114 THE COMMISSION OF INQUIRY, 



In the winters of 19034, Silas McTiver, of Onaway, lumbered the 

 S W l^ of the N E % of 27-35-1-E, and under date of March 18, 1908, 

 the Land Office reports that they have no record of trespass having 

 been collected on this description. The value of the timber removed 

 is estimated at $1,155.50. As to the facts 'in this , case, we have the 

 signed statements of Leonard Walters, who worked on the N E i/4 of 

 the S E 14 ^ii<i '^^0 says that the logs taken from this forty were 

 hauled by his door; also_, the statement of James Walters, whc) was 

 lumbering the N E 14 of the S E 14 at the same time; also, statement 

 of Ben Sayers, who worked for McTiver at that time and who assisted 

 in cutting the timber; also, statement of Pete Lobsinger, copies of 

 which are attached to this report. 1 



The valuations put on the lands generally were ridiculous. For in- 

 stance, the appraised valuation on the N E 14 of the S E % of section 

 3-13-11-W, forty acres, was $1.25 per acre. This land was purchased 

 by Guy Evans of the State at |3.25 per acre, and he says he could have 

 purchased it at |1.25 per acre, but other parties who knew the value 

 of this description also wanted it and so the bid was run up to $3.25. 

 The timber on this forty is valued at |400. This alone is eight times 

 the value placed on this description by the State examiners, and when 

 it is considered that the land is good farm land' and has a value, in- 

 dependent of the timber of $6.00 per acre for agricultural purposes, the 

 appraisal becomes still more ridiculous. 



As illustrating the manner in which some of these valuations are 

 placed, we wish to call your attention to some of the following: 

 Erastus Branch purchased the S % of the N E % of 36-15-13 at $2.25 

 per acre. We are told that they escorted the appraiser around when 

 he was placing the valuation on the land. This eighty is sand, clay, 

 loam and gravel, and good for farming, for which purpose its value 

 is at least |6.00 per acre. 



Sumner Cross, who is supervisor of Troy township, made the state- 

 ment to George Wilson that the appraiser, Mr. Thayer, who was valu- 

 ing lands in that township, stayed with him and he, Mr. Cross, drove 

 him around to investigate, and that the appraiser did not get out of 

 the buggy to look at and examine any forty near or far, and never esti- 

 mated any land at the value of timber whatever, but looked over the 

 assessment roll and placed valued from that. 



Mr. Hiram Schepers, treasurer of Missaukee county, made^ state- 

 ments to O. P. Burgess, and said he would take his oath to the correct- 

 ness of some, if necessary, that Mr. Sheldon, a brother-in-law of E. A. 

 Wildey, the then commissioner of State lands, appraised 43 forties in 

 Town 21-6-W, and on sections 13, 14, 16, 23, 24, 26 and 36 in the fol- 

 lowing manner : 



He came to Mr. Schepers and asked him to show him the 43 forties 

 and asked if they could be looked over in one day. Mr. Schepers 

 drove Mr. Sheldon in the vicinity of the lands in question and Mr. 

 Sheldon, from this, was able to satisfy himself suflQciently so that he 

 felt at liberty to leave that same evening, and Mr. Schepers drove him 

 to McBain, about eight miles away, the same evening. During the en- 

 tire day Mr. Sheldon left the buggy but once and placed all his values 



