MICHIGAN ROADS AND FORESTS 11 



T.O DI TDI ir> -isuodssa 3in U.JI.U p 3 3.iEip os[B SEA*. uoissiui sion are many and varied, and for this reason 



3 rUJDI_ll^ ,-.,. { seeing 'that all state tax lands that it was necessary to have a complete orgamza- 



DOMAIN COMMISSION 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- 



fAddress bv Hon T E Beal Regent of the deeded at cnce to the state and become a part vided, and at the second meeting of the com- 



c 2 c \u -t-tt. i,nrU mission a supervisor of trespass was appoint- 



University of. Michigan and Member of the of the st ' 1". ization o f the Pub - ed and given general supervision over all tres- 



I'ublic Domain Commission, at the annual At the time of mzation Ot t 8 K v 



I'uic omain ommission, a e ^ instructed to 



raeetng of the Michigan Forestry Assoc.a- J c Domam^Comm.sswn^ there^were^ ^ P^ ^8 ^^ ^^ ^.^ ^ 



department and 328.000 acres of land in the tions of land upcn which trespass had been 



Michigan has taken a great step forward in d;tor general's office that were subject to committed, the name of the trespasser, the 

 solving one of her mcst difficult problems clecc jj nR um ler the provisions of the tax home- amount of the trespass, as reported by the tres- 

 that of handling her vast public domain. For- stea(J j* w The duty of appra j sm g, examining pass agent, the final disposition of each case 

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

 be mostly helped by the new legislation which came thg duty o{ the 'p ub i; c Domain Commis- of such trespass, the number of rases prose- 

 puts us in advance of the majority of the s j Qn y O u will readily see that this is no <-uted and the result of each prosecution. He 

 states. Important as forestry is for Michigan, sma jj tas k w hen you take into consideration was also charged with the keeping of a record 

 it has not succeeded in the past as it should, the {act t |, at this ]and ; s scattered through showing the expenses incurred on account of 

 because of misunderstandings between the tl]e j;fj erent townships in sixty-five counties trespass agents, together with such additional 

 forestry supp rlers and the state officials. The o{ - ^ e state with each county having from duties as the commission might from time to 

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



state officials were alluded to as "politicians" m ; ssioi] was g i ven power to appraise and sell Make Up o{ the Committees. 



bv some of the foresters, the foresters on the , , fh t were suitable for agricultural pur- ., 



other hand were regarded by some of the '* d the power to reserve lands Seven committees of three members each 

 State officers and legislators as "impracticable for f o ' restry purposes, with a mandatory clause of the commission were appointed, as follows: 

 enthusisasts." With this feeling but little lha) . {he amount should not fall below 200,- Executive and Fire; Finance; Land Sales and 

 could be accomplished until they get together Q()0 acres _ t h e amount to include all state Timber Sales; Mineral, Coal, Oil and Gas 



forest reserves. As the state had about 90,000 Lands; Trespass; and Water Rights Mr Mar- 



best interests of the state. acres o{ forest rese rve, it became the duty of tindale was made chairman of the executive 



The forestry people have won out by ( iu- the comm j ss i cn t o select at least 110,000 acres committee, on account of his fine executive 

 eating the public to see the importance f morej in order to comp i y w j t h the provisions ability. Mr. Fuller was made chairman of 

 growing timber for the future until they rose' of the act the finance comm i t tee, because of his depart- 



up all over the state to ask for mor< The comrn i ss ion was also empowered to ment the nnances o f the state are looked after 



' provide that all homestead applications should and t h e accounting of the state performed. Mr. 



a practicable bill enacted ? contain a provision which will make it a part R usse n was appointed chairman of the com- 



splendid results. By thus working together of the contract w ; t h the state to have a cer- mittee on land sales and timber sales on ac _ 

 a start has been made. If we keep working to- tain number of acres o f the homestead re- count of his knowledge of the same, being land 

 gether much may be accomplished, f jr the . eryed and prote cted for forestry purposes, commissioner at the present time. The chair- 



- without compelling them under the old ar- man of the committee who has charge of the 



II of the forester to keep public rangement to c i ear o ff their land. In addition minera l ; coa i o ;i and gas lands is Mr . K elly, 

 spirit up just as the lorester needs the Com- to thiS; the comm ission was also authorized a gen tleman engaged in mining, and one who 



1 to instruct the land department to work in is well acqua i n ted with matters pertaining to 



not forget this mutual necessity and nterde- conjml ction with the boards of supervisors mineral lands, etc. Chairman of the corn- 



find much to criticise in of the several colm ties of the state for the nlittee on trespass Mr . Russe ii; chairman of 



3 ther, but is^it worth while thus to hinder purpos e of disposing of state lands suitable the commission of water rights, Mr. Martin- 



for agricultural purposes, either by homestead dale . i was named as chairman of the for- 



The Public Domain Commission was created en{ or othe rwise. Some of the. other pro- cstr committee. All matters pertaining to 



visions read as follows: these different things are referred to the com- 



1 iorfbiH 8 o rryTgTn 0n a p b p 7op\lV P n: Some Important Provisions. mittee having thefe matters in charge, and 



^ s P eUg ble^\he r SS^*SS*3SSR Sales of state lands to be held in the coun- thus wgi seven committees, we are able to 



as provided in the new constitution. Under ties where the lands are situated; the state l n mp 'i ",," ^hin^c ^^ th. p,,w TV, 



this act, the auditor general, the commissioner to reserve all mineral, coal, oil and gas rights Some cf the Thln g s that the Pubhc 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 ^ committee consisting of Mr. Martindale, 



board of control of the College of Mines, and said lands upon a royalty basis upon such c pt p_ rtnr __ 1f 



one member to be nominated by the board of terms as said commission may deem just and " etary Larton and myself, visited the forest 



regents of the University of Michigan, were equitable. reserves and made as thorough ^n examma- 



to constitute the new commission. Some time The commission also has power to provide tlon of tne 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"- 



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, 



ninations 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, 



I'.rst meeting was held July 8, 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 him with one we think a better man; instruct- 



chairman of the commission organized. The price per acre. It also provides that on the ed 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 



\ cry 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 



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



First, the said commission has power and homestead lands and the uniform blanks for f all matters pertaining to fires and to re- 

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

 disposition according to law, of all 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 of 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 and 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 Commission. 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 fcr- 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- 



