The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-10-01
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
An Area Equal to that OF Ireland Dis
posed Of Every Year--A Tabu-
lated Statement.

Washington special
For the past four years the United States
has given away or sold off its public do
main, and Of course this means almost en-
tirely given away, one Ireland per annum.
The area of Ireland is between 20, 600 900
and %, 900, 600 acres, and that is almost
exactly the amount of public domain dis
posed of in the years 1883 and 1885. IL is
greater than the amount disposed of in
1882 and considerably less than the amount
disposed OF in 1884 AS compared with the
previous year the disposals OF public lands
in the fiscal year just closed show decided
falling OFF, but there is a small increase over
the enormous figures for 1883. The dispos-
ais of public lands in 1884 were affected by
propositions to repeal the pre- emption,
timber-cu culture, and desert land acts, to
amend the homestead act, and to forfeit
some of the railroad grants. The fear that
charges would be made in the land law that
would make it more difficult to get possess
sion of land for nothing impelled every
body who was thinking of claiming any
part of the national estate to do so at once.
Thus some of the disposals which would
ordinarily have been made this year were
made last, and the total amount of public
lands disposed of in 1884 was run up to
twenty four million, or about six or seven
million more than in the preceding or sue
ceeding year.
1t is only by comparison with some
known areas of territory that one can get
any idea of the way the national estate is
passing into the hands of private persons.
mostly, of course, settlers. Dakota con-
tains 95, 900, 900 acres. OF this, 35, 900, 900
acres, equal to the State of Illinois, have
Af ~ tlA oc&
Taking in two years more, the investigator
will find that the amount of public land
disposed of by the Government in eleven
years is greater than the area of Spain, but
a trife less than the area of France or
Germany, and one-fourth as great rs Brit
ish India with its 200. 900, 900 inhabitants.
The amount of land disposed of in the
last eleven years is 200, 900 square miles,
an area eighteen times as great as
Belgium, which sustains over 5, 200, 600 in
habitants. The areas disposed of in some
of the States, given approximately, during
the past nine years are as follows: Wiscon-
sin, over 3, 900. 600 acres; Michigan, nearly
2,500.000; California, nearly $500, 900;
Kansas, IA 500, 600; Minnesota, over 9,000,-
600; Nebraska, over $4,000, 600; Oregon,
over 1880 600, and Washington Territory,
nearly 100000 acres; Alabama, nearly
O,UOU,UUU, AIhtuouS, ueuIiy O,OOV,UOU,
Louisiana, over 5000, 600: Mississippi,
100000. and Florida, 2,5000eO acres.
Both last year and the year before, more
land was disposed of in Dakota than in any
other State or Territory, but in 1885 the
Empire Territory did not stand so far
ahead OF her sisters rs she did in 1884.
The table appended shows that in the
last year four and a half million acres were
disposed of in Dakota over three millions
and half in Nebraska, and over three mil
lions in Kansas. In California more land
was disposed of in 1885 than in 1884. In
Dakota the disposals for 1884 were nearly
three-fold those of 1885. In Kansas there
was an enormous increase from O million
and a third acres in 1884 to over three
millions in 1885. The disposals in Mime
sofa show falling of of million acres,
while there is an increase of half million
acres in Nebraska. OF the 20, 113, 663
acres of Government land disposed of
last year, 7,415,SS5 acres were dis
posed of under the homestead act, 4, 755, 005
under the timber culture act, 1858, 914
acres were taken as railroad selections, and
1912, $50 acres were sold for cash. The
homestead entries show but very small fall
ing off from 1884. The timber culture
entries also show but a small diminution.
The cash sales show reduction of $780,
900 acres.
For the Government lands disposed of
there was received 81, CSC, ia. and for the
Indian lands sold $933,48 The land sold
at cash sales brought an average of 81. 19
per acre, and the land disposed of at public
sales brought 4413 per acre. The home
stead entries in 1885 numbered 90, ST., q
falling off of 4,16S from 1884.
The timber culture entries show an in
crease of about 1000 in number. Mineral
lands show a decrease of 344 entries and
an increase of $500 acres, and there is G
decrease Of sixteen entries and 1880
acres in coal lands. The following table
gives the aggregate number of acres dis
posed of in each State and Territory in
| 1885,: