376 



in all cases where it was supposed to be a case that was anyway doubt- 

 ful, or where the State would be benefited by contesting the action 

 in the matter, and a large amount of land has not been cancelled by 

 reason of such action; one case of 7,500 acres, very valuable land, the 

 matter as I understand, is still held open, and it is doubtful whether 

 the cancellation will now be made by reason of the action of the com- 

 mission, and others which I could refer to from the books; I mention 

 that one which I have in mind. 



Q. Before that time, had the method of procedure been, for the 

 parties to go to the Comptroller with their evidence, and present it to 

 him without any appearance on the part of the State ? 



A. There was no one to appear on the part of the State before the 

 commission was organized, and the policy of the land office and of the 

 Comptroller was to get rid of this land, the State didn't want it, and 

 anything like a fair showing in the matter of redemption or cancel- 

 lation, the land was given up; as I understand it, the land office 

 encouraged people to take back the land and pay the taxes; the 

 State's policy was to get all the money they could and collect the 

 taxes and not to hold the land; at the organization of the commission 

 the policy was reversed and now it is very difficult to get a cancella- 

 tion or redemption except on the very best of evidence. 



Q. It was some time before the attention of the commission was 

 called to this matter before they appeared before the Comptroller? 



A. Tes, sir; the commission was new to this work, the work was all 

 new to members of the commission; their attention had never been 

 balled to this matter and some cancellations and redemptions may 

 have taken place and did take place before the commission got organ- 

 ized far enough to take that branch of the work in hand. 



Q. How was it brought to the attention of the commission ? 



A. By the repeated notices of the loss of land. 



Q. Do you recollect one case where the cancellations were made 

 pending a lawsuit where the attention of the commission was brought 

 to it? 



A. I don't remember the details of it; I remember something about 

 it but not enough about it to speak regarding it. 



Q. Have you tabulated the number of acres of virgin forest in the 

 towns of Minerva and Newcomb ? 



A. Tes, sir; I tabulated ever acre. 



Q. What do you find to be the number of acres ? 



A. I couldn't say from memory; I would have to have the copy of 

 the report; from memory I should say there is about 45,000 of virgin 



