, 1884-06-03
LIVELY LAND LARKS.
Forty Eight Thousand Acres Cob
bIed by the Government.
People Who Claimed Property I'm
der the Desert Act
Relieved From all Future Respons-
Utility of Ownership.

An important piece of official informa-
ton was received at the United States
Land Office in this city, yesterday, by
Register Mann and Receiver Hurbur:,
which will be apt TO create quite a sensa-
ton, especially among those who have
been and now are seeking to get hold of
all the government land they were emit
tied to, if not a little more. The inform
alton received was, quoting Mr.. Mann,
that "a large number of desert entries
made previous to February /, 1881 have
been cancelled by the Commissioner of the
General Land Office on account of the
failure ofthe entrymen TO make the re
CURED final proof and payment withinthe
time fixed by law or to make any explain
alton of their failure, after notice, to do
So" This is, in brief, the statement
made to a LEADER reporter yesterday,
and it was further stated that the official
information Of this cancellation had just
been received. This piece of in
formation struck the reporter as
being quite an important one, and he
therefore asked Mr.. Mann how
many desert entries had been thus dealt
with. Taking some documents out oftwo
different envelopes Mr.. Mann proceeded
to count up, and announced that there
were seventy-fve hat were in this rather
dilapidatcd state of official existence.
Thinking that this number ofdesert filings
covered quite Il number of acres, the re-
porter brought out Il couple of Faber
pencils, and, after he had used up one
and nearly half of the other, he ascertain
ed that these filings represent IS, 900 acres
of land, quite a nice little tract by the
way. Then the newsman felt like jump
ing-just rs though he would like to jump
an. acre or two of that land at least.
1t isn't likely that a great many others
will feel the same way, and it is not at all
probable that there will be more than 900
men or such Il matter around at the land
office this morning to see whether there is
a chance to jump something. There is,
however, a painful probability that there
will be a few people around to see Mr..
Mann as early as l3:3O'g. m, at all events,
and those who are not jumpers will prob
ably blossom out into Jumpers. This re-
version to the government of As, 900 acres
of land would seem to family suggest
that the United States lives out in this
country after all, or at least is boarding
around for a while after the fashion of
the average New England pedagogue.
Why it is that a good many men will thus
lose their rights is plain to be seen and
the question is a plain one to answer.
They did not see fit, for reasons
best known to themselves to fulfil the re-
quirements of the law and the govern
ment did see fit to insist that they should
do this very same thing. The facts are
that As, 200 acres of land which parties
thought they owned yesterday they will
learn to-day hat they own no right, title
or interest to it whatever. Nearly all the
land in question is located in this portion
Of the territory and it is thought that the
cancellation of the present claims by the
government will fall with crushing force
on some of those who now old tho land