River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-11-08
THE LAND OFFICE.
COMMISSIONERS M'FAR1AND's REPORT


general land Office is ont to-day. He repeats
his recommendations for the repeal OF the pre-
smption and timber culture laws and for the
modification Of the homestead laws, and the
Did story OF the abuses growing out Of the
operation of these laws, which lead him to rec
ommend their repeal or amendment This
subject will. of course, engage the attention Of
congress next winter. During the last congress
a number of bills were introduced TO repeal the
pre-. emption laws and amend the homestead
and pre-emption culture laws. The measure
was favorably reported by the Hon. a b.
Strait from the house committee on public
lands and afterwards, motion OF Mr..
Pound, chairman of that committee, engrafted
IN the sundry civil appropriation bill;
but the senate having adopted rule 10 exclude
new legislation from appropriation bills. struck
out the clause, and the measure fell with the
expiration of the congress. The subject will
be taken up de novo by the next congress, and
it remains 10 be seen whether the proposition
becomes a law or not Some very strong adj
Yocates of repeal, among them Mr. Washburn
and Mr.. Straight of Minnesota, come over from
the last house and will very likely urge the
passage of the measure Among other things
recommended by the commission is the passage
of law on the question Of the for
fixture of certain railroad land grants
which he mentions in detail. This is
also q ripe subject for the next congress, and
number Of members are known to be ready
and eager 10 take it up. Among the roads
mentioned are the St. Paul, Minneapolis &
Manitoba, the Brainerd branch OF the St. Faul 4
Pacific, now Manitoba railroad, the Southern
Minnesota railway extension, Hastings & Da-
koia, and the Lake Superior & Mississippi.
These roads have been completed, but not
within the time required by law
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC
is given in the report as one of the roads not
completed within the time required by law,
but which are in course of construction. The
Sioux CITY & St Paul belongs to another class
of roads, partly completed and, SO far as
known to the general land Office, construction
suspended The commissioner says:
In the absence of congressional action lands have
been certified patented accordingly roads have
been constructed, whether within or out Of the
time prescribed Your immediate predecessor sus-
pended this practice prior TO the meeting of con-
gress in December, $780, but as no legislative
action taken, You have held that under the de-
cison OF the supreme court of the United States
you had no right 10 declare a forfeiture or to fur
Their suspend the issue Of patents for lands along
the constructed poation of roads, even II the same
had not been built within the prescribed time. The
remaining lands are contained in the reservation
established by law or under Withdrawals made for
the protection of the grants. Meanwhile set
tiers have entered upon some of these
lands and anxious to know whether
they must look 10 the railroad companies or TO the
United Sta es for their titles. The public demand
for definite settlement of the question, whether
forfeiture is to be enforced in any OF these cases
is constantly pressed upon my attention. / con-
slider it of very great importance that the earliest
possible action should be taken either to revive the
grants declare them forfeited. IL it be the judg
ment of congress that the grants should be revived,
congress may unquestionably prescribe the cond-
tons of such revival aud if such action should be
taken suggest that all actual settlers on the land
be saved and secured IL their rights and claims to
land embraced in their settlements and improves
ments at the date OF any such revival Of the railway
grant.
The commissioner reports that the lands
within the CID Sioux Indian reservation west of
Big Stone lake. III Dakota, have been resur-
veyed, and the western boundary line retraced,
the original surveys having been reported
fraudulent The area shown by the original
survey was lis, 1877 IS acres, and by the re-
survey 1877, 64S acres, making an increase by
the resuryey of %. $40 80 acres.
THE DIsPosALs OF PUBLIC LANDS
during the year embraced 9,O2O,769 acres,
and Indian lauds 500, 235 acres; increase over
1882, about 5, 900, 900 acres and over 1881,
about S,000,0 600. Receipts, financial sources
from, disposals :of public lands, were $11,-
08S, 479, and from Indian lands, $625, 404;
total, $11,713,S S3. Public lands were dis
posed of as follows
Acres.
Public sales NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 273,O69
Private entries Observation-Disclosures. 2,179.995
Pre-emption entries. observation-disclosures. 2,2S5,7I0
Mineral entries. Observation-Disclosures. 3l,020
Homestead entries Observation-Disclosures. S,17l,914
Timber culture entries. ............... 2,110,930
Entries with military Co. land warrants DO, Ala
Entries with land claim scrip lO.5sO
Total number entries fling posted dur
>
Increase in 3O.0OO,0O0
Increase in number of claims recorded
in 1888 over year lSS2.............. 55,54S
The report says the timber land entries
act is fagrantly violated Information is in my
possession that much of the most valuable timber
aud remaining in the possession of the govern
ment on the Pacific coast is being taken no by
home aud foreign capitalists through the medium
of entries made by persons hired for that purpose.
have found it necessary to suspend all entries OF
his class and direct an examination.
The commissioner is of the opinion that limb
lands should be reserved by law from ordinary
er disposal, and sold only after appralsment and
upon sealed bids. He recommends that con-
gress make some legislation in relation 10 pri-
vate land claims in New Mexico, Colorado and
Arizona, and recommends q commissioner foi
each of these Territories, to be appointed to
examine and settle these claims. The COM
missioner recommends the passage of an act
making false and fraudulent returns of public
surveys punishable by tiue and Imprisonment.
Much progress has been made in the work of
protecting public lands and public timber. The
practice of fencing public lands is condemned
and the recommendation renewed that an act
be passed injoining penalties for this offense
and for preventing legal settlement add entry
by force and Intimidation. The commissioner
asks that his salary be fixed at So. 900 aud for
moderate increase of salaries of the primo
pal officers aud clerks in his department The
character and responsibilities of the office
together with the fact that its business has III
creased 81 per cent since 1881, appears to the
commissioner to justify this request