MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS 11 



-isuodsaa 3\\i u,}i- paSaBip osre SEAI uoissiui sion are many and varied, and for this reason 

 b ' iljtv of seeinR ' that all state tax i an d s that it was necessary to have a complete organiza- 



DOMAIN COMMlSblUlN were so circumstanced as to be eligible for tion. There were so many things to be looked 



_ deeding under the homestead law, should be after that the work had to be somewhat di- 



(Address by Hon J. E. Beal, Regent of the deeded at cnce to the state and become a part vided, and at the second meeting of the corn- 



University of Michigan and Member of the of the state lands. mission a supervisor of trespass was appoint- 



Public Domain Commission, at the annual At the time of the organization of the Pub- ed and given general supervision over all tres- 



mceting of the Michigan Forestry Associa- lie Domain Commission there were 582,318 pass agents, and he was instructed to keep a 



t j on ) acres of state land on the books of the land full and complete record showing all descrip- 



, department, and 328,000 acres of land in the tions of land upon which trespass had been 



Michigan has taken a great step f< i audjtor general's office that were subject to committed, the name of the trespasser, the 



solving one of her m:s blems deeding under the provisions of the tax home- amount of the trespass, as reported by the tres- 



that of handling her vast public domain, t or- ad ]aw The duty o{ appra jsing, examining pass agent, the final disposition of each case 



sea aw , , 



estry is vitally connected with this, and will an(J direct j ng t h e sale of all of the above be- and the amount of money received on account 



be mostly helped by the new legisla i came thg duty of the p ub] j c Domain Commis- of such trespass, the number of cases prose- 



puts us in advance of the majority oi t 5 sion Y ou will readily see that this is no cuted and the result of each prosecution. He 



states. Important as forestry is lor Michigan, ^^jj ^^ when yQU take Jnto consideration was also charged with the keeping of a record 



should, the {act that this ]and is scattered through showing the expenses incurred on account of 



because of misunderstandings between the thfi different townships in sixty-five counties trespass agents, together with such additional 



try supporters and t Lhe Q{ the stat with each CO unty having from duties as the commission might from time to 



fault is not wholly on either side.^ While the sjxteen to twenty-five townships. The com- time require. 



state officials were alluded to as politicians missioi] was iven power to appraise and sell M ake y f th Committees 



me ot the ioresters the loresters on he , h ^ su f tab]e for aric ultural ur- 



, d h sutab]e for agric ultural pur- 



other hand were regarded by some of the s and a , SQ the power to reserve lands Seven committees of three members each 



and legislators as impracticable fof {orestry p urpos es, with a mandatory clause cf the commission were appointed, as follows: 



s feeling but ttle (hat the amount shou i d not fall be low 200,- Executive and Fire; Finance; Land Sales and 



could be accomplished until they get together Q Q acres _ the arnO unt to include all state Timber Sales' Mineral Coal Oil nd Ga 



to recognize that both were working for the inrf , t Tf - frvp * AS the state had about 90000 llm er saes > Allne . r f{', coa ''. ~U and Oas 



f the state A . Lands; Trespass; and Water Rights. Mr. Mar- 



eoole have won out bv edu- \ cres of for ^ st rese T' n became the duty of tinda i e was made chairman of the executive 



lu , the commission to select at least 110,000 acres committee on account of his fine executive 



eating the public to see the importance of , t romolv with the orovisions \'t accounl n 's nne executive 



growing timber for the future until they rose "1"' " rder tO C mply W ' th * 5 a , blht /' Mr - FuII . er was ma ^ chairman of 



n all nv,>r tW stato tr ask fnr morp WUla- tne "nance committee, because of his depart- 



up all o\c Th commission was also empowered to ment the nnances o f t h e state are looked after 



tion. The state officials won out by getting - de that all homest ead applications should "^ " th " *\? * t ' of t ^ ne ^ sta teTerfoed Mr 



a practicable bill enacted which will- bring ' t nrr , v isi-n which will make it a Dart pertprmed. Air. 



snlendid results Bv thus workine together c( ? ntam a P rovls l Russell was appointed chairman ot the com- 



rworkk - f - the contract , wlth the state to have a cer- mittee cn land sales and timber , Qn 



mg ' tain number of acres ot the homestead re- count of his knowledae of the same beine- land 



gether much mav be accomplished, for the . ln J nrr-tprtpH fnr fnrestrv nnrnosps n<nmn *ieuge o . same, oemg land 



