Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1883-08-03
LAND OFFICE FEES.


rious Land Once Charges
Warrington, July 31-The commits
sioner of the general land Office has is.
sued circular to registers and receivers
explaining the provisions of the act of
last session OF congress in relation to
fees for reducing testimony to writing.
The act provides that fees allowed for
testimony reduced to writing shall not be
considered or taken into account in de-
termlning the maximum of compensation
OF the land officers. The provision ap-
plies only to testimony reduced to writ.
ing in establishing claims to mineral en-
tries, final proof in pre.emptlon and
homestead cases, and testimony in con.
tested cases. Receivers will report and
account for fees received for reducing
testimony to writing in timber and stone
land entries as heretofore. In comput-
ing the fees for reducing testimony to
writing the words actually writ
ten by registers and receivers,
or persons in their employ,
only must be charged for at the rates al
lowed by paragraphs 10, IL and u Of
section 3,23S revised statutes,
and no charge is to be
made for the printed words. The words
actually written must be counted and
charged for. and there can be no uniform
fee of specified sum applicable to every
case OF the same class Of entries; that is,
registers and receivers cannot FIX the fee
at one dollar or more for each pre-emp-
ton, final homestead, or mineral entry.
The new law further provides that regis.
tiers and receivers shall, upon applica.
ton, furnish plats or diagrams of town.
ships in their respective districts show.
ing what lands are vacant aud what lands
are taken. and shall be allowed to receive
compensation therefor from the party
obtaining the plats or diagrams, at sucf
rates as may be prescribed by the com
missioner OF the general land Office; anc
said officers shall, upon application by
the proper state or territorial authorities
furnish, for the purpose of taxation, q
list OF all lands sold in their respective
districts, together with the names of the
purchasers, and shall be allowed to re.
celve compensation for the same not to
exceed ten cents per entry; and the sums
thus received for plats and lists shall moi
be considered or taken into account il
determining the maximum compensation
of SAID officers.
Under this provision the commissions
prescribes the following fees: For di
agram showing entries only, 81; for {
township plat showing entries names o.
claimants, and character Of entry 81; fol
to Enship plat showing entries, names
OF claimants, char acter of entry, apC
number IS; for township plat showing
entries, names of claimants, character o.
entry, number and date of fling, entry
together with topography. etc. 81.
/ The vooiefor op6 raoa;C,, ,Ioll H.
titled to the same fees for examining
and approving testimony given befor,
the Judge or clerk Of a court in fina
homestead cases as are now allowed h,
law for taking the same.
Registers of land offices have no right
officially, to receive any money whatever
except such as reported to them by re
ceivers as salary, fees and commissions
and the fee of 81 they are especially en-
titled to receive for giving notice Of tn,
calculation of pre.emption, homestea,
and timber culture entries under the nc
of May IA, 1880. ALI moneys received fo
services rendered by either registers O
receivers under the act of March 3
1883. are to be paid to the receiver, VIII,
will pay the register his portion thereof
Should any money be forwarded to th
pay over the same to the receiver, an(
where parties address the register as t,
the cost of any service required, he viii
refer,the matter to the receiver for answer
as tie latter is the proper Office to re
ceive all fees. Receivers will keep a1
account of the fees received for all ser
vices rendered under the provisions o
the act of March 3, 1888, which shall b.
open to examination by the register a
that time.
| Prior to the act of March last all fee
we're reported and accounted for by re
ceivors. The effect of the change vii
be to give officers that we're maximum
good deal more compensation
than they were receiving be
fore, while it will not benefit officer
that we're not maximum, for the reaso,
that officers that were maximum befor
got $1,000, and now they will get fees il
excess Of this. On the other hand Off
GERS not maximum will get direct fror
the parties paying the same fees the
formerly reported and received bac
from the treasury. In the large lam
offices, notably those of Dakota, the fee
of the local officers will be considerably
increased. Among the officers benefite
| by the new law are those at Huron
where the fees the officers are authorize
, to retain will amount to Mt least $1,000
and Watertown, where they will amour
to over $1,000. In Minnesota, where th
offices are not so large, the increase 9
compensation, II there IS any, will b
| 1oaa