The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-01-15
State Board of Land Com.
rnissioners.


board OF land commissioners has con-
tInued TO refuse applications to select
and purchase government lands except
20 municipalities and 10 applicants whose
pending applications have been cancelled
by the general land office SO that the
state has due from the government Tor
selection abont 10000 acres of lieu lands
hat are belng held for selection for ir-
rigation projects TO be put in by the
state and fcr other state and municipal
purposes.
state reservoir have been sold ut prices,
With water, ranging from $50 10 $50 per
acre. The reservoir and canal. costing
about $l1s.ooo. arc practically completed.
prosecuted by the board. the dam being
no~ about two thirds completed and inn
pounding approximately $4,000 acre feet
OF water. The Sewer valley canal, which
carries water for the state and tho Sc
vier Valley company, has been enlarged
for twenty miles. The state has cX
Tended It's canal twenty eight miles from
the terminus OF the Sewer valley canal
- a poiit near Centcrfield in Sanpete
county. A further extension of two miles
IS projected for construction the coming
wear.
To date s4so 900 has been expended on
this project and several thousand acres
1f land and water have been sold there
under.
Charged with the duty Of investing the
various land grant funds Of the state
(approXi mating a this time SS,4i5, ,000)s
the land board has heretofore been quite
bustly occupied in investigating securities
when the securities upon which the funds
might be loaned were limited. With the
change In the law authorizing the pur-
chase of irrigation district and drainage
ponds. and the change relating TO farm
loans vast amount of additional work
lss fallen upon the board The drainage
BOND law was held unconstitutional and
pending a court determination OF the va
iidttY of The irrigation district law the
board was uujustly criticised for It's delay
n passing upon appllca tions for sale OF
such bonds, dnd since the decision OF the
court in the matter the board has expert
enced difficulty in securing prompt COM
pliancs with regulations regarding the
Issuance and sale OF such bonds prescribed
by The board as reasonable requirements
IN Safeguarding the investment OF these
FUNDS. Three applications for sale OF such
bonds TO tho state have been acted upon
favorably by tho board. as follows;
Green River irrigation district. $50, 600
New Hope irrigation district 49,. ~. 600
Cache Valley irrigation district.... 10. 600
Tho amendment To the law relating to
the i1vestnent OF land funds In farm
eRne has almost sWamped the office force
" the land board. The volume OF busi-
p4rtnn>nt was eight times as great per
stnnuTn during the past two years as It
Ias prior TO the 1911 anendment. From
May. isll.Nto November. 1912 the board
received obo{arm loan applications All
This additional work has thrown the land
board oonind inNauch OF the routing busi-
ness. The board. Is in Imperative need
oi additional facilities and clerical assist
ance IN order that sbe public may have
prompt service TO which II is entitled in
It's transactions with tile state.
l invite your attontioE es bcciaily 10
those portions OF the report Of this de-
partment dealing with state IsBds within
the national forests. and the question
which has arisen regarding title 90 school
sections containing coal. They are cues
tions involving points OF vital interest 10
Utah. Their discussion here, however
would engage more time than can be de-
voted 10 them in this message The lesis-
lature should afford ali assistance posi-
bic to safeguard the interests OF the state
IN these matters.
rt IS important that the recommenda :
lions OF the board relating to legislation
nc acted upon fayorabiy. The boa,.d
should have power to reconeey 10 this
United States tracts OF land erroneou.ly
listed TO the state: and authority should
ne granted the board TO extend time OF
payUlAnts by settlers under state pro-
iects when settlers under such projects
haze lost thor crops by reason ot Ae
failure OF the state 10 deliver water as
provided ia its contract with the settlers
estimates that IL VIII bs necessary. tS
Jsroyide the sum OF $4,000 20 meet the
following reuuirements.i ~
Clerical assistance etc. c.....,,,.. -. So, ,geo
l'GCey act -. -. 80. - :. 900
oefendsng state's title To scheol
sectioDF ..--'s..--.'.., ~ 300
Hydrogrspil.o and hTdromej rio .F;!r- "
yey9 --. ..,,s--,.-,N.y f,.,-- 1000
TotsJ -. .....,.......-..,l..,. -. ~ 900
ea-ntsi,xttcr item. however SSould ~. tn-