The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-01-06
LAND OFFICE MATTERS.
TI,e Records, and How Kept by Camp
bell and Ray.

bell and RAY.
The committee to investigate the aff,irs Of th
State Land Office met last night Present: Bena
tor Robertson and Representatives Feralta AM
Tremoulet.
Mr.. Richardson was theft witness examined
he testifyiag in substance, that hs was employed
In the State l. nd Off 30 TO control the work a
making out tbs tract books. The method OF sell
ing lands was upon the s6idasits Of two persons
which we're required Had no doubt but that
lands had been cold as overfowed lands that
wAs lsoop TIMBER LAND.
In regard to warrant drawn and unseeounted
for, except for survey, the witEess thought the
warrant was not Tor himself, but for some one
else. Mr.. Hay expended the balance (s5l7s) re-
ceiyed from Campbell on the books, etc., and a
statement OF the expenditures was left in the
Office.
The vouchers went In 1876 to the committee OF
which Mr.. Stafford was chairman. gave them
90 him myself, but never got them back. II
there Ii an amount equal TO 1854 A3 shown for
which there are no vouchers on file In the Audit
ors or Tressurer's Office, cannot explain IT,.
They should be, as l know he paid nothing with
out vouchers.
There was no book kept In the Land Office
showing the expenses OF the ofliee. DO not know
how many tract books were made, perhaps ff
been or sixteen. They cost $500 each. II Mr.
Campbell charged $500 for the two books.
think
IT WOULD DE ExoRBITANT.
Those two books are not complete; they are
valueless to the State now II complete fair
price would be perhaps $500 or 5000.
To Mr.. Peralts-The books in the Office should
show The lands relocated.
To Mr.. Robinson There Ia book In the Land
Ofice showing every warrant drswn, or should
be, and there is no reason why it should not be
there. That was stub memorandum book, the
same AZ bank check book with slabs.
The fees OF the Office were arrived at by
charging 30 much per forty acres, aud Aft dayit
proof was required for lands entered.
believe the State could recover from the
general government the lands sold by the gen.
erh government under the act Of 1s4g and the
swamp land act, That gave
ALI THE SWAMP LANDs
Ia The Stale 10 The state, and after that the gov
eminent sold most OF the land.
There are several classes Of lands now held By
che United States that properly belong to the
State, and they could, We think, be recovered.
There Is large amonns of land In that condition,
some OF IL In the northwestern part of the State.
IL was what is known ne the "BhaIlow Lake
land--thst 10. lands surveyed and given TO the
State when there were small and shallow lakes |
standing. snd subsequently, when the water dis |
appeared, the government took and sold some. |
refusing to give up The balance. There were sew |
erA1 thousand acres OF this class of lands, the |
most valuable Of the GLASS in the State.
Az organized, were the State Register dis
posed to be dishonest, there is no check in the
Land Office that would prevent fraud unless by
frequent examinations. The only remedy is that
when the
GOVERNOR sIGNs PATENT,
the Register at the same time should rroduoe the
HtAte Treasures receipt for the money paid in.
To my knowledge parties have entered lands at
cheap ratee, through sfldavits made by others in
order to secure larger quantity. Believe a
short law could BIO framed to make the system
perfect.
4. Armant texpert) sworn-Have been en-
ployed In the examination Of the State Land or
doe since October 10Th /; examined all the books
Documents. vouct era, etc., in the office. Found
nothing showing the expenditures OF the office
pr the disposi ion OF funds to various parties
there was no DO showing the expenditure of
The appropriations made. Had to go TO the Au-
iitor's ofice and get the date Of issue Of war
fants, ETC., and then trace each one up There
MAS stub hook in the ofice, but 1t was insutfi-
sient, showing only few expenditures: it was
not reeu ariy kept, and no additions Whatever ver
1ad been made in the land entry books-in fact,
here was nothing in the Office that could be
CALLED RECORD.
There was not single addition of the sales
made, and / had to make the additions of each
BOOK as they were kept for eight years.
Under that syrtem there was no check upon the
Register were he disposed to be dishonest The
ract books are not complete and are unavailable;
would make one OF them out for $500 or 5000.
To Mr.. Pereia-The lands entered at low
,fices belonging to the State we're entered as
wamp lands, and are worth from 81 to IS per
Icre, VIII yield eighty cords OF wood to the acre,
md are only entered to get the timber. In
linety-nine cases out Of hundred the "actusl
ettlement' land. are those on which there ia no
nance 20 i've. The wood taken is worth 81 per
ord, which makes the land yield $50 per acre
The committee adjourned until Mondsy at Tn.
The following is the report OF the sub.oom.
nittee submitted by the chairman, MIR. Peralta: {
New ORLEANS. Dec. 81, 1877.
Ion. w. II. Robertson, Chairman, and Members
Land Office Investigation COMMITTEES:
Gentteaen-Iu accordance with the intent OF
our last adjournment instituting a sub.commit- |
20 for super visiting the Investigations carried on
7 the State Land Office, aud designating me as {
hartman thereof, / have daily ATTENDED the
orkngs OF the experts, messrs. Weightman and |
rmsnt. and herewith file their reports for your
lrther consideration.
fully concur in Mr.. Armsnt's statement when |
his report he signals the want Of system and /
tier neglect of account in the Land Office. /
rom personal examination and supervision / | '
u authoriz d TO corroborate his statement that /
10 investigation entsiled: First complete re- !
sarsAl and reconstruction OF all the transac- Q
1ns In the flee during the tenures OF Fl. J.
smpbell and John Ray, Esq, and that it was q
liz after the completion OF that exhaustive f
1rk equivalent, in fact to the eight years run y
ng OF the Office, thst some gleamings Of light u
uld be obtained and the Investigations fairly J
gun. D
Fer the details OF irregularities and decrepan- Il
u. 4 will refer you 10 the above designated j
Il. In which you will find them thoroughly aud p
arly explained, and | will proceed to call your u
mGdiats consideration on the subject OF lands