66 THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, 



A. No. 



Q. The grazing land that is bought does not bring any settlers, does 

 it? 



A. It would not bring settlers in any considerable numbers. 

 , Q. Do these real estate speculators, such as the Michigan Central 

 Park Company, bring in many settlers? 



A. I have been informed that is true, but I have failed to see where 

 the settlers were living. 



Q. Your own experience and observation are that it does not result 

 in actual settlement and home-making? 



A. That has been my observation. As a matter of fact, unless you 

 sell land that is adapted for general agriculture no matter how many 

 acres you sell, still you do not get settlers upon it — except on paper. 



Q. Have your official duties led you to make any observation as to 

 whether mill operators have made a practice of buying logs or forest 

 products that residents have taken off the land they purchased from the 

 State or from adjoining State lands? 



A. That has been true to a great extent until within two or three 

 years past, and they have come to learn that it is a very expensive pro- 

 ceeding and the mill owners are now very careful about buying timber 

 until they know that the man offering it for sale has a title to the timber. 



Q. You think the practice obtained extensively? 



A. Yes; we were very severe on them and it has now practically 

 ceased. 



Q. Your agents do not protect any lands from such depredations ex- 

 cept State lands? 



A. We have been requested to look after some United States govern- 

 ment lands, but have done that by request of the U. S. Land Office at 

 Marquette, but not land of private owners. Of the land bought for 

 grazing, a large proportion is good agricultural land. 



Q. How do you account for the fact that it is abandoned for taxes? 



A. Well, I am very glad to answer that question. The fact is that 

 in the earlier history of our tax lands it was very much easier for a man 

 to break down a tax title than it was for a man to pay his taxes. This 

 land was originally owned by men having large holdings of timber. 

 Twenty years ago it was easier to break down a title. They let the 

 taxes accumulate until, in many instances, they far exceeded the value 

 of the land. Times have changed, and through the improvements of tax 

 laws and decisions of the courts there came a time when a tax title 

 was pretty good. The tax had got to such proportions that nobody 

 could pay the taxes for the land. They have a process of deeding such 

 lands to the State, the State bidding them in and. the taxes are can- 

 celled. 



Q. Since the change you speak of, made some fifteen years ago, do 

 you account for much land being allowed to revert for taxes? Is that 

 good agricultural land? 



A. There is some that is good agricultural land. 



Q. How do you account for that being forfeited? 



A. There was much that was formerly owned by corporations that 

 are dissolved, much owned by estates, and I do not know the many 

 other reasons for which the land was returned. 



