Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-10-11
SPARKS SPOTS Elm.
The Commissioner Of the General
Land Office Makes His Report for
the Fiscal Year lust Ended.
He Shows how MonopOlIes and Corpora
items have Stolen or Tiled to Steal
the Public Lands aud Timber.
Democracy Ia after the Thievas aud Cor
morants IN the Interest of she People
whose Party IL 10.
NOW uNoIr sAM ~ nonnrn.

WASHINGTON, Oct. l0.--Commissloner
Sparks of the general land office has sub
mltted to the secretary Of the interior his
report OF the operations Of his Office for
the last fiscal year. at the outset the
commissioner ssays: In my previous
report referred to the imperative need
OF reform in the administration Of
tine public land laws, to the end
of protecting the public interest
rather than ministering to the advantage
OF speculation aud monopoly, private
or corporate. The steady purpose in
which have endeavored TO reflect the
aims of all good men has been protection
of the public domain and its preservation
for inhabitancy by actual cultivators, TO
whom 1t rightfully belongs. The evil
dences Of widespread and persistent
land robbery"laid before you in my last re-
port were furnished by officers and agents
appointed by the last administration.
The developments of the past year under
the agencies oil the new administration
have justified every word said IN my last
report. "The sales, entries and seiec-
lions of public lands under the various
acts of congress-" says the report, en-
braces 20,99i,967 acres, and OF fndian
lands l,l82, 1896, making a total OF 22, l24,-
568 acres, being an increase over last year
OF l,129,050 acres. The pub
lie surveys reported during the
year embraced 2,802,3T acres
On this subject the commissioner says
that 100000 acres OF the territory OF
Arizona have been surveyed, principally
in the southern and central portions OF
the territory. About 100000 acres
have been surveyed in California, and
about 90, 100000 in Colorado. Concerning
the surveysin this state, the report says,
1.-THE eastern portion, known as 'the
plains,' which Is largely dominated
by cattle corporations, was returned
as surveyed several years ago, but no
monuments exist aud there is no means
Of Identifying the sub divisions of sec
tons for even the locality Of townships.
1t is of the utmost Importance that
prompt steps should be taken to fully as
certain the condition Of the public surveys
In that part Of the state. In Dakota,
the eastern half OF the state has
been surveyed except In portions
along the International boundary line OF
the Turtle mountain region. The sur
veyed region OF this territory is about
AZ, 000,o0 acres. In Florida the surveyed
oICu 10 OOtofO,OOO dCItEs III iV,&OU,-
400; In Minnesota 1881 1877; In Nevada
about II 100000; in Montana about 49,
00,000 in New Mexico about 81 1000, 900.
In speaking Of the surveys in this
territory the report quotes from report
OF s. Julien, surveyor-general Of New
Mexico, In which he expresses the opinion
that this territory will have to be re-
surveyed on account of previous inaccu-
rscies or fraud. The area of surveyed
land in Wyoming is estimated at
100000 acres, "The country
the report says, sis occupied
chiefly by cattle companies who control
the lands.along the streams under desert |
and other entries. The work OF the off, |
GERS is reviewed at length, showing that
S0S7 cases of entries were Investigated of
which ll68, embracing 10000 acres,
were cancelled as fraudulent, and 1886
cases, containing 2,s25,000 acres, have
been held for cancellation. The commits
sloner says his attention has been called
to $4,000 unlawful enclosures, con-
tanning $4,000 acres, and that the
proceedings to compel the removal OF
fences have been recommended In eighty
eight cases, involving $3.50, 900 acres, and
final DEGREES ordering the removal oh.
tanned Ia thirteen cases, involving l,000,-
600. Agents report slxty-hye enclosures
removed from | ,374, e62 acres, and forty
seven enclosures covering 100000 acres
removed without resort to the courts. la
several cases no area Is given, and in one
case the amoupt Of fencing is stated at 1870
miles. Two hundred and forty-seven cases
embracