I 84 hi:) 184 W3 A3 CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BOUGHT WITH THE INCOME OF THE SAGE . ENDOWMENT FUND GIVEN IN 1891 BY HENRY WILLIAMS SAGE HD184.N3^°aI" ""'™™")' Library "'®IIIWlliffl±a!?E..of..Stafe lar,d off oljn 3 1924 030 043 008 4 DATE DUE ^^_^^^.^ m "T- 1 1 GAYLORD PRINTED IN U.S.A. REPORT OF COIIISSTONER STATE LAND OFFICE STATE OF NEBEASKA, MADE TO THB SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPKESENTATIVES, JA>^UARY ]st, 1871. REPORT FOR 1869 AND 1870. DES MOINES, IOWA: MlliliS A COMPANT, PKINTBES AND PUBLISHEBS. 1S71. 'Vtr~- yij^;g?y The original of tiiis bool< is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030043008 Lo^o REPORT OF COMMISSIONER STATE LAM OFFICE STATE OF NEBRASKA, MADE TO THB SENATE AND HOUSE OF EEPRESENTATIVES, JANUARY 1st, 1871. REPORT FOR 1869 AND 1870. DES MOINES, IOWA: HlliliS A COMPANY, PBINTEES AND FTTBIiISHEES. 1871. • • nx^«^ /\tl^ZI '^' s . ' J . ! i I , , 1,1 I 'b REPORT LAND COMMISSIONER'S DEPARTMENT, ) Lincoln, January 1st, 1870. ) To the Honorable, the Senate and House of Bejpresentatives of the State of Nebraska : I have tlie honor to report the operations of this Department, since my last Tieport, from December 1st, 1868, to November 30th, 1870. Total amount of acres sold since last report 64,905 Average price per acre % 8 48 Total amount of sale for 1869 and 1870 549,185 35 Amount paid in cash, principal 86,224 25 Amount unpaid 462,961 00 RECEIPTS. On hand at last Eeport 1,489 04 Amount received on sale of School Land 147,775 51 Total receipts $149,264 65 INVESTMENT. Amount invested in Nebraska Territo- rial Bonds by A. Kountze % 1,000 00 Premium |40, Interest |3 89 43 89 '—% 1,043 89 41,000 TJ. S. 5-20 Bonds at 1 21^ 49,815 00 Exchange at J per cent 124 54 Express from New York 186 80 Commission paid First National Bank, New York, at ^ per cent 62 27 50,188 61 KEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF Express of $15,000 U. S. 6-30 TJ. P. E. K. Bonds to New York for collection of interest General Fund Warrant 57 Transferred . . Nebraska Territorial Bonds Nebraska Territorial Bonds Nebraska Bonds Loan to John Cardman, Recording Mort- gage $1 75 Loan to Amanda F. and A. C. Tichenor Loan to 0. L. Sheffer Loan to G. B. Skinner Loan to A. B. Cogswell Loan to First Christian Church, Nebras- ka City Loan to S. McConiga Loan to John Eoberts Loan to George W. Ballantine Loan to "Wm. Fulton Loan to John Gillespie Loan to Andrew J. Cropsey Loan to John A. Helman Loan to A. T. McCartney Loan to O. P. Mason Loan to Shever and May Loan to "Watson Parrish Loan to W. F. Chapiu Loan to N. C. Brock Loan to N. C. Brock Loan to John M. Young Loan to Lyman Frost Loan to Levi Swell Loan to F. F. Leming Loan to D. C. Jenkins Loan to Jjca P. Conger f 45 00 300 00 5,500 00 3,500 00 300 00 6,001 75 10,000 00 200 00 1,000 00 1,250 00 4,000 00 1,000 00 500 00 4,000 00 2,500 00 4,000 00 10,000 00 1,500 00 500 00 2,500 00 6,000 00 1,000 00 1,000 00 2,600 00 2,500 00 6,000 00 5,000 00 3,600 00 2,000 00 2,000 00 1,000 00 STATE LAND OFFICE. 5 Loan to S. D. Beals $ 1,150 00 Loan toEoyalBuck 1,200 00 Loan to Esther L. Warner 6,000 00 1148,679 25 Balance $585 30 The investment of School Funds is one of the most important duties to be performed. The chief considerations in making investments are to make them safe and profitable. The safety of the School Fund, not only for the time being, but in view of the future, with all its contingencies, is of paramount importance. An unsafe investment, at the very highest rate of interest, is hazardous. To loan moneys to individuals on real estate securities has some objections, for the School Fund Commissioners are officers elect ; each of course will have urgent applications