Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-08-26
rrBLIc LAND ENTRIES.
An Enormeus Increase.

An Enormous Increase.
WASHINGTON. Aug. 6.-An oficia
statement furnished by the CON mission
or OF the general land Office show
something of the marvellous rapidity
with which the newer states and terri
tories are becoming populated. and the
enormous drafts which are bein, mads
upon the pablie domain in order to "a
tisty the requirements of actual settlers.
Ii is also indicated that the public lands
remaining in the Southern Sta .es which
mad been 50 long neglected are rapidly
coming under settlement. The state
ment incl lces the more important
transfers of public lands in the follow
ing states and territories: Dakota, Flo
s!da, Kansas. Louisiana. Minnesota.
Missifsippi, Nebraska, Oregon, Wash.
n.9ton and Wisconsin. As compared
With the year ended June 30, 1852. the
statement shows an increase of 35.aI7
IN the number of entries, fcash sales
original homestead entries and timber
culture ertries) and 3.505.s43 in the
number of acres entered. The amount
received from ctsh sales increased from
S5,3l3,s ,s34 in los2, to So. .,447 in 1888.
or more than l2s por cent In 1882 the
number Of pre- emption and ether filings
and OF applications 20 purchase mineral,
timber and stone lands ia the same
states and territories were $3.50, end
the amount of fees received x64,8ESS: Ia
1888 the number and amount were res
1851 and $9l ,8a3. The
amount OF fees and commissions paid
On account of original homestead
sntries In 1882 was $45G G6l; In 1888 II
was $572,630.
DAxoT.,
of course, takes the Iead. both in the
amount of land taken by actual ssttlers
Ind the amount sold for cash. In that
Territory the number Of homestead en-
,ries increased FROM 14,l56, covering q
Ue,a acres, to 2,49l, covering j. 267.-
,zi acres: The number of timber cul-
ure entries ran up from 1868, covering
!. 1885, acres. to II 568, covering 1,765,-
s59 acres: ana the cash sales increased
rom 6I3,3os acres. at S977.242, to 1915
81 acres. at 20, lO9.3s7. Probably the
history of no State or Territory can fur
llsh q parallel to these figures. In
florida the cash sales increased from
2o,s7e acres, at $l58, ,037, to. 22I ,853
'cres, at S3ii ,554, and the number of
'fiGinal Homestead entries from 1878
'cres to 2:2,S95 acres. The public lands
II kansas have been pretty closely
ulied, and although the cash sales in
reased from 10, 1862 acres, at SlIS.5S3.
o l55, l55 acres, at SiS9, ,329. the home.
tead entries fell off from 637. acres
o o0S, ,Iol acres, and the timber culture
ntries decreased from 273 ,053 acres TO
81 $50 acres. In Louisiana the cash
ales decreased from 357,iG5 acres, at
;4G2. COO, to 355, ,230 acres, at $44s,3l6,
mt the homestead entries ran up from
", covering lii. .70S acres, to 935, cover
ng Ia, $50 acres, and the timber cukure
ntriss Increased from l,OO4 acres to j.
81 acres.
IL MINNESOTA
'Ears WAS q decided increase in cash |
ales from 3l6.465 acres at $4s2, 1863, to |
80 ,345 at Sl,324 ,976; bat there was a |
aliing of in original homestead entries |
rom 5So, ,:43 acres to 43l, ,872 acres, and |
q timber cultare entries from 176,74l |
cres. to l23, 15O acres. The homestead |
ettlers of this State are rapidly acquir-
az patents for their farms after five
ears of settlement, as Is also the case |
Kansas. In Minnesota they received |
atents to G8,23S acres this year, |
gainst 245, $50 last year. In Kansas
he amount of 1888 was 507 ,6Sl acres,
gainst 499, 800 in 1882. There were no |
ntries in Mississippi ugder the timber
niture act, but the cash sales increased |
rom 2l3. 3.455 acres at S274, ,320. to 349, ,5G2 |
cres at $40, .02, and the original home
lead entries, from I38,4S8 acres to |
1919 aofes. Nebraska still has
large area of fertile public
.nds which are open to settlement. In
hat State the number of original
omestead entries in 1882 was 1928,
overing III ,9o9 acres in 1888 there
'ere 4,729 entries, covering 7lG,5Os
cres. The cash sales increased from
ls.575 acres at fl43, 1853 to 19O,6ZS acres
t S5ll ,GU, and the number of timber
ulture entries ran up from 2,0SS, cover.
lg 29e. .320 acres, to 3.2l6, covering 49,
Q aores. In Oregon the cash sales in
reased from 80, 3l9 acres at $SS, $50 to
, Go acres at $l23 5Q3 but the home
!. .ad entries fell of from 1882 acres
, Ill ,476 acres, and the timber culture
ntries from 81, OBS acres to 1.463 acres.
n Washington Territory there was a
increase, not only in cash
ales, but in homestead and timber cul-
are entries. The cash sales increased
'om 71.2A acres at $l02,3 ,345 to PSI, ,O86
ores at $57l.446; the original home
cad entries from 23l, ,132 acres to 1885,
IS acres. and the timber culture entries
'om 81 b2i acres to 143, 4l2 acres.
e, IN WISCONSIN,, /
1hils the cash sales fell off from 34s,-
,6 acres at $506. .538 to 342,574 acres at
bA, l65, the original homestead entries
lcreased flom 879. covering SO, ,478 acres,
} 962, covering 1ll,707 acres. While |
10 foregoing figures do not cover all
,e States and Territories in which un.
coupled public lands are still open to
'ttlement, they are believed to show
lirly the enormous growth in popula
on Of the new States and Territor iss
sneraliy, for they include the Terrific.
es in which about three fourths Of the
1blic land sales and entries were made
st year. In the South the entries in
labama and Arkansas will probably
low as great an increase relatively as
! those Southern States for which the
fcial figures are given. It Ia known,
10, that during the past year there has
ssn a large increase of Immigration to
ew Mexico, Utah. Montana, and other
and consequently a very
rye increase in the amount of public
nd which has come into the possession
actual settlers.
4