Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-07
LAND OFFICE REPORT.

Commissioner william A. T. Sparks has
Something to Say About Stolen
Lands.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-The commits
sioner of the general land office in his
annual report places the sales, entries,
and selections of public land during the
last fiscal year at 20, 113, 663.37 acres. and
of Indian lands Ss1 ,S5O.2l acres, making a
total of 20,995, 5l3.5S acres, being a de-
crease, as compared with the year 1884, of
6,035, sos Al acres, and an increase over
the year 1888 of ], 565, 480. IS acres.
The receipts from the dlsposals of public
lands are $7.6S6 ia O; from sales of In
dian lands, 1888 4S3 SO; total of $S,619,-
sos 80, being decrease as compared with
the year 1884 OF $4159,5S2 Oh, and with
1883 of $8O86. l67 80, TO which is to b.
added $S.S21 So Tor certified copies of
records furnished by the General Land
Office, making the total receipts tor the
year from all sources $S.62S, 420 Is.
The Commissioner reports further that
he finds warranted the widespread belief
Of the people that the Land Department
bias been largely conducted to the advan-
tage OF speculation and monopoly rather
than the public interest. Tue vast ma
chinery OF the Land Department appears
to have been devoted to conveying the
lands of the United States upon fraudu-
lent entries under strained constructions
OF the imperfect public land laws and
upon illegal claims under public and pri-
vate grants.
Under the land grant system since it's
commencement 1851 miles of railroad
have been constructed, and in the mean
time 100000 miles have been built without
government aid. Many of the latter
lines were through undeveioped country,
and many of the former were DELAYED
until settlements outside of railroad limits
sufficiently advanced to make con-
structiOn profitable without public sub
sidy, and until the disposal by the govern
ment of reserved alternate sections and
the filling up OF the back country enhanced
the price of lands given as an inducement
TO build the roads. such DELAYS have
been made possible through official action
OF the Land Department in Withdrawing
from public appropriation lands within
assumed limits OF projected roads, and
retaining such lands in indefinite reserva-
ton. This is an evil upon whish the
commissioner dwells at length, infiicting,
as 1t does, wrong to the government and
an injustice to settlers, while it gives
great and improper advantage to
railroad corporations. In most, If not all
grants TO railroads premature and unau-
thorlzed Withdrawals have been made
the land held sacreGly reserved for the
railroad, and the legal rights of settlers
arbitrarily and cruelty denied. This tends
TO nullify the main object of the govern
ment in its liberal offers of public lands to
settlers, for it prevents the speedy and
healthy development of the uninhabited
regions. Vast tracts of the choicest
woodlands have thus been exploited for
the speculative purposes Of railroad cor
porat'ons and their interior combinations.
In addition 10 this, the railroads by vari-
Gus devices have Overdrawn to vast ex-
tent the ground to which the law entitled
them; lands have been awarded to roads
which were never built, and on no greater
authority than the pencil lines made by
an Unauthorized attorney upon a map.
Roads remain unfinished to-day for which
grants were made twenty years ago and
longer, and where the time for completion
expired from five to fifteen years since
and fOrfeitures have been incurred, but
lands within their indemnity limits still
remain withdrawn.
The commissioners recommends that
the Homestead law be so amended. "a 10
provide that the public lands Of the
United States, other than mineral and re-
served timber lands, shall be disposed of
only under its provisions, and that these
be strengthened 10 secure actual inhabi-
fancy. improvement and cultivation, as
precedent conditions 10 the acquisition OF
any rights hereunder, and absolutely pro-
hibiting and rendering nugatOry for any
purpose whatever, any sale or transfer OF
the homestead privilege. or OF any title
derived, or 10 be derived hereunder, prior
10 the issue OF patent. The law should
provide for substantial, and not merely
pro forma proofs, and applications and
proofs should not be permitted TO be made
before any other officer than the land OIL.
GERS OF the United States.
On the subject Of the depredatiOna upon
publlo timber and upon the preservation
OF forests the Commissioner saws: Dep
relations upon public timber are univer-
sal, nagrant. and imitless. Whole ranges
OF townships covered with pine timber,
the forests at headwaters OF streams. and
tim Der land along the water courses and
railroad lines have been cut over Ivy lum-
Der companies under pretence OF title de-
rived through presumption and homestead
entries made by their employees and az.
terwafd assigned TO the companies
steam saw mills are established prOms.
cuously on public lands for the manutac.
tnre OF lumber procured from the public
domain by miscellaneous trespassers.
Large operators employ hundreds. and In
some cusos thousands of men. cult ng
government timber, and saving itup inio
lumber and shingles, which. when needed
und purchased by local c.tiXens can only
bc obtained by them at prlcea governed
by tue market value of iimuar brought
over expensive transp0rHti4u routes from
points of legitimate supply.
"ihe Importance and necessity 0f pre-.
serving our rpmainin. forests and wood.
lunhs are urged upon the attonil0lof Log
isiators ana the public by thrurhtml per.
sons. scientific bodies. and pBtfiotic AS
soeiations throughout tho country. H. j.