for loans from friends in need, and their importunities are overwhelming. To refuse is often a delicate matter, and to favor those most urgent is to confer, in many cases, to the most unrehable and undeserving ; and to comply in one case is to open the door to scores of other's equally pressing claims, arising out of personal favor or friendship. The Commissioners should be men who would not allow personal interests to control them in the performance of their duty iu this respect. They, making the interest of the State secondary to their own, for personal or political ends, thus it becomes a corruption fund, and the School Fiind in a few years would be scattered all over the State, and in the hands of favoeed individuals. The records would become complicated ; payment of interest and princi- pal would, in many cases, be delayed ; mortgages would have to be foreclosed and litigation arise. School Districts have in many cases made application for loans upon "District Bonds" voted; but equally strong objections lie against the pohcy of scattering the permanent fund among the School Districts of the State. Matters in our new State are comparatively 6 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF unsettled. Districts are liable to constant change ; divisions and sub-divisions are necessary in tbe nevr Counties being set- tled and often urged and secured through personal quarrels and neighborhood strifes. Some Districts become obsolete ; others are consolidated, and more should be ; and the Commissioners could not decide upon meritorious claims without long journeys and personal inspection, which often would be impracticable. Consequently, the School Districts contiguous to the Capital, or the principal towns of the State, might secure loans, where the Commissioners are conver- sant with the same, to the exclusion of others more remote but equally meritorious ; and not a few loans might be made iov politi- cal effect in the distant future. In the investment in Government Bonds objections also arise. The premiums are very high ; the rate of interest is only six per centum in gold, which amounts to more in currency. But in the event of a speedy return to the basis of specie payment, six per cent, in gold would be equivalent to six per cent, in currency. The U. S. 5-20s are Hable at any day to be called in by an act of Congress or the Secretary of the Treasury, which renders them less desirable as a permanent investment. State Bonds, in my estimation, are decidedly preferable as an in- vestment. Our State will have to bond her outstanding indebted- ness, and it remains to consider the feasibility of investing in our own bonds. The whole State is secmity, and it would improve the credit of the State at home and abroad by controlling within our- selves our own indebtedness. It will be an easy method of invest- ment. The School Fund Commissioners are liable to be changed every two years. One set of Commissioners may be excellent finan- ciers, and may manage the investment so as to add materially to the face of the productive fund ; another set of Commissioners may be poor financiers, and may use the distribution oi favors in loans of School Funds for political and corrupt purposes — consequently, it is very important that the law should provide a, plain,, feasible and easy method of investment, so that the productive School Fund may be dependent as little as possible upon the judgment, or lack of 8TA.TE LAND OFFICE. 