Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-19
'tals. 91S .657 % 958, AS ST., SIS
PUBLIC LAND FRAUDS.

The Land Commissioners Report to secre-
tary Teller on Public Land Frauds in the
West.
WASHINGTON Special Telegram, March o
The commissioner of the general land office
before the close Of congress made a very elab-
crate report to the secretary of the interior
upon the numerous frauds committed in the
entry of public lands. In this report he called
attention to the fact that investigation made
during the past year had developed the exist
ence of much fraud under the shield of the
presumption, Homestead and timber culture
laws. He suggested that there ought to be IN
each land district at least one competent and
reliable special agent, and in this Office q
sufficient organization to supervise and
direct the work of such agents, and
he recommended that an appropriation of
$3.50, 600 be made for this purpose Con-
gress, however appropriated only 800, 900
therefor, of which amount $500 is i'm
mediately available, The commissioner says
he will very soon take the proper steps to carry
ont the object of this appropriation. The COM
missioner in his report says: efforts have
been made to check the unlawful acts, but the
proceedings have necessarily been confined to
one or two localities, owing to the limited
facilities of this Office for such service
QUOTED AT LENGTH
After calling attention to reports of special
agents exhibiting some of the methods of
illegal entry which now prevail, he says:
The rapid absorption of public lands and other
various acts has brought the remaining lands into
great request, and the marketable price of unim-
proved lands in many parts of the country much
exceeds the government price This fact stimulates
entries for speculative purposes. and the actual
settler is prevented from making settlement unless
he enters into an expensive contest to clear the land
from fraudulent claim or purchase at specula-
i've price the REIMBURSEMENT of claim of that
character. My information IS that desirable
agricultural lands are in many instances covered
with claims. simultaneously with the Ill
ing in the local land Office of
the pats Of township surveys. These claims
consist OF presumption filings, soldiers homestead
filings, timber culture and homestead entries Such
filings and entries are frequently made by pro-
fessed agents, who in many cases immediately
thereafter advertise relinQuishm ent of the same
for sale The offering Of ACCOMPLISHMENTS in this
wholesale manner Is prima facie evidence Of the
fraudulent character of the claims, and yet such
claims hold the land until the parties con-
trolling them can find customers. Settlers
the means or time necessary to the prosecution Of
a contest, and they therefore compelled to
abandon an attempt 70 make settlement or 10 buy
their way to their public lands from persons who
unlawfuy control such lands
IN THE TERRITORY OF DAKOTA,
which cast 5000 votes at the last election, the
exceeds 10000, and such entries are now being
made at the rate of more than so 900 yearly These
rauds are not confined to Dakota. but extend TO
other States and Territories well. Under the des-
ext land act, entries frequently made upon good
grazing agricultural lands which are leased for
grazing or other purposes, or held for speculation
Forged soldiers additional homestead certificates
have been located large belt of the most valu-
able timber land in California. and the timber cut
and removed. In the grazing districts title to
agricultural lands and water sites is in large classes
of cases. obtained by perjury and fraud, followed
or preceded by the unlawful enclosure Of tracts of
public lands, varying from some hundreds
to several thousand each. It appears,
also, in some cases, that lands so fenced in are
parceed out according to the number of cattle DOS
sessed by individual raachmel and the right TO
herd upon Such publc lands leased 10 them for =
money consideration. Iu California, Oregon and
Washington Territory colluSve entries are made
under the timber land act for the purpose Of pro-
curing or controlling the timber in large quantities
Valuable timber lands and lands unfit for anything
but timber are 1rauduiently entered under the
homestead and pre-emption law. Timber lands
IN NORTHERN MINNESOTA
have been so largely entered by false afidavts OF
settlement under these laws, that felt compeIled
during the past year TO place 600 coo acres on the
market at the minimum price on agricultural land
to avoid such wholesale criminaity In Alabama the
government has been defrauded of some millions
of collars through the unlawful entry of coal and
iron IAnds. Anood tide OF Illegal appropriations
seems to be sweeping over the new States and Ter
rtorles, threatening TO euguf the entire public do
main. The time has arrived when, in nv serious
judgment, either complete radical change in the
pubic laws and their administration, or some ade-
quate means for enforcing the penalties of
the existing law has become an alternative
that can no longer be dsregarded
There now before this Office claims in some
initiative or progressive stage covering titles 10
more than 200, 100000 acres of land, of which
so, O00, 600 acres are embraced in individual
entries under the general laws. Thst very con-
siderable proportion of these claims are without
validity merit is ndsputaDy true yet this office
has been compelled for years past to treat doubtful
claims valid and 10 pass over to claimants the
title of the United States, because it could in
vestgate the facts. The same course must largely
be continued unless a change measures shall be
effected.