The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-08-25
ILLEG - FENCED LANDS.
The G. ADoTIc Dfice Investigating
eNAPoLIs Public Lands.
Thesfs .'9a = les Appropriated by
Home Scotch Cattle Conn
panies Nisl.Sl Right or Title.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 24-Sone time since the
Commissioner Of the General Land office ordered
survey Of certain public lands in Colorado and
Nebraska with view Of bringing suit at the
next term of court against the cattle companies
who have illegally fenced IN large tracts of land
in those States. The special agent who has been
experimenting the survey in Colorado, in his re-
port to the Commissioner, says eight cases have
been found against the Prairie Cattle Company,
composed Of Scotchmen. An examination has
been made of tracts containing respectively 100
square miles, % square miles, 16 square miles
and % square miles, and the agent is at present
examining tract containing over 100 square
miles. All of these are under control Of the
Prairie Cattle Company, and, the agent says, are
illegally fenced in. Officials in the Land-of-
fee say the practice of illegally fencing
large tracts of lands and making fraudulent en-
tries has been greater the past year than ever
before. They claim that between 5, eO0, 600 and
6,0O0 600 acres are illegally fenced, and that
several million Of acres are fraudulently entered.
Complaints from settlers aare being received
daily by agents, and at the Land-ofice here The
settlers say the cattle men are driving them
away, and taking from them lands which they
have settled upon. One of the Land-ofice off
cials said that if the practice is continued the
cattle men vii, have entire control of the best
public lands in the United States within twenty
years Relative to fraudulent entries and fenc.
ing, the land agent in New Mexico informs the
Land Commissioner that of entries in that Terri
tory, 80 per cent. are fraudulent;
and another agent, writing upon the
same subject, says that rs per cent. of
the entries are fraudulent in that Territory A
table, completed yesterday, for the Forthcoming
annual report of the Land Commissioner, shows
the number of fraudulent entries that have been
investigated during the past year, and approxi-
| Inately the number Of illegally fenced acres ia
various States and Territories to be as follows:
Arkansas 20 fraudulent entries; Dakota AGO;
Colorado $50, and 100000 acres illegally
fenced; California, 1885, New Mexico, 827, and
1,500, 600 illegally fenced; Minnesota. 1888; Wash
| ington Territory 100: Idaho 90; Nebraska, 10,
| and 800 900 acres illegally fenced, Montana "a;
| Wyoming, 10, and go, 900 acres; Alabama 1881
| Wisconsin. 10; Florida, III Oregon, 83; Kansas.
1S2 and zoe, 600 acres. and Nevada, 10000 acres.
| Besides the cases embraced in the foregoing
table, there are about 5000 entries on which ac-
| ton has been suspended until examination
can be made by the special agents These en-
| tries will average about15O acres OF land each
| Acting Commissioner Harrison says that no
| doubt there are thousands of other fraudulent
entries, but that the Office can only Investigate
those which are brought to its attention by set
| tiers and others. Among the cases of unauthor-
| ICED fencing specially reported to the Land
Office by the agents are those of the Prairie
| Cattle Company (Scotch) embracing upwards of
! ], 900 600 acres; the Arkaneas Valley Company,
| I,0OO,OOO; H. H. Metcalf, 100000; John w.
Powers. 200,0D0j Mcdaniel e Davis, %, 0O0 J.
| w. Frank 1000; Garnett 81 LangfoPd. 30. 600;
| E. c. Tame $4,000: Lewesy Bros, $50, 600; Vroo-
| man G. McFife, 90 600; Beatty Bros. 10000;
| Chick, Brown Co.. 80, 900, and the. Reynolds
Cattle Company SO, 600 acres-al IN Colorado;
| Brighton rancho 125s000; Coed Carter, 30, 600;
j. W. Wilson, $4,000; Kennebec rancho, 40, 600,
| and r. W. Bosler 20 600 acres in Nebraska;
| William Humphrey, 25000, and Nelson q Son,
20, 600 acres, in Nevada Entire counties are re-
| ported as being fenced in in Kansas In Wy
oming, more than one hundred large cattle com
panies are reported as having fenced in public
lands. Some of these companies are reported to
be English and others Scotch Referring
to the practice of the large companies
making fraudulent entries on lands
Illegally fenced Mckenzie. Of the Land-ofhce,
said; "phese entries are along streams that run
through the land. The cattle men win employ
men to herd their stock and then will give $50 OF
800 to each one to make an entry for 100 acres.
When he has secured bis patent it is understood
he must transfer it to the party who advanced
the money. Many Of the cattle dealers viii not
employ men unless they will agree to make en-
! tries
A common fraud in New Mexico, Arizona,
California Idaho Wyoming, Montana Ala
| DaIna ana NeVada Is pracGlceu Dy means OF Ine
desert land act. That act provides thatin select
ing $40 acres of desert land, twenty five cents
per acre shall be paid down, and that persons en-,
tering land shall be allowed three years in
! which to pay the remainder. Instead Of taking
desert land the practice is to take the very best
land The parties hold it and get the use Of it fol
three years for comparatively nothing and fol
as much longer as the title is in dispute. Com
| plants from settlers come from nearly all the
Western States and Territories, and some of the
| complaints accuse the government land agents
of collision with the land grabners