7 judgment, of those whose duty for the time being may be to make the investment, and if the law should authorize the investment to be made ia State Bonds or State "Warrants it would place it out of the hands of any one using the same for any personal effect. There is no safer investment than in our own State Sureties. In order to profit by the experience of the older States, in the investment of School Funds, I have written to some of them, a copy of which I give with replies received. OFFICE STATE AUDITOR, > Lincoln, Nov. 10, 1870. ) Hon. 8wpt. Ptiblic Instruction, Lomsing, MicMgcm : ^ Deae Sie — ^Will you have the kindness to furnish the informa- tion asked for below, that our young State may have the 'benefit of you/r experience ia school matters, knowiag well the reputation your State has abroad for jour perfect system of common schools : First. Have you sold your common school lands ? * Second. If so, in what manner have you invested your school moneys ? Third. What has your experience as a State proven to be the best mode of investing school moneys ? By giving an early reply you will confer a favor which I shall be most happy to reciprocate. I am, sir, your most obedient servant, JOHlSr GILLESPIE, State Auditor. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, ) Office op Supbrintbndbnt, >■ Lansing, Mich., Nov. 15, 1870. ) Hon. John Gillespie, State Auditor, Nebrasha : Deae Sie — In answer to your letter of the 10th instant, I have to say, our primary school lands consist of one section out of every thirty-six in the State. Not far from three-fifths of the whole have 8 RBPOET OF COMMfSSIONER OF been sold, and the fund amounts to about $3,400,000. They are sold at four dollars per acre. The purchaser can pay the whole at the time of sale, or pay one-fourth down, and the balance remains as a loan to him, payable at iMspleaswe, or never, at 7 per cent, imterest ; and on failare of paying the mterest (mnually and jpromptl/y, the land is forfeited and goes back to the State to be again sold, with the value of any irrvprovements added. The money price on the principal is loaned to the State and used in paying other State indeitedness — a perpetual loan to the State at 7 per cent, interest. The interest and that paid by purchasers is the fund for annual distribution, amounting the past year to $179,348 74, or 48 cents per child. "We think humam, ingenidty can devise no better plan than oii/rs for the investment of our educational funds, all of them being under the same system, the University Fund being $561,000, lands all sold, and the Normal School Fund 167,000. At first the system was adopted of loaning the money to individ- uals and corporations / but it was soon found that that made it a purely corruption fund, and it was abandoned — several thousa/nd dolla/rs was lost — but with the present system the fund is safe while the State lasts. Very respectfully yours, etc., 0. B. STEBBENS, Deputy Superintendent Public Instruction. STATE OF KANSAS, SUP'T. OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION, ) ToPEKA, November 14th, 1870. J Hon. John Gillespie, State Auditor of Nebraska : Dbae Sik — Yours of the 10th inst. received. In reply I state : * * * The proceeds from the sale of school lands have been invested in bonds of the State of Kansas, with the exception of STATE LAND OFFICE. 9 ^50,000, invested in bonds issued by the city of Lawrence in aid of tbe State Uni/versity. The safest mvestment is State or U. S. Bonds. * * * Yours very truly, P. McVICAE, State Swpt. Pub. Instruction. STATE OF ILLINOIS, SUPERINTENDENT'S OFFICE, ) Springfield, November 14th, 1870. ) Son. John Gillespie, State Auditor, Linooln, Web. : Deae Sir — I am in receipt of yours of the 10th. The school lands of this state consists of the 16th section of each cong. town- ship. Nearly all of them have been sold. * * * * The proceeds are invested according to the provisions of section 57 of the school law, (copy sent same maU). They are in charge of the township treasurers, and are loaned by them on Jvrst class real- estate seGwrity. I know of no better plan for investing school moneys. Very respectfully yours, NEWTON BATEMAJSr, Stvpt. Pub. Instruction. BECAPITULATION. No. of acres sold per last report 21,944 No. of acres sold since 64,905 TotalNo. of acres 86,849 Average price per acre % 9.09 Total footing of sales to date 1 780,748.81 Amount paid in cash 151,189.12 Amount unpaid 629,559.69 Schedule " A " exhibits the apportionment June, 1869. « «^" " « " November, 1869. " « C" " " June 1870. 