The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-10
INDEMNITY DUE INDIANA.
The Status of the States Swamp Land Claims
Against the General Government.

State Auditor Rice recently wrote to William
A. Meloy. the States attorney and agent at
Washington. requesting a report of the status of
the swamp land claims of Indiana against the
general government In reply, the Auditor yes
terday received letter stating: after having
for more than eighteen months fairly sought to
obtain the attendance of some agent of the
General Land Office in the field to make the
final examination there on which the character
of the lands selected on behalf of the State as
swamp lands might be finally adjudicated, be-
coming satisfied that no progress towards the
settlement of the States rights in that way could
be hoped for at any definite period, very re-
luctantly l applied to the Commissioner of the
General Land Office, and to the Secretary of the
Interior to have the swamp land claims of In
diana adjusted upon the basis of the evidence
furnishe by the field notes and the plats of sur
vey remaining of record or on file.
On the 10Th of July last I was
officially advised of the departmental consent to
the proposed mode Of adjustment Under this
new departure the former selections had all to
be withdrawn and the lists again made up from
an examination of the field notes and plats of
survey. This preliminary examination is still
going forward. but is so far advanced that for
some time past there has been before the Com
missioner of the General Land Office for his
official verifcation report of the Secretary of
lDe INTERIOR Ouc lSI Oh ianCS selected AS
accruing to the State of Indiana under
the act Of Congress of September %, 1850 com
prising upwards of 13, 400 acres. sold by the
United States Notwithstanding the grant. be-
tween its date and that of March 3. 1853 for
which cash indemnity is asked. There is
other list, estimated to comprise about 20. 600
acres of lands along the Kankakee and other
rivers and beds of lakes and ponds originally
meandered which claimed to have passed
from the general to the State government Many
thousands of of similar lands have
been from time to time, since 1850 sold and
patented to individuals A number of such in
| stances have occurred within the last two years.
There seems to be no way to prevent this, ex-
cept by assertion of the States title, and pro-
| curement Of patents for what remains. Lists
of far greater areas of swamp lands are in course
of preparation from the field notes and surveys
which have beeh since Sept. %, 1885,
| patented to individuals upon location
entries prior to March 3. 1857, and since
that date to the present time; and
yet other lists of such lands which nave been
patented on cash sales since the last men
toned date. No part of these selections has yet
been laid before the Commissioner, under
| the present law, and in view of the fact that
| there remain in Indiana unpatented
| lands not already equitably the property of the
State, no indemnity can be obtained without the
| intervention of Congress- Immediate action is.
| therefore, in respect to these lands, OF no i'm
| pOrtance."
1t is estimated that the amount due the State
| from the government on account of the sales of
swamp lands is over 500, GOO, all of which be-
| longs to the school fund.