The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-16
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
Disclosures In tho Report OF tho General
Land Commissioner.

Land Commissioner.
Washington special:-The annual re.
port OF Land Commissioner Sparks is
nearly completed. 1t has involved a
vast amount o fwork, and will reveal some
startling facts in the condition OF the vari-
Gus railroad land grants A large force Of
C Jerks have gone over all the grants to ad-
just them. Strange as it may seem, no
road has been found to have less than it's
grant called for. All have more, many far
more than they are entitled to. The mode
OF obtaining the great excess is set forth
at great length and is bound to create a
sensation. 1t appears that by conceal
ing or keeping in the dark the essential
iacts, and by ignoring the character OF the
grants and the plain provisions OF the law.
the railroad division OF the general land
office has succeeded in allowing railroad
corporations to obtain patents for
lands which were not granted, and in
amounts which were largely in excess OF
the quantities authorized. Neither the
commissioners nor the secretaries were ad.
vised OF the facts. The whole responsible
ty was left to one or two clerks, who made
such examinations as best suited their con-
venience and purposes. No written state
ment OF the result was required or made,
and the facts pom which the rights OF the
companies depended we're thus ignored and
concealed. In order to more effectually con-
c>Althe true status of the grants, they were
treated as grants OF specific quantities and
estimates OF the quantity OF land granted
were made unpublished. These estimates
are false and deceptive, aud were made
without taking into consi Iteration the
limitation as to whore einde unity lands
were to be selected and other restricting
clauses in the grant. They rave been used
Tor the purpose OF inducing the public to be-
lieve that the companies nave not received
the uantity GLANDS granted. These frauds
would have long since been exposed, butfor
the Tact that the companies nave had suffi-
Gent influence and power to keep the adj
jnstment OF the grants in the hands OF their
friends. There are clerks now in the depart
ment who are responsible for many OF
these irregularities. Maps nave been
made showing how false lines were run in
surveying the bends and crooks of the grants
whereby large amounts OF lands were taken.
1t is understood that thcreport will recon-
mend that suits be brought ~orecoverfrom
the railroad companies the lands patented
to themin excess of their grant, and where
they have sold the lands thus fraudulent
ly obtained the government should re-
cover Judgment for their value One out
come OF this will be to open the door tt a
multitude OF suits by settlers who have
bought ACCOMPLISHMENTS or aivers from rail
road companies. When the amount ofany
railroad company's losses OF lands is
placed, and the amount OF lands patented
in lieu OF them are nsc%ertained, if the latter
exceeds the former it is clear that the COM
pany had no right to sell waivers. This
will give the settler who has paid for such
REIMBURSEMENT n chanc to sue for his
money. Usually such waivers nave been
sold for about the government price OF the
land ..#