Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-05-15
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
HOW Alien Companies Acquire Large
Tracts eff Land.

Some correspondence has recently
interior and Senator Plumb, chair
man of the committee ION public
lands, with reference to the informa-
ton called for by the resolution of
March 18th, last, directing the COM
mittee on public lands to inquire in
what manner large quantities of pub
lie lands became transferred to or
possessed by foreign syndicates, and
what, if any, legislation is advisable
to prevent such transfer or possession.
April 4, the secretary of the inter
Tor sent Mr.. Plumb communication
from the commissioner of the general
land office, in which he states that
there are several methods by which
foreign corporations and syndicates
may legally acquire title to public
lands. The secretary also transmit
ted at the same date copies of reports
from special agents, showing the
methods adopted for the unlawful &C
QUESTION of title to public lands in
the interest of foreign capitalists.
Special Agent John NJ. Jones re
ports in relation to thirty eight claims
in Estes Park, Col, owned by the
Estes Park Company, organized I'M
der the laws of England and doing
business in Colorado" Windham
Thomas, Earl of Dunraven, appears
to be one of the chief functionaries of
this company. Thirty claims, the
special agent found, were secured for
people who were never in the park at
all. The remaining eight were secur-
ed by people who made occasional
visits and q show of improvement.
In no case was the law complied
with.
Special Agent Wilson T. Smith re-
ports the result of an investigation in
California into the transactions Of
Faulkner Bell & Co, an English
house. He secured complete evidence
IN sixteen cases, proving that the en-
trymen took up timber lands under an
agreement to transfer them to the
agents of the syndicate, each entry
man receiving $50 for his services.
Further investigation was stopped by
the agents Of the syndicate, who sur
rounded the hotel with their bench
men, and no one who made an entry
with them was allowed to approach
the special agents room.
Under date of the goth of April
the secretary sent the chairman
of the public lands committee a sup
Elemental batch of correspondence
between the commissioner of the gen
eral land office and a firm of land
brokers in edinburgh, who had taken
alarm at the introduction in the senate
of the above mentioned resolution and
desired to be informed if they would
be interfered with in the possession of
the land already occupied. The COM
missioner replied to this letter, stating
that, in his opinion, no law would be
passed retroactive in its nature, the
property rights of all persons being
fully protected in the United States.
He says, however, that misapprehen-
sion may exist as to what property
rights have been or may be acquired
under the present state of the law. He
then stated in detail the methods by
which public land may be legally ac-
quired, and closed with this statement:
"Possessory rights to public lands
other than authorized by settlement
and improvement laws are not recog-
nized, and mere possession, occupa-
ton or Enclosure gives no color of
right, title of claim to any larger
quantity of lands in the United States
than the quantity authorized by said
laws"