The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-04-16
aEr1RfaV LEGISLAFIVECaHKIifgE
20 Investigate the Public omcss Or
this State.
Commissioners Of SWAMP Lands

y AA-saSslPRi ~ investigate EuDiic oineess
Your subcommittee appointed to exam
inc the books Of the Commissioner OF
Swamp Lands Of the State Of Mississippi,
beg leave to make the following report:
That they have examined the following
books in said Office. to-wit.
Two volumes containing the lands Of the
Augusta District
One volume each, containing the lands
of the Jackson, Grenada, and Washington
and Columbus Districts, leaving part Of
the Augusta District and all the books con-
timing internal improvement lands nm
examined
That all entries made in said books since
the creation OF said Office, have been care
/ fully examined-each section Of land, and
subdivision thereof, and checked, and
wherever any irregularity or mistake was
found the same was noted. After examiu-
| ing and checking as aforesaid, all entries
OF sale we're compared with the books OF
patents kept BY the Secretary of State,
/ and patents found for al lands sold ex-
cept the lists herewith fled marked "a"
The only errors found, are those reported
| in list of lands sold twice marked "B."
We also file herewith list of lands mark
ed on said books as applied for, giving
name of parties and date Of applications
when so noted on said books marked &C."
Some of the lands in said list of lands
sold and not patented, may have been
properly patented to the purchasers, and
| have not been SO entered IN the books of
| the Swamp Land Office, but for want OF
| time your committee have not been able
TO make full and complete examination
of the book OF patents. That in some in
stances the patent number in the books of
| the Swamp Land Office do not agree with
the patent number in the book of patents
kept by the Secretary of State, but as the
difference could effect no one (the number
being used as a matter of convenience,
more especially to the oficers), your COM
mittee did not deem it of sufficient i'm
portance to make especial list aud file
herewith.
In large number OF instances the lands
sold and patents issued therefor, are not
la the original entries OF State selections,
az recorded in the books of said Office.
Said DO 1ks showing the original State Sc
lections, and entries as therein made while
kept by the Secretary Of State, before Ia
creation of the ollis,e of swamp Land Com
missioner These lands are entered and
appear on said booIs for the first time, on
the very day of sale We are informed by
in another and different book, TO which
your committee have not had access, and
which has been during the sitting of your
committee, and is now in the CITY Of Wash
ington, D. &. Commissioner also informed
your committee that Patents have been is
sued by the L. :. Government to the State
for these lands, and that said Patents are
now in his office, but Tor want Of time your
committee have been unable to examine
any Patents issued to the State.
We find that under the act OF February
|, 1877, three hundred and fifty-one thous-
and five hundred and sixty and $4,000 |
acres have been sold at twenty five C, nts
per acre and that eighty-seven thousand
eight hundred and seventy three and 65-l00 |
dollars were paid therefor-that thirty
one entries, containing five Thousand three
hundred and forty and l6-l00 acres, for
which thirteen hundred and thirty-four
and 94-I00 dollars was paid, have been
cancelled under act approved March 6, |
1882, but whether or not the money has
been paid the parties entitled thereto, the |
books do not show.
We also find the following land has been
sold under the act Of 1877, and no price |
entered, to-wit;
N3sw and sw sw and c Sc sec
zion 10, township north, range west and
Sc sw and sw / Sc section Z, township |
2 north, range west and sw | Sc / section |
81, township 6 south, range west, con-
tanning three hundred and twenty acres.
Upon examination of applications to
purchase lands, your committee found that /
one Eli Perkins, on the 9th day of April,
A. D. 1882, acting in the capacity of attor-
ney, in fact for divers parties, purchased in
one day and at one and the same time
about one hundred and twenty-five thous-
and acres of land Your committee is OF
the opinion that said purchases were
made in fact for said Perkins and not for
the parties in whose name they were made,
and is in violation of the act of February
LIST, 1877, limiting the amount purchased
~ any one person to 240 acres, thus ac-
in an indirect manner that
which said act positively prohibits. We
found a number of instances which IN the
opinion OF your committee are OF like
character. However, it appears that the
provision of the act limiting the amount
to be sold to any one person to 240 acres
has been evaded by purchases by one indi-
yidual in the names OF others. This has
been the case, so your committee has been
informed, ever since the passage OF the act
in 1877, and is practically unavoidable, as
the law itself furnishes the Commissioner
with no means of guarding against such
evasions Nor is it apparent that rigid
enforcement of this limitation if practica-
BILE would result in good to the State, since
the lands are in the main valueless for ag-
rieultural purposes and are only available
for uses requiring large OUTLAWS OF capital.
In the opinion of your committee this lin
itation should be repealed, since its exist
ence only operates to depress the market
able value of the lands and if enforced it
would operate to prevent further sales ex-
cept to very limited extent.
Your committee would further show that
the Commissioner of Swamp Lands does
not receive any money arising from the
sale of swamp lands, but that it is paid d.
rectly into the Statt, Treasury upon the re-
eeipt warrant Of the Auditor of Public Ae-
counts, and upon the presentation OF the
Treasurer's receipt together with the certi-
ficate Of the Commissioner OF Swamp
Lands, showing the lands sold, the Secre-
tary of State issues a patent therefor.
There being no perquisites Of said Office,
your committee would recommend that the
following fees be allowed to be charged by
said Commissioners:
For each application to purchase land,
p cents.
For each affidavit when same is re-
CURED, Is cents.
For zach section field notes and certif-
cate, $1.U0.
For each township field notes and eertif-
cate, $500.
For each township map, $500.
For each certifcate, so cents.
For each abstract OF record, same fees as
are allowed to the Clerk OF the Supreme
Court.
The books, papers, etc, not examined,
are the original tract books of the Augusta
District, al books containing Internal I'm
prove ment Lands, al patents issued to the
State by the United States Government
and applications to purchase.
Your committee would further show that /
complete report cannot nov be made as
to the condition Of this Office, as there are
many books, applications, ect-, which for
want Of time could not Be examined and
the comparisons made, but that the exam |
inati0n so far As had, has been thorough, |
full and complete.
m conclusion, your committee would |
state that Mr.. I. Nv. Smith and W. r.
Spencer, as clerks Of the committee, have
intelligently, faithfully and laboriously
performed al the duties required Of them,
and have ever been ready to explain and
assist them in all things necessary TO this
examination. closing each day ii 10 % II
o'clock al night
respectfully submitted,
Y. B. WATTss
Chairman subj COMMITTEES.
Trihnte Of Heapect.