The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1913-02-15
COUNTIES TO AID SETTLERS
Bill Proposing TO Authorize Bond Issues Fo'
Clearing STUMP introduced

loan their credit 10 settlers by issuing
special approved bonds for the purpose
OF procuring money TO defray the ex-
peuses of reclaiming cut-over lands. II
thus attracting to those now unsettled
parts OF the state settlers who with
little financial support would soon
make the lands productive and build
mp the now almost unpopulated dis
tricts.
Snch an act would he particularly
interesting in those counties In the
northern part Of the lower peninsula
and especially IN the upper peninsula
where there are millions OF acres of
good land now covered with stumps
awaiting only the settler to improve il
and make IL productive. Michigan
mas been a little slow IN this move
ment. Wisconsin has such law al
ready working most satisfactorily and
good farmers are being encouraged to
enter the state to take mp these lands
and settle thereon Several other states
have similar laws and in all instances
they are said to be working most sat-
isfactorily.
The plan suggested provides simply
that when settlers attracted by the
cheap lands Michigan mas T. offer but
who lack the capital to come IN and
clear il OF it's stumps ask the county
for assistance financially for this pnr-
pose. the county may loan its credit to
those would-be settlers and give them
the backing and announcement To
come in and make productive rhe lands
winch are now practically worthless.
! The law will provide. hrst, that ten
settlers living In the county must petit
ton the board Of supervisors setting
forth that they are the owners of GER
tain descrihed cut.over lands which
they would like to clear aud farm il IL
they had the necessary funds with
which to do it. They may present an
estimate of the cost of doing this. the
estimate to have been made by com
petent person.
The board Of supervisors Is thereupon
empowered 20 issue county bonds which
are 70 pay four per cent interest, 10 be
non taxable. with interest due semi
annually. The bonds may run any
where FROM FIVE to twenty years an1
may be retired annually in series. The
bonds must he aold to residents of the
county IL there are residents who care
20 buy them III after having been
given fair chance TO purchase no res
ident wants them, they may be sold
outside the county. The proceeds of
these bond issues are to go toward re-
claiming these cut-over lands mention
cd In the petition. and the county SUI
peryisors may let the contract for
clearing the land to the lowest bidder,
the settlers who made the original pc
Triton for the aid being eligible to bid
for the clearing of their lands.
IL is provided that the amount of the
bonds shall not exceed the estimate oil
cost set in the peution and in no case
shall exceed s25 an acre. The amount
OF the bonds is then assessed against
the land cleared and they are to be re-
tired and the interest paid upon then
by the owners of the land, who ma,
. retire them as fast as no will, Unit
g they are retired they stand AS n lieI
. upon the property and take prefarenc,
a over all other claims agair st the land
J. by this means IL is argued settler
Y would be brought to these lands re
= their advance money from the county
q pay it back 10 the county from tn
% proceeds of the land ana make produc
!, tive land which now stands covere'
q wit stnmps. but which in many case
- is rich aud waiting only for the pillow
p In the northern counties OF lowe
r Michigan and more especially in tn
y upper peninsula there are millions 0
!, acres of land In this condition A liz
n tie assistance % the settlers and the
% would become productive. As the
y now stand they neither produce crop
nor taxes. bnt In many instances stan
II upon the books OF the state lands hay
70 ing reverted for non-payment of taxei
4 IL Is believed this sort OF aid wonld a
much toward making Michigan attras
J. tive 10 the settlers who are now goin
I'd to the Canadian northwest and to VII
KS consiu and other states having sue
Q laws ~ this.
d.
bt -
Nya La,,l,rot Date.