Page:History of Public School Education in Arizona.djvu/127

Rh development of additional water supply for such lands. As the prospect was for an abundant supply of water from Roosevelt reservoir, it was thought that there would be at least temporarily enough water, but if this was to be permanent it would depend on the development of an additional water supply. But this situation in no case affected the rights which the lands might possess under the Kent decree. The opinion of the commission was that authority should be given for the sale of the lands and that the proceeds should be placed in an inviolable permanent fund, for in their present status the lands are being sadly neglected.

According to the first report of the Arizona land commission in 1914, the 8,103,680 acres included in sections 2, 16, 32, and 36 which have been devoted to the public schools, are divided as follows:

When the 1,580,035.46 acres in place and leased or not leased are classified from the standpoint of agricultural, woodland, or grazing usefulness, it was found that there were 303,333.62 acres susceptible of some form of agricultural development; 143,189.48 acres had woodland value; and 1,549,980.02 acres had grazing value. It was estimated that these 1,580,035.46 acres were worth $6,266,505.79 and the improvements upon them (structures, windmills, tanks, ditches, and canals, clearing and leveling, fencing, perennial crops, and water rights) were worth an additional $848,976.47, making a total of $7,115,482.26. Prior to statehood there were 264,993.34 acres of school lands leased under 806 leases, and at the rates then charged these leases brought $16,397.39 per year. With statehood the rental values were revived and standardized at prices ranging from $20 per section up for grazing lands. For the three years beginning March 16, 1912, and ending with March 15, 1915, the earnings were: 1912–13, $22,465.36; 1913–14, $32,148.48; 1914–15, $31,792.66; 1915–16, $35,852.14; 1916 (Jan. 1–July 1), $40,349.12. For the whole period between February 14, 1912, and March 15, 1915, the total earnings were $88,367.17, of which there had been paid in $43,547.51, and there was then due $44,819.66.