GAME BODY LAND PRICES LOW, CLAIM
Revell, Aldric
Game Body Land Prices Low, Claim Research Body Appraisers Testify at Investigation BY ALDRIC REVELI. Two expert, iand appraisers, hired by the departmental research bureau, testified during the...
...Specifically, Burlingame and Ahlborn cruised six descriptions of 40 acres each for the research bureau...
...Qualify On Values" While the two men did not cruise the remaining 25 descriptions, they testified they were qualified to value them since they were familiar with the land...
...At the conclusion of his testimony, James S. Fornary, Racine, counsel for the bureau who conducted the questioning, asked Burlingame: "How well are you acquainted with all these descriptions...
...timber value, $283.42...
...Fifth 40 acres—Land value, including 1.500 feet of lake frontage, $1,500, timber value, $830, total value $2,330...
...The appraisers were W. W. Burlln-game, Lake Tomahawk, and August N. Ahlborn, Minocqua, who surveyed the conservation lands at the request of the research bureau...
...Recalled to the stand this morning, Burlingame was asked whether the commission's method of valuating lake land by the acre was proper...
...Burlin-game-Ahlborn appraisals was given this morning by Roger Smith, Rhine-lander, timber cruiser and surveyor for 30 years, who was Wred by the research department to appraise the same property, as a check on the work of Burlingame and Ahlborn...
...The bureau launched an investigation Monday into a proposed land-swapping deal between the conservation department and the Tomahawk-Kraft Paper Co...
...Burlingame said he owned about 9,000 acres of land in Oneida county and that he was a timber dealer...
...At one time Burlingame turned to C. L. Harrington, superintendent of state forests and parks, and criticized previous remarks by Harrington that Long lake, where the lake frontage of the department existed, was a No...
...conservation department estimate— Land value, $345...
...I just had to be honest in my testimony," Burlingame told Harrington...
...Reporting on the timber on five of the six 40 acre tracts, Smith said he valued it at $2,995, compared to conservation department appraisal of $776.16...
...278...
...I think I am as well acquainted with them as anvone could be...
...I am acquainted with some of them very well," Burlingame answered...
...total...
...In an attempt to show that the land swap was in fact agreed on h»* tween the commission and the paper firm, instead of being merely pending, Fornary presented testimony of Milton E. Laux, Waupaca retail liquor store and bowling alley proprietor, Laux testified that he owned 1,400 acres in Oneida county, and that with state public service commission approval he had constructed a dam in 1939 which flooded part of a certain 40 acre tract of state land...
...Third 40 acres — Land value, $80, timber value...
...whereby the department was to swap 9,034 acres of land in Vilas and Oneida counties, plus $24,931, for 18,942 acres of the company's land along the Flambeau river...
...Fourth 40 acres—Land value, including large frontage of 500 feet, $750, timber value, $1,520, total value, $2,-270...
...timber value, $353.55, total value, $753...
...S2.136, timber value $745, total value, $2,881...
...total, $930...
...conservation department estimate— Land value, $285, timber value, $173.20, total value, $458.20...
...All our assessors work by the foot (front foot of property) and consider beach, timber, accesslbtll ity, etc," Evidence supporting the...
...Their total valuation of the entire 1,240 acres consideration Tuesday was $14,509.50 compared to the department's $5,941.50...
...Decidedly no," he replied...
...Their value placed on the 240 acres was $9,319.50 compared to a value of $2,399.71 placed on the identical 240 acres by the department...
...Burlingame, substantiated by Ahlborn, gave the following valuations of the six descriptions he cruised: First 40 acres—Land value, $80, timber value, $470, total, $550...
...conservation estimate—Land value, $80, timber value, $108.54, total value, $188.54...
...He said that in 1938 he had bought 900 feet of lake, frontage on Long Lake, adjacent to conservation department property, and paid $3 a foot, while Charles Green, Chicago, had bought lake frontage next to conservation department property in 1937 and paid $4.50 per foot for it...
...August Frey, bureau director, presided at the hearing, which was held in the senate parlor at the capitol...
...He said he had cruised about 40.000 acres of land for private companies...
...Oneida county as well as for himself...
...total value, $628.42...
...Similarly, on all 25 other descriptions, Burlingame's estimates were in each rase much higher than those set by the conservation department...
...358...
...conservation department estimate—land value, $80, timber value, $105, total $185...
...We do not assess or appraise lake frontage by the acre...
...850...
...Sixth 40 acres—Land value, including 1.500 feet of lake frontage...
...According to Burlingame's estimate of the value of department land on Long Lake the amount was $7,481 compared to the figures of $1,891 the department set on it for sale to the Tomahawk-Kraft Paper Co...
...conservation department estimate—Land value, $80, timber value, $105, total, $185...
...2 lake...
...Second 40 acres—Land value, 80, timber value...
...Two expert, iand appraisers, hired by the departmental research bureau, testified during the bureau's investigation of 'he state conservation department at the capitol last week that the department had evaluated 1,240 acres of land in Vilas and Oneida counties at $8,568 less than its actual value...
...Burlingame said he had his summer home on Long Lake and it was good resort territory...
...J have driven by them and traversed them...
...conservation department estimate—Land value, $400...
...I hope there is no hard feelings between the department and myself...
Vol. 10 • May 1940 • No. 20
