The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-12-11
PUBLIC REPORTS.
summary of the Annual Reports Of Land
Commissioners Sparks and Secretary OF
War Endicott.
Nh. SPARKS, REPORT.

1 6oukhisssOuer SPARKS anu SecretdFy Oh
| War EnIicott.
Mr.. SHARKS REPORT.
| WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The annual re-
| port of Land Commissioner Sparks says
that the public lands have been wasted in
the past under defective and improyident
laws, and through laxity of public admin
/ istration astonishing in a business sense
if not culpable in reckiessness Of
official responsibility; that the vast ma
chinery of the Land Department appears to
have been used to convey title to public
lands upon fraudulent entries under strained
constructions OF imperfect land laws and IL
legal claims under public and private grants
The Commissioners calls attention TO the
evils accompanying the use of the specials
deposit system in the public survey branch,
and the frauds perpetrated under il by irregs
ularities, and recommends the repeal of the
act of March 8, 1S79 making such certifi-
Gates of deposit negotiable, and the passage
of an act imposing penalties for making
false and fraudulent returns of public sur
veys or surveys of private land claims, and
for wiilful removal or destruction OF survey
ing monuments.
The Commissioner calls attention to the
fact that while upward of 100,O 900 miles Of
railroad have been constructed without
Immigrants since the passage OF the Land:
grant acts, only 1861 miles have been
built under the Immigrant system, the con-
struction having been delayed until settle
ment outside of railroad lands had rem
dered it profitable without public sub.
sidy: While the granting of acts gen.
orally made no provision for official
withdrawal of lands, it was decided that
the entire line must be located before the
law vested any right in the granted land.
But periods of attachments of railroad
rights have been officially computed upon
reported dates of partial surveys in the
field" or upon maps Of portions of d
line undetermined as whole; and by
reason thereof numbers of settlers
having indisputable rights to the lands
occupied by them have been forced
to buy their homes of the railroad COM
panies or to suffer eviction. Present estts
mates of the amount by which these lands
grants have been oYerdraWn show that the
average rate per mile of road will reach 500
acres, amounting in all to 1000, 600 acres.
which has hitherto been treated as tie alb
solute property of the corporations, bnt is
in fac5 public land of the United States, re-
cOverable to the public domain.
Grants have been made to aid in the con.
struction of TO- 1919 miles of road, of which
zoos miles have not yet been completed OF
the lands granted IA, 929, 12l acres have been
patented, leaving 100, 600, 900 acres of unpat-
entcd lands included in all the grants SUBJ
ject to forfeiture, ain area eQual to that OF
the combined States OF New York, New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland
AID Virginia. The right of the Govern.
ment thereto being legal one, the default
OF the companies being voluntary, the pow
Ell Of Congress to declare forfeiture should
be exercised.
The Commissioner, referring to alleged
fraudulent land-entries In regions donii=
mated by the cattle companies, says that he
has suspended the issue of patents thereon
until a full examination of the bona fide
character of the applications can be
made. He suggests the repeal of
the presumption system of committed
h0mesteadS, Of the Timber Culture
law, of the Desert-land act, and of all gem
eral provisions of law authorizing sales Of
land for cash, and restricting the sale to the
actual settler, because they offer covers for
fraudulent transactions. The Commissioner
recommends the abolition of the fee system
in the registry offices, and that measures be
taken to preserve the forests on the public
domain.
SECRETARY ENDICOTT's REPORT.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.-The annual re-
port of the Secretary of War is largely made
up of the report of Lieutenant General
Sheridan and subordinates heretofore pub
lished. After reviewing the operations Of
the troops in the West the report says that
assertions i'll the army during tile year were
greatly diminished, but it is recommended
that some more adequate punishment
should be inflicted on chronic deserters.
1t is recommended that increased oppor-
tunity and instruction be given West Point
cadets, with a view to improving theft
workmanship with small arms. 1t is also
| recommended that the number of appoint
| ments ''at large" should be restored to ten
per year. Attention is called to the pro-
priety of requiring all graduates of the
academy to serve TWO years, Immediately
! after graduation, at post graduate arm of
! the service to which they belong.
The number of trials by general court
martial during the year was 1928, an in
crease over last year of As, and the number
| OF convictions for deserti0n was GA. @
a. The purchase of q building in New York
City for the use of army officers is recon-
menGed. A new military post is to be es-
tablished at Atlanta, Ga
The expenditures for the signal-service
during the fiscal year ending June 80, 1885,
were $792, 900.
The report closes by urging the creation
of the office OF Assistant Secretary of
War"