The weekly Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1872-1887, 1881-09-18

Public Land Surveys,

There appears to be an erroneous I'M
preston concerning the public land sur
yeys. l.. 5. Davis. the United States
Surveyor General, whose Office is at
Virginia City. has sole control, under
Instructions from the u. 5 Land Com
missioner ut Washington, Of the u. $.
land surveys in Nevada. The State
Surveyor General, A. j. Hatch, whose
Office is ut Carson. has the control of
the sale OF State lands or such lands as
have been granted by the United States
to The State OF Nevada. Thus it will
be seen hat the duties Of these offices
are unlike and have no connection with
each other. One is a United States and
the other n State office. # is the policy
AMI intent Of the United States to sur
vey the entire public domain. In
nearly all the States cast Of the Rocky
Mountains tho public lands surveys
bave been completed. In the State of
California the U. $. surveys are nearly
completed, and in all public land States
where surveys are not completed they
are progressing. IL is important that
the public land surveys in the State Of
Nevada be completed. There il still a
large portion Of the State uusuI veyed,
comprising the agricultural, timber,
mineral and desert lands. We're the
whole State surveyed Nevada would
have n better chance OF selecting and
selling the lands which it il entitled TO
under tho grants made by Congress.
Every township in the State contains
something valuable - either farming
lands, timber. mineral vein or mineral
deposits. 1t Is no consequence 10 the
State or General Government whether
these surveys are made under the spe-
ci"l deposit system or 10y direct nppro-
priaiion; II mounts to the Same thing
either way. Nevada is MS much entitled
TO have her lands surveyed M the State
OF Kansas, in which tho surveys have
been completed. The desert lnnds Of
Nevada promise very much in tho way
Of rich mineral deposits, and M tho
people who fluid these deposits make
application TO the u. s. SeryOyor Gen
er"l TO have them surveyed aud deposit
the money with the U. S. Assistant
Treasurer for that purpose, under the
laws OF the United States, we certainly
see no moIc improperly in making the
survey than II tho application had been
made for the survey of n mineral lode
or placer mining claim. We presume
U. \. Surveyor General Davis under
stands his duty and is careful to up.
point rs his deputies competent and
reliable men. II Is very probable that
persons unqualified in one or tho other
OF these respects have made npplica.
lion for the position OF deputy and have
been refused; hence the kick and howl
against tho progress Of government
surveys In Nevada Reno Journal.
We consider the above subject ono OF
vital importance 10 tho people Of this
state aud hope General Davis will
continue tho good work until evory acre
within its boundaries shall have been
surveyed. Under Deputy d. II. Barker.
Tor the past two years. the Government
survey In this portion Of tho State has
been conducted with energy, intelli-
gence aud economy. md tho benefits
resulting to the citizens Of this county
can hardly be estimated. Heretofore
any citizen finding n picco OF Govern.
ment land, which he desired TO possebs.
stood in total darkness with regard to
locality or the probable expense necea.
s"ry to perfect title TO the Same. but
with the survey complete and the couh.
try properly mapped. much OF tho
trouble and litigation that has an.
noyod tho early settler would be u thing
OF the past. by all means lot the sur.
roy DO finished aud ~ soon AZ practI.
babio.