52 THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, 



State Gazetteer and the city directories of Muskegon and Alpena, 

 identified as not settlers. Their names appear as residents of cities 

 and villages and doing business therein as merchant^, lawyers, doctors, 

 saloonkeepers, manufacturers, lumbermen, saw-mill operators and even 

 ministers. In this way it was determined that a total acreage of 

 43,320.08 acres was purchased. 



By elimination therefore, a total of 584,301.59 acres was eliminated, 

 being about 82 per cent of the total amount sold. 



It will be noted that the method pursued does not reach any of the 

 numerous cases known to exist of resident farmers and homesteaders 

 purchasing in their neighborhood for the sake of taking off the timber 

 to sell to some neighboring operator or purchaser, for the names of 

 these men do not appear in the ^Michigan State Gazetteer. Neither 

 does the method pursued reach any purchaser who is not now in busi- 

 ness in his own name and listed as such in the Michigan State Gazetteer. 

 Neither does the method pursued reach the numerous cases of non- 

 residents of the state, many of whom are known to have purchased 

 for summer resort purposes, as well as for speculation. Another class 

 that is omitted is those who have moved since their purchase was 

 made, so that their names would not appear in the town or city given 

 as their residence at the time of purchase. Other cases of omission 

 will doubtless occur to anyone who gives the matter attention. 



Considering these omissions it is submitted that the examination of 

 these schedules confirms strongly the estimate referred to as made by 

 Messrs. Rose, Skeels, Burgess and Wilson, and it seems a fair inference 

 to conclude that the estimate of five per cent fixed by Messrs. Burgess 

 and Wilson is probably nearer the mark than the ten per cent fixed 

 by the Commissioner. Indeed it is believed that five per cent is too 

 high, and the general conclusion at which we arrive is that the present 

 law providing for sale of the tax homestead land is not contributing 

 to the bringing in of actual settlers to any material extent. Its eflfect 

 in this direction is believed to be so small as to be negligible. 



As stated in the report, the land that is taken up by settlers is 

 taken up under the homestead feature of the law; and of the land 

 entered as homesteads, about 48 per cent is abandoned before the deed 

 is earned. Of that which is deeded in fact the examination of Messrs. 

 Burgess and Wilson shows a considerable part to be resold by the 

 homesteader and stripped of its timber. No method is known to us 

 of ascertaining even approximately what quantity of the homesteaded 

 land is thus treated except actual field examination of every parcel. 

 The partial examination made by Messrs. Burgess and Wilson, how- 

 ever, sufiiciently prove that it is a considerable part. 



