Arizona citizen., 1877-10-27


 Operations Under the Desert Land
 Act-TtmDer Lands-Private Land Claims, sSc.
 In forwarding his Annual Report of surveying operat ons within the dis trict of Arizona for the fiscal year end ing June 30, 1877, he Surveyor Gener- al wrote as follows:
 SURyEYs-wHERE MADE AND CHARAC-
 TER OF LAND
 The lands surveyed with the appor- tlonment for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. lie along the Sonoila, Santa Cruz and Gila valleys in the southern part of the district, and were subdivlded upon application of bona tide settlers and residents. In the northern section, application by set tiers were made for surveys along Date and Ash creeks and in Chino and Up- per Verde valleys. Deputy Surveyor Foster was given a contract last Octo-I Der for the survey of such lands but he has not yet made return of his work. Surveys of only such lands as actual settlers have requested be made, either directly to this office or through depu-I ty surveyors, have been executed. In this connection it is proper to say,  there is very little land in this dislrictI which can be cultivated without irri- gatiOn, and irrigable lands or such as can be redeemed and for which there is sufficient accessible water for the re- clamalion and cultivation of the same not otherwise utilized or claimed" are. situated in valleys varying from few rods to few miles h width. To sur Yey these lands one of two courses must be pursued, viz: Either survey tracts of irregular width, sometimes extending to the width of township. but more generally less, or often cover lands, on either side of the valleys, which cannot be irrigated by the ordi ! nary method even if water were abun- dant Being we'll convinced that Con- gress intended that lands occupied 6y actual settlers should be surveyed, and that unless townships contain actually :. worthless land, they should be fully surveyed when begun, 1 let contracts and instructed deputies accordingly. ! It Is very rare that lands on either side 1 of culIivatable valleys are not covered with excellent grass and are therefore much desired by settlers, and, when op- portuniiy is afforded, will be puIchas- ed by valley settlers In many InStanc- es, settlers occupy lands with only spring or very small stream with a view to engage in stock or cattle growing. important industries in Arizona Such settlers ask for surveys, and are as just ly entitled tO them aS are those engag- ed in agriculture; yet a strict applied ton of the letter of the law, would per haps exclude them from the privilege of procuring title 10 lands they occupy in perfect good faith for homes, and for the only use to which they can be put
 In some instances, stock growers sink wells on the fine pasture lands destitute of surface water, and, at considerable eX- pense, erect hoIsIing machinery to raise the water for their animals and for oth- CT uses. This species of settlement de serves The very best encouragement, and yet Congress has substantially denied them surveys and therefore power to procure title Any and all lands which people will occupy in good faith for legitimate purposes oughtto be survey ed. Arizona Territory has a standing reward of $3000 and 5000 for the find ing of artesian water, and yet, should any enterprising party secure the 5000 reward by sinking a successful well on unsurveyed lands, he might be unable to procure title under present national egislaiiOn-which was uIquestionably inspired because of the survey of worth less lands; but, in an honest attempt to prevent abuses, Congress surely exceed ed its purposes, and legislated so as to- occupation of valuable lands. Recognizing fully the legal re- strictions on surveys and the strict in- struclions of your office in relation thereto, and at the same time the abso- lute justice of the demands of bona tide settlers for surveys, ill submitting, for your approval, the first contract for sur veys under the appOrtiOnment for the present. fiscal year, 1 stated quite clear ly the character of lands embraced in said contract, and wit. such statement, you approved it. The law should be so amended as to meet the reasonable wants of actual settlers. In doing 1t, the survey of worthless lands could be just as effeclually pre- ented.
 OPERATIONS UNDER THE DESERT
 LAND ACT.
 According to the best information at hand, not quite one hundred declarato- ry statements have been made under the Desert Land Act, and but twenty six ou uusurveyed land in this district. shows that, with very few exceptions, they have been made by actual residents of the Territory. Fear ing that possible abuses of the privi- leges permitted by the law, would lead