Public Domain Commission needs the enthus- *** "omneHinJ theri under the old ar- comml ? s '? ner at "? e P r ent time The chair- 



forester to keeo oublic WItnoUl compe m . ul ol <J ar man of the committee who has charge of the 



c rangeinent to clear off their land. In addition m j nera l coal oil and eas lands is \lr KelU 



spirit up just as the lorester needs the Com- . f. - thf , ,-.,,,:,.,-; ,,<; a icn authorized mcr "' co< "> " ar >a .K as 'anas is .Mr. .K-elly, 



out i iiiion We must l , a gentleman engaged in mining, and one who 



1 to instruct the land department to work in j s we n acauainted with matters ipi-taini t n 



not torget this mutual necessity and mterde- conjunction with the b 7, ar d s of supervisors mineral land etc ChTirman of the com 

 pendence. Each mav hnd much to criticise in > v -r*1 <-r>iiTitip<: of tho otatp fnr the '"ius, eit. ^nairman oi tne com- 



the other, but is it worth while thus to hinder J^SmSS. of state ifri ukable T" 66 on . tr ? s P ass ' Mr ' R .e"; chairman cf 



i elrrious cause' t the commission of water rights, Mr. Martin- 



ePubHc Domain Commission was created f r a g ncultl ? ral Purposes, either by homestead dale. I was named as chairman of the for- 



tf to 



-sreadsoows 



The bill creating this commission being an ap- V1S1 nS read 3S f( these different things are referred to the com- 



propriation bill, or carrying an appropriation, Some Important Provisions. having these matters in charge, and 



was eligible to the immediate effect provision, Sales of state lands to be held in the coun- * us - "5* seve " committees, we are able to 

 as provided in the new constitution. Under ties where the lands are situated; the state Accomplish much more work. 

 this act, the auditor general, the commissioner to reserve all mineral, coal, oil and gas rights bome cf the Tlun gs that the Public Domain 

 of the state land office, the secretary of state, to the state, with authority to make con- Commission Have Done Since Its 



a member to be nominated by the agricul- tracts with private individuals or with cor- Organization. 



tural board, a member to be nominated by the porations for taking ore coal oil or gas from A CO mmi t tee consisting of Mr. Martindale 

 board of control of the College of Mines, and said lands upon a royalty basis upon such c ,, 



one member to be -nominated by the board of terms as said commission may deem just and " ary Lart n a "d myself, visited the forest 

 regents of the University of Michigan, were equitable. reserves and made as thorough an examina- 



to constitute the new commission. Some time The commission also has power to provide tion of the same as three days' time would 

 elapsed between the passage of the bill, which that all deeds issued for lands along water permit. We instructed the custodians to pi 1 * 

 was during the last days of the session, and courses and streams shall contain a clause on extra help and get all fire lines in shape 

 the time that the different boards made their reserving the rights of ingress and egress at once, so as to prevent the spreading of fire, 

 nominations and the appointment made by over and across said lands. In section 9 it should it get started; took an inventory of all 

 the governor, before the commission met. The provides that when any public offering of lands the personal property on the forest reserves, 

 first meeting was held July S. 1909. At that has been made in the county, in ten days after including the nursery stock; made a change 

 meeting Hon. Alfred J. Dcherty, member of such offering, a list shall be filed with the in . the custodian on one reserve and replaced 

 the State Board of Agriculture, was elected county treasurer showing all unsold lands and n 'rn with one we think a better man; instruct- 

 chairman of the commission organized. The price per acre. It also provides that on the e( ^ the state game, fish and forestry warden 

 duties -of the new commission are many and first Monday of every month the commission to take immediate steps to see that all locomo- 

 the territory over which they have control is shall cause a report to be made to the county tives running through the northern part of the 

 very extensive. It might be well for me at treasurer of all lands sold during the previous state were properly equipped with spark ar- 

 this time to enumerate or state some cf the month. The above lists and reports to be festers or other devices for the prevention of 

 duties and powers of the new Public Domain a public record where all citizens of the county sparks being scattered along the right of way, 

 Commission, under the law: can see the condition of state lands in that thereby causing fires. 



... _ county. The commission is also to sec that The state game, fish and forestry warden 



Fowers ot New Commission. blank applications for the purchase of tax was also instructed to make an investigation 



First, the said commissicn has power and homestead lands and the uniform blanks for ot " all matters pertaining to fires and to re- 

 jurisdiction over and management, control and homestead applications, are available at each P c rt to the commission at its next meeting 

 disposition according to law, of ali public county treasurer's office for public use. The what steps he deemed necessary should be 

 lands in the state; has charge of all the forest commission is authorized to sell all dead and taken in order properly to protect the lands 

 reserves and forest interests and of all the down timber on state lands and to take such / the state from fire. I might say, at this 

 interests of the state in connection with stream action as may be deemed necessary to prevent time, lest I forget, that the state game, fish 

 protection and control, and all matters per- the starting and spreading of forest fires. In a nd forestry warden promptly complied with 

 taining to fires. The law provides that the addition to all of the above duties of the com- this order and, in fact, he had a man at work 

 commissioner of state land office and the mission it is charged with the responsibility along this line before he received the order 

 auditor general shall be subject to the super- of preventing trespass upon all state lands from the Public Domain Commissicn. Re- 

 vision, control and direction of the commis- and was authorized to appoint a supervisor ports from the state game, fish and forestry 

 sion, and that the state game, fish and for- of trespass for that purpose. warden show that he has left no stone unturn- 



estry warden shall be under the direction and . . ed to prevent the starting and spreading of 



control of the commission as far as his duties Duties of Commission Are Many. fires along the railroad right of ways. He 



pertain to fires and public lands. The com- You will see that the duties of the commis- also reports that the railroads are all co-op- 



