, 1884-10-11
Government Real Estate Dis
posed of Last Year.
The Acres Sold and What
They Brought.
PorkOpolis People Give Hen
bricks an Ovation.
Land Office Report.

missioner of the General Land Office has
submitted the report of his office for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1884. The
sales, entries and selections of public
lands embraced PC, S34, 04l acres, and of
Indian lands, 697, 129 acres, making a
total of q, 53l ITO acres. The increase
over the year 1883 is s, lO1 1877 acres, and
over 1889 l3,222, OO3 acres. The receipts
from the disposals of public lands were
81 $40, 1893; from Indian lands, 1898, 1877,
or a total of $l2, 779, 100. This is an in
crease over 1888 of $l,073, 1854, and an
increase over 1882 of 81, 392, $50, to which
is to be added $l0,275 received for certi-
fed copies Of records, making the total
receipts for the year $l2, 7S9, 405. The
Commissioner renews his recommendation
that the presumption law be repealed and
deems it important hat the homestead
law be amended 80 as to require proof of
actual residence and improvement for two
years before the homestead entry may be
committed to a cash payment. He re-
commends the repeal ofthe timber culture
act; an act providing that lands covered
by accomplishments, shall be subject to
entry Immediately upon cancellation at the
Land Office; the desert land law and
timber stone land act.
There were l,076 miles of railroad con-
structed during the year under various
grants. The Commissioner suggests that
a commission be appointed to examine
and decide upon unsettled private land
claims in New Mexico, Colorado and
Arizona, and recommends the r~e-establish-
Of a boundary line between Colorado
and Utah, and a survey Of the boundary
line between Dakota and Montana and the
Yellowstone Park.
Thirty-two cases of illegal fencing ofthe
public lands have been reported, the area
enclosed %aggregating ABB $3.50 acres.
Twelve cases have been acted upon and
suits recommended to compel the removal
Of fences. A very large number of COM
plants remain uninvestigated for want of
facilities.
The Commissioner says that the portion
of the public lands still remaining should
be economical for the use of actual set
tiers only. An act reserving the public
lands, except mineral and timber reserved
for entry under the Homestead law, with
amendments to prevent evasion of its wise
restrictions would be a measure meeting
this end. In conclusion, the Commits
points out the necessity for the i'm
mediate adoption of some measure by
which the natural forests may be pre-
served at the head waters of important
rivers and their tributaries, and in such
other situations where their preservation
is expedient for climatic effect and other
reasons of utility. He says there is no
good reason why lands worth from $25 to
500 per acre for timber should be sold
for 81 % and 50. so per acre, as at present,
and he favors the withdrawal from sale or
entry under the existing laws of all dis
ti~nctively timber lands in the United
States until an examination and appraise-
ment can be made, after the examination,
permanent timber reserves should be es-
tablished where if deemed desirable pro
vision could be made for their
sale at not less than the appraised value
of the remainder. A matter of
chief Importance treated of in the an
nual report of Mr.. Nimmo's Bureau of
Statistics is the enormous magnitude of
our internal commerce. 1t is shown that
the value Of the products of various in
dustries in the United States is seven
times the total value of our foreign com
merce, nearly three times the total value
of the foreign commerce of Great Britain
and Ireland, and FIVE times the total value
of the foreign commerce of France, in
Guiding in each case both imports and ex-
ports. The total value Of the products of
industry in the United States is also
shown to be little more than twice the
total value of the exports of merchandise
from all countries in Europe. The United
States is now the largest manufacturing
country ON the globe. The value of the
products of American manufacture con
sumed at home is FIVE times the value OF
the manufactured products of Great
Britain and Ireland exported to all Other
countries, and more than fourteen time.
the value OF the exports of manufacturer
products from France to all other coun
tries. The relative value of in
ternal as compared with foreign
commerce of the country is also illus
trated by statements showing that g
per cent of the coal used in this country
95 per cent of our iron and steel products
95 percent of the products of our leathe
industry, more than 80 per cent of on
manufactures in wool, 95 per cent of tn
products of our cotton manufactures an
silk, and 90 per cent of our manufacture
in glass, glassware, earthenware an
stoneware are consumed in the Unite