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| Sec. 4. There is hereby appropriated out of any money in the treasury, not 
otherwise appropriated, a sufficient sum to carry out the provisions of this bill. 
Sec. 5. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and 
i | publication. 
| Approved April 14, 1897. 
! 
The commission has sought the cooperation of this division, and a 
preliminary survey of the forest counties of the State, in cooperation 
rf with the State geological survey, is being made by timber experts 
| upon whose researches the commission will base its report to the next 
| legislature, as provided in the act above quoted. 
IE | MINNESOTA. 
HT An effort was made during the legislative session of 1897 to secure 
| the enactment of the following bill, which passed the house but failed 
i to reach a vote in the senate. The bill is included here, notwith- 
Bie standing its failure to become a law, because it embraces a novel and 
tl interesting method of securing to the State the benefits of a forest 
reservation : 
| AN act to encourage the growing and preservation of forests, and to create forest boards and > 
i forest reserve areas. 
| 
(Sections 1 to 8 provide for the acquirement of forest reserve areas, the appoint- 
ment of a forestry board of nine members, who shall serve without pay other 
i than the reimbursement of actual expenses incurred, and who shall have a secre- 
tary, and elect a president and vice-president. The State treasurer is made 
treasurer of the board, and county commissioners and town supervisors are 
made county and town forestry boards. The duties of the boards are defined, 
and the remainder of the bill, embracing its unique features, is as follows:) 
SEC. 9. Any person or corporation being the owner in fee simple of any cutover 
or denuded, or partially cutover or partially denuded, natural forest lands, which 
will not probably be utilized for many years for agricultural purposes, or any bare 
or waste, or partially bare or waste, rough prairie lands, or any very sandy, very 
rough or very rocky lands in this State, or any lands deemed absolutely necessary 
for the preservation of water courses (all to be determined by said State forestry 
board) may deed the same to the State of Minnesota for forestry purposes; all 
lands so deeded to the State for forestry purposes by any person or corporation 
are hereby forever dedicated for forestry purposes. 
ipl Before such deed shall be made and delivered, a proposition in writing shall be 
made by such owner or owners to said State forestry board to so deed the same 
i) for forestry purposes, under the terms of this act, and amendments thereof, 
made prior to such offer, and the question of the acceptance thereof shall be 
Hl referred to the town or county forestry board where the land is situated (or both 
such town and county forestry boards) for its advice on the question of accepting 
i} the same; and said State forestry board, or its executive committee may hear the 
ie, person offering so to deed, or his or her representative, and also may hear such 
town or county forestry board or its representative, both sides in person or by 
written reasons submitted, why such deed should or should not be received, and 
| the decision of the State forestry board to receive or reject such offer and deed 
shall be final. Such deed may be made by quit claim, where by the advice of the 
i attorney-general, or by the advice of its attorney, if said board have one, said 
Hl lands are clear of liens except for taxes and tax sales still owned by the State. 
il The board may appoint an executive committee annually, on which it may 
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confer authority to perform any executive act, and to exercise its judgment in 
minor details which can not conveniently be acted upon by the board. 
SEc. 10. At least once in every five (5) years, and as much oftener as the State 
forestry board may decide, the accumulated income from each tract of land so 
deeded by persons or corporations for State forestry purposes, shall be divided 
by the State forestry board and disposed of as follows, to wit: 
1st. One-third (4) shall belong to the State, to reimburse the State for the care 
and protection of the forests thereon, and for the nonpayment of taxes thereon 
4 to the State, county, and town, which third (4) shall be divided between the 
i it State, county, and town where the land is situated as follows, to wit; One-half 
| (4) to the State, one-fourth (4) to the county, and one-fourth (4) to the town. 