2 10 EEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF Schedule " D " exMbits the apportionment Nov. 1870. " "^" " sales by counties. " " i^" " receipts by State Treasurer. Eespectfully submitted, JOHN GILLESPIE, La/nd Commissioner. LAND COMMISSIONER'S DEPARTMENT, ) January 1st, 1871. ) To ike Honorable, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Nebraslia. I have the honor to submit the following reooTnmendations for yov/r consideration, and earnestly recommend \hQ\v passage : First — That the law authorizing the sale of school lands be changed so that all sales may be under the personal supervision of the La/nd Commissioner. This can be done by authorizing the Land Commissioner to arrange and publish the date of sales, commencing and continuing during the month of May and Jmie of each year, for the several counties. This will prevent irregularities which now occur in the selling and receipting for moneys paid, and will prevent conflict in titles which win hereafter necessarily foUow. Second— That the H. S. 5W and the 7-30 TJ. S. TI. P. R. R. Bonds be sold, and be invested in our outstanding warrants or bonds, (if the warrants are bonded), thus securing a better interest to the school fund, and will provide also for the indebtedness of the State. Eespectfully submitted, JOHN GILLESPIE, Lamd Commissioner. STATE LA.ND OFFICE. 11 SCHEDULE ''AP Apportionment of School Moneys, June, 1869. No. of OMdren 30,956, Bate per Scholar |0.70. Amount Apportioned $14,661.50. COUKTIBS. il Amts. due. COUNTIES. Amt8. due. Burt 332 37 2,091 135 $ 232 40 25 90 1,463 70 94 50 L'Eau Qui Court Lincoln Madison Merrick Nemaha Otoe Butler 30 130 83 2,284 2,503 873 346 2,320 386 635 250 230 65 881 41 $21 00 Cass 91 00 Cedar 58 10 Colfax, included 1,698 80 with Platte . . . 1,752 10 611 10 242 20 Cuming Dakota 379 608 231 559 2,946 558 172 886 894 265 30 425 60 161 70 391 30 2,062 20 390 60 120 40 270 20 625 80 Pawnee Platte DixOn Richardson Saline 1,624 00 270 20 Dodee Doufflas Sarpy 444 60 Gaffe Saunders Seward Stanton Washington York 175 00 Hall 161 00 Jefferson Johnson Kearnev . . 45 60 616 70 28 70 Lancaster 560 392 00 12 BEPORT OP COMMISSIONER OF STATEMENT '' BP Apportionment of School Moneys, February, 1870. No. of Children, 30,834. Bate per ScMa/r, $1,405. Amount Apportioned, $43,331.71. COTJNTIBa. Amts. due. C0UMT1K8. Amts. due. Burt Butler. . . . Cass Cedar . . . . Colfax . . . Cuming . . Dakota . . . Dixon . . . Dodge . . . Douglas . , Gage Hall Jefferson . Johnson . , Kearney . Lancaster 912 204 2,722 263 218 628 715 336 1,043 3,962 931 234 621 1,143 11,281 286 3,824 369 306 882 1,004 472 1,465 5,566 1,308 328 732 1,605 36 62 41 51 29 34 57 08 41 61 05 77 00 91 1,136 1,596 08 L'Eau Qui Court Lincoln Madison Merrick Nemaha Otoe Pawnee Platte Richardson Saline Sarpy Saunders Seward Stanton Washington .... York 63 98 243 118 2,565 3,380 $88 51 137 69 341 41 165 79 3,603 82 4,748 90 1,366 1,919 23 428 601 34 3,322 4,667 41 690 969 45 854 1,199 87 543 762 91 660 927 30 183 257 11 1,261 1,771 76 92 129 20 STATE LAND DPFICE. 13 SCHEDULE '' C' Apportionment of School Moneys, June, 1870. No. Scholwra, 33,619. BaUper Scholar, $3.39 1-10. Ami. Jpportioned, $77,993.00. COUNTIES. Amts. due. COUNTIES. 