Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1886-10-15
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
Commissioner Sparks Review of the
Years Work.

Office, has submitted to the Secretary
of the interior his report concerning
the occupation of his office for the last
fiscal year. At the outset the Commits
sioner says: "In my previous report
referred to the imperative need of re-
form in the administration of the pub
!, lie land lars to the end of protecting
public interest rather than ministering
to the advantage of speculation and
monopoly, private or corporate. The
steady purpose with which l have en-
deavored to reflect the aims of all good
men has been the protection of the
public domain and its preservation for
inhabitancy by active cultivators to
to whom it rightfully belongs. The
evidences of widespread and persistent
land robbery, as laid before you in my
last report, were furnished by officers
and agents appointed by the last ad-
ministration. The developments of
the past year, under the agencies of
the new administration have justified
every word said in my last report"
SALES, ENTRIES AND SELECTIONS
OF public lands under the various acts
of Congress, says the report, embrace
2O,991 ,947 acres, and of Indian lands
1,l32, 500, making total of 22,124, ,543
acres, being an increase over last year
of 1,129,O5O acres. Public surveys re-
ported during the year embraced $780,
237 600 acres.
On this subject the Commissioner
says that 14OO0,OO0 acres of the Terri
tory of Arizona have been surveyed,
principally the southern and central
portions of the Territory. About H.
100000 have been surveyed in Califor-
mia and about $4,000, 900 acres in Colo
RADIO. Concerning the surveys in this
latter State the report says: "The
eastern portion known as the plains,
which is largely dominated over by
cattle corporations, was returned as
surveyed several years ago, but no
monuments existed. There is no
means of identifying subdivisions OF
the sections or even the locality of
townships.- 1t is Of the utmost impor-
tance that prompt steps should be tax
en- to fully ascertain the condition OF
the public surveys in that part of the
State"
In Dakota the eastern half of the
Territory has been surveyed except
that portion along the international
boundary line of the Turtle mountain
region.
| SURVEYED LANDS.
The surveyed area in Dakota Terri
| tory is about At ,OOO, 600 acres; in Flor
ida, 30,69S,663 acres; in Idaho, TO-
256, 400; in Minnesota, 1881 1857; in
Nevada, about II 100000; in Montana,
about 1S,OOO,OOO; in New Mexico,
about 81 100000.
In speaking of the surveys in these
latter Territories the Commissioner
quotes from the report of Mr.. Julian,
Surveyor General of New Mexico, in
which he expresses the opinion that
the Territory will have to be resurveyed
on account of previous inaccuracies
in the survey of land.
In Wyoming the surveyed area is
Al 600, 900 acres. "This area of coun-
try" the report says, is occupied
chiefly by cattle companies, who con-
troll the lands along the streams under
direct and other entries"
LAND FRAUDS.
| The work of land offices is reviewed
at length. 1t shows that 3OS7 cases
of entries were investigated, of which
1,168 cases, embracing 1882 acres,
were cancelled because of frauds, and
l. ,485 cases, containing 22,5O0 acres,
have been held for consultation. The
commissioner says his attention has
been called to 81 500 unlawful enclos-
ures, containing 6,41O,OO acres, and
that proceedings to compel the re-
moval of fences have been recommend.
ed in lightweight cases, involving in
all 100000 acres. Agents report
that IS enclosures were removed from
1874, 1862 acres, and Al enclosures,
covering $4,000 acres, were removed
| without resort to the courts. In sew
eral cases no area is given. In one
case the amount of fencing is stated
as 100 miles. Two hundred and forty
seven cases, embracing 3,740OO0 acres
are under examination. The total area
over which fences have been or art
being removed is 2,7l4, 1926 acres, mostly
in Colorado.
TIMBER STEALING.
The report continues: Twelve hun
dred and nineteen cases of timber dep
relations have been reported, invol
wing value in timber and timber pro
duction amounting to 50 9,339,679, re
coverable to the United States. About
100000 of this has been recovered
The depredations on public timber by
powerful corporations, wealthy mil
owners, lumber companies and un
scrupulous monopolists, though to q
certain degree checked, are still being
committed to an alarming extent, ant
to great public detriment.
"The subject of forest reservations,
he says, lis one of unquestionable i'm