Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-03-22
Land gents Report.

We have received The annual report for the
past year of the Land Agent, Hon. Edwin c. Bur
leigh, from which we learn that during the past
year there have been conveyed to persons holding
certificates as settlers on the State lands 10 45i 9S
acres; to Swedish immigrants l96S59 acres for
cash 2j2. 36 acres and under resolves Of the leg
islature l,62i73 acres. There still remain GER
tifcates outstanding in cases where the parties
are at work performing their settling duties, COW
ering ll2S05 acres, of which $500 acres
were ccrtifcated during the past year. besides
3, l0i 90 acres conditonaly conveyed to actual
settlers in Perham Plantation.
There still remain unsold and unceftificated
Is. j67 acres, part Of which is understood to
be taken up and not yet reported to the office
but the larger part of which is of a character but
poorly adapted to the purpose of settlement.
Under the acts Of the legislatures Of 1876 and
1917, seventy-seven i-lands lying in the SEA along
the coast Of Maine were sold during the past
year. Several remain which were withheld from
sale on account of the uncertainty of title.
The Swedish colony formed by immigrants
from Sweden, and settled principally in the plan
tatlon of New Sweden and its neighborhood
continues TO thrive, and bids fair TO become per-
manent. They are very industrious, temperate
and well disposed people and very useful and val
liable addition to our population. Having become
acclimated to their new homes, they seem happy
and contented. and their efforts are being album
dainty repaid by the results Of a rich harvest and
other favorable effects. Their crops have been
good and satisfactory, and they may be justly
garded as fortunate in the experiment they have
made in exchanging home in foreign land for
one among us.
The Land Agent has repeatedly called attention
to the plans and records the Land Office includ-
ing those received by donations from the Com
monwealth of Massachusetts. The report SAYS
U nder the authority of the resolve of 1874 chap
ter 2Si, during the past year these plans have all
been carefully compiled paired and arranged,
and then bound in a very convenient form for fn-
ture use and reference, filling seventeen large
volumes. Careful indexes Of each volume, and a
general index Of the whole have been made, so
as to enable the examiner at moments call to
find any one OF the hundreds OF maps thus collect
ed. The records made by either the State of
Maine or the Commonwealth Of Massachusetts,
have, far poss lble, been arranged and flied
together with field notes of surveys. The i'm
mense importance of these archives, thus arranged
and preserved, can not be estimated. Their
value is above all price and they will furnish
never ceasing source of Information and interest
to every land holder and citizen of our State who
IS interested in its soil or title"
The amount Of cash paid into the State Treas
ury during the past year is fifteen thousand three
hundred four dollars seventy-feur cents;
On account of permanent school fund, SIS 900 -
general account $500 As
account of reserved lands, JOB rs
j,30i a
The report has the usual valuable tables and
schedules.
1t is fortunate for the State that this depart.
ment is to remain in the hands of Mr.. Burleigh
and we trust this may be so until the transferal of
It's affairs to some other department. He is tho
roughly conversan t with its affairs, being person
ally familiar with its complicated duties, and ca
discharge them better than any other man. 1t s,
besides, pleasant to transact business with such