7^m Amts. due. Burt Butler Cass Cedar Colfax Cuming . . Dakota.. . . Dixon Dodge. . . . Douglas . . Gage .... Hall Jefferson. . Johnson. . Kearney . . Lancaster . 899 346 2,816 268 301 602 715 384 1,033 3,642 996 231 531 1,294 05 78 69 38 12,149 501 827 28 6,733 640 719 1,439 1,709 56 918 14 2,470 00 92 43 32 62 95 8,468 2,381 552 1,269 3,093 1,582 3,782 56 L'Eau Qui Court Lincoln Madison Merrick Eemaha Otoe Pawnee Platte Richardson . . . Saline Sarpy Saunders Seward Stanton "Washington . . York 67 128 290 134 2,856 3,577 1,455 423 3,322 680 868 834 782 189 1,344 130 160 306 693 320 6,828 8,552 3,478 1,011 7,942 1,625 88 •2,075 38 09 76 451 89 19 04 39 39 69 50 90 39 90 1,994 1,869 3,213 310 60 83 14 BEPORT OF COMMISSIONER OP SCHEDULE '' D.'' Ajpportionment of School Moneys, December, 1870. No. OhOdren, 32,763. Bate per Selwlar, $1.85733, Amt. Apportioned, $60,849.53. COTJNTIBS. Amt. due. Amt. due. Eurt Butler.., Cass Cedar . . Colfax . . Cuming , Dakota . . Dixon . . Dodge . . Douglas Gage Hall Jefferson . Johnson . . Kearney. . Lancaster. 899 34:6 2,816 268 301 602 715 384 1,100 3,542 996 231 531 1,294 $1,669 642 5,230 497 559 1,118 1,327 713 2,043 06 6,578 63 1,849 891 429 04 986 24 2,403 28 73 63 22 76 05 11 99 21 1,582 2,938 28 L'Eau Qui Court Lincoln Madison , Merrick Nemaha , Otoe , Pawnee , Platte Richardson . . . , Saline Sarpy Saunders .... Seward Stanton "Washington . . , York 67 128 290 134 2,856 3,577 1,455 423 3,398 680 868 834 782 189 1,344 130 6,311 62 ; 124 44 237 74 538 248 5,304 6,643 2,702 785 56 64 40 65 18 1,262 98 1,612 15 1,549 01 1,452 42 351 03 2,496 24 241 45 STATE LAVD OFFICE. 15 SCHEDULE «^." Receipts from Sales of School Land as Reported hy the County Clerics to the Land Commissioners. COUNTIBB. Acres sold 1 u Total Amount. Amount of Principal Paid. Amount of Principal Unpaid. Interest paid to Jan. 1, 1871. Burt.... . . Cass Gage Colfax Sarpy Washington Eichardson Dixon Douglas'.. . . Lancaster . . Dodge Seward Nemaha. . . Butler Stanton .... Johnson . . . HaU. Pawnee Otoe 949 11,571 1,791 650 440 2,430 5,680 370 3,929 12,170 4,060 3,446 3,898 10 450 2,054 640 1,980 8,493 8 38 8 96 7 70 9 r3 7 00 7 66 8 25 7 00 12 15 7 80 7 34 7 07 7 88 25 00 7 82 7 20 16 30 7 04 8 47 7948 00 103669 60 13795 25 5960 00 3080 00 18630 00 46013 50 2692 00 47769 30 94979 60 29936 00 24332 00 30731 25 250 00 3520 00 14800 00 10433 25 13947 50 76799 00 1210 00 15926 67 3177 39 1528 00 1316 00 1903 00 10684 23 1684 00 7201 96 10439 36 4831 50 2636 00 4993 70 126 00 662 00 1792 00 .6105 25 1496 25 9722 95 6738 00 87742 93 10617 86 4432 00 1764 00 16727 00 35429 27 1008 00 40567 35 84540 24 25103 50 21696 00 26737 56 125 00 2868 00 13008 00 6328 00 12462 25 67076 05 326 29 4640 21 676 08 231 26 71 70 987 56 "29'46 2186 40 4260 37 1192 65 1085 18 1299 73 6 25 161 38 746 04 311 10 690 12 3364 78 64,905 8.48 549,185.25 86,224.25 462,961.00 22,445.40 16 REPOKT OF commissioner; SCHEDULE '' F." Receipts of Permamsnt School Fvm,d, as reported ly State Treas- urer, joer Duplicate Recevpt. COUNTIES. PRINCIPAL. INTEKKBT. LEASE. Burt Eutler Colfax Cumihg Cedar Cass Douglas Dixon Dodge Dakota Gage Hall Johnson Jefferson • , Lancaster L'Ean qui Court- Madison Nemaha Otoe Platte Pawnee Pichardson Saunders Sarpy Stanton Seward Saline Washington 66 125 1,758 3,981 1,293 19,207 7,401 1,584 9,634 403 3,527 6,105 1,792 2,485 10,024 694 6,977 16,287 1,182 6,747 11,730 3,042 8,571 668 2,888 1,113 4,024 600 50 5 00 699 95 31 15 1,150 25 1,796 596 11,816 7,512 330 6,293 89 690 06 607 310 2,807 165 20,481 148 42 10,189 16,655 22 2,977 32 3,231 50 2,228 43 609 63 312 98 84 00 151 04 2,977 30 420 45 7,011 71 2,861 02 179 80 132,207 13 605 50 100,175 24 6,197 68