The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-10-02
rne OFFICIAL Brakes.

.-LAn0 E0ef10B th0 PAST Hear.
WAsHrsarUS, September 9s-It was
stated ut the Land Office today that the
action taken some time ago by COmmis'
sioner Sparks, revoking certain alleged Il.
legal contracts for surveys of public lands
under what II known as the deposit system
and in suspending accounts under similar
contracts because of various Irregularities,
and for the purpose of ascertaining by field
examinations whether the surveys had been
properly or actually executed. brought to tile
front the Bank of Nevada and other banks
In San Francisco as parties claiming inter-
est in the accounts by virtue Of loans madc
10 surveying contractors, and representa-
tives of the banks are now here urging pa
ments of such accounts to protect theHl-
selves against the loss The Commissioner
does not recognize the banks as having any
legal or equitable claims against the Gov
eminent or right to intervene between &C
counting officers of the Land Department
and their duties If banks loaned money
to surveying contractors. this was purely
a matter of private business, and the
banks should look to their borrowers for
payment No loans have been made
ment incurred any obligations to these
financial institutions. The annual apprO-
prusions by Congress for surveying public
lands were from $500, 600 to 100000. In
addition to this the law allowed individuals
to make deposits which were credited to
the surveying fund and constituted addi-
tiOnal appropriations. The Land Office re-
ports showed some S6,OOO,0OO to be de-
posted since 1879. The law only author
ICES deposits made by settlers. The fact
appears that they are made only by capital
lists 1t has been alleged that ''bureau''
has been maintained in San Francisco which
acted as Intermediary between deputies and
surveyors general, the business of which
was to supply the deficiency in field notes
and assist in the preparation and adjust
ment of accounts with the General Land
Office. One of the contracts revoked by
the Commissioner was of an original esti-
mated liability Of $4,000. The Land Office
accounts show that about $3.50, 900 has al
ready been paid out under this contract and
the bank claims nearly $4,000 more still
due. The Commissioner refused to accept
returns amounting to $4,000 for work
alleged to have been performed under this
contract on the ground that the essential
prerequisites to legality had not been COM
piled with, the bond Of the deputy not hav-
ing been filed and no deposits made to pay
for surveys, and further that the amount
charged was in excess of legal rates. II is
tile opinion of the Commissioner that the
practice of San Francisco banks In adj
vancing money OF surveying contracts,
which has grown up within ten years and
extended SO as to include contracts in vari-
GUS States and Territories and which arc
ifahl idnro
not be regarded as IN the interest of the
public service. He says: TT led the sur
vpyOrs returning surveys uninhabited,
mountainous and desert regions, to aug
inented rates and extravagant expenditures.
to loose and irregular methods of contract
ing and surveying, to prOdigal issues of de-
post certificates, to premature survey of
valuable timber and agricultural lands,
followed by their appropriation through
fraudulent entries by rich syndicates and
large corporations and to the exclusion of
actual settlers from lands .Ostensibly sur
veyed for their benefit but Immediately
taken mp by speculative combinations cOn-
nected with or closely allied to surveying
operations. 1t tended also to do away with
the wholesome supervision and restraint
which the law requires the Land Depart
ment to exercise over deputy surveyors.
With shield of powerful syndicates and
moneyed corporations interpOsed between
them and the Government, they felt indie
pendent of the Land Office and became &C
custOmed to look upon it as if it were a
machine tn settle accounts without regard
to their accuracy or justice. Many of the
accounts are now presented for extra com
pensation for resurveys which can not be
allowed because in violation of Instructions
which prescribed minimum rates and which
instructions are part of the contracts
Reports reached the Land Office of extern
sive frauds in surveys in regions covered by
these contracts. which the Commissioner
has not yet had time with the agencies at
his command to thoroughly investigate,
and delay is unavoidable until examinations
can be made. The amount of the alleged
dues on surveying contracts claimed by the
Bank of Nevada is about S250,000.
WASHINGTON, September 23.-COmmis-
sioner Sparks of the Land Office has pre-
pared a statement of the dfsposals of pub
lie lands and receipts therefrom during the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1885. from which
1t appears that the disposa!s in acres was as
follows: Alabama, 27O,901.62; Arizona,
27S,174.7S: Arkansas, pa, 5S2.90; CalifOr-
mia, 1.295, gO9. O3; Colorado, 662, 61l.O5:
Dakota, 4,547,749.77; Florida, 2S2, 515.55;
Idaho, 2S4, 9O3.O4; Iowa, 1,G59. Sc; Kansas,
3,O30, O46.6O; Louisiana, 1S1.O43.6O; Michi-
gan, S9,5l1.23; Minnesota, 624,379.49; Mis-
sissippi, 111,OOO.O3: Missouri. 9l,277.33;
Montana, 1,1l2,14O.51; Nebraska, $685.
3Sl.7G; Nevada III, 43O.94; New Mex
leo, 1G3.9Sl.57; Oregon, 7ss,2ST.79:
Utah, ls4.S53.62; Washington Territory,
1,O16,1l7.76; Wisconsin, 2, 1S4, 36O.92; WyO-
ming, S., 967.14; total number of entries,
226, $50; total number of acres, 90. 49,
663.3S; total value, S7,6S6, 114.SO. The
number of original homestead entries was
g, 066, including 3,032, 679 acres. The num-
Der Of original timber culture entries was
3O,99S, including Ats, 0O5 acres. The num-
Der of final timber culture entries was $50
including 80. 500 acres. The total number
OF acres taken under railroad selections was
3,55S,9l4, made up as follows: Alabama.
So. 1913; Arizona, 133.052; California, $780,
AS; COlOrad,, 1889; Dakota, 790,693:
Iowa, 6,0l4; Kansas, 195, 046; Louisiana, 49,
SS7; Minnesota, 1OS,2l7; Montana, 793, 459:
Nebraska, 17S,039; Nevada, 6O.612; Ore
gon, 245,3S6; Utah, II, 1923; Washington
Territory, $50, PIG; Wisconsin, 5l,Si9. The
grand total of. dispOsals of lands go, 49,
663 acres) includes S81 $50 acres OF Indian
lands. This is decrease in the number of
acres disposed of as compared with the
year 1884 of 6,535, CSC. but as compared
with the year 1883 it is an increase OF $685.
$50 acres. From sales of Indian lands
$685. 4S3 was realized, making the total
receipts from all sales Of lands $I,6S6, lis.
a decrease as compared with the receipts
during 1884 of 81. l59. $50, and rs compared
with the year 1855, of So, 0S6, 167.
The MOberIy Strikers.
JEFFERSON CRY, Mo-. September o.