimate includes
the value of the tamarack, pine and
spruce timber which is found in
in some. sections of the
swamp territory. 49, J. -.
Contains Rich Iron Deposits
'But, he added, thousands of
acres Of this. land are1in the mineral
belt and it possibly contains rich de-
posits, Of. iron ore. The value of these
deposits might range from $4,000.
900 to $100,000,0O0, perhaps more.
Besides, the government experts
have recently found that the peat de-
posts on these swamp lands are OF
great value. 1 consider the lands
worth more than the total perman-
ent school fund of any of our neigh
boring States"
Governor Eberhart is expected
home Thursday or Friday. While at
Washington he Investigated the
swamp land situation and it is ex-
pected he will be able to throw some
light on the subject He will make
the inspection tour as member of
the Drainage commission. The others
who will take the trip are Auditor
Iverson, Secretary of State Schmahl
and e. v. Willard, drainage engineer.
Declares Title Is Clear
Mr.. Iverson is firm in the position
that the protest can carry no weight.
He cites a decision of the Secretary
of the Interior several years ago
which holds that the 1860 grant was
a present and absolute grant, vest
ing in the state from the day of its
date, the title to all swamp lands and
over flowed lands then not sold, and
requiring nothing put determination
Of boundaries to make it complete.
This decision has been affirmed by
the Supreme Court of the United
States and there were never any
strings attached to the grants in the
way of conditions regarding the dis
position of the money secured from
the sale OF these lands.
Is Decorating Progressing.
Ciscouski Brothers are now prepar-
-