The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-01-16
STATE LANDS.
Annual Report of the Surveyor-General
Condition of the COmmOnWealth's

| IOiioNlpk AIC lnt pEtuClDtl pOiutS
of interest in the report of the Surveyor
| General, Gen. Robert B. Beath -
The amount of money paid into the
State Treasury through this Office during
the past official year, although little less
than the year 1871, is about the average
of yearly receipts since the passage of the
act of 20th May, 1864.
Notwithstanding the fact that the
revenue received by the Commonwealth
from this source siuce 1864 amounted to
SILL ,9S9 80, aud much the larger part
of this sun within the last three years,
yet it appears that the stimulus given to
patenting lands, by the act of 1864, aud
the earnest efforts Of the Survyor Gene
raj to carry that law into effect had
reached its maximum in the year 1870.
After that time the applications for
patents were considerably reduced.
The state of facts doubtless induced
my predecessor, who had given the sub
ject close stteution,) to recommend the
passage Of an act requiring the county sur
veyors to notify the owners of unpateuted
lauds of the amounts of the liens held
against them by the State 1t was be
Ieyed that an act of this kind, while re
leving the then existing laws from the
apparently hvae feature of bringing suits
without previous notice, which might have
been doue at any time, would go far
toward closing up the unfinished business
of the department, for 1t was supposed
that few, if any Of those notified, would
delay the payment of the liens against
their lands longer than the time given in
the notices to be served by the county
| surveyor, as they would thereby secure
from the Con- n onwealth the fee simple
| or complete title.
A supplement substantially embodying
the suggestions of Surveyor General
Campbell, but changed in some Of the
minor details. Was passed during the
session of 1872, aud approved the 11th
day of April last. As too little time re
mained for my predecessor, whose term
o! Office expired on the 1th day of May,
to do anything toward carrying the surpe
ment iuio effect, that duty devo we'd p N
me. A meeting of the Board of Pro-
perty was at ouce called for the 18th of
! May. to take action ia relation thereto
| The board at this meeting after having
taken into consideration the duties en-
! Joined spon them by the act, together
with the probable amount of other work
required to be performed by this office
during the summer, adopted Il resolution
| directing the Surveyor General to make
| out and forward to the county surveyors,
respectively, partial, special lists of the
l. r ii.
special lists to contain twenty FIVE tracts
| for each county, except in those contain
| ing more an average number of impatient
ed tracts, in which case the lists were to
be increased to fifty tracts each.
The work of preparing these special
| lists was at once commenced, aud as many
| of the clerks as could be spared from
employed in making copies of the sur
veys of the unpatented tracts, aud also of
the surveys of the parts heretofore patent
ed, when any portion of given tract had
| been patented in order that the county
surveyors might the more readily and
with greater certainty find the location
ot the tracts and ascertain the names of
the owners, agents or occupiers, and there
| by be enabled to inteligently perform
their duties under the law. The first lot
of these special list completed was for
warded to the proper county surveyors on
the 10Th day OF July, and others from
time to time after that date as they were
| finished. These lists embraced 1892
tracts and 81 town lots. covering 32l 40
acres, against which the Commonwealth
has liens for unpaid purchase money aud
| fees, exclusive of interest accrued since
June l, 1868, amounting to over 800,
600
Many of the county surveyors have
made their reports, as required by the
Sd section of the act of llth April. 1872,
aud generally have been quite successful
in finding the location of the tracts con
tanned in the special lists sent them. as
we'll as the names of the present owners !;
aud so far as they have expressed an
opinion on the subject, agree in saying
that the owners so notified will at an early
date take steps to secure patents, aud not
compel the enforcement of collections by
process of law.
The notices not having been served
until late in the summer aud fall, and six
months time from the date OF the service
being allowed by law, 10 which to pay off
the liens, it was not expected that the ap
pications for patents would materially in
crease during this official year, but after
the lst Of January next, considerable
sun will be derived from this source
Before the passage of the supplement-
of April last, many land owners whose
lands were patented, but who were them
selves ignorant of that lact, went to much
trouble add expense to trace up their
titles, fearing that suits might be brought
against them and costs imposed, or their
lands, if unseated, sold without their
knowledge. The present law obviates
Il 4 q a..ltIr IL ncc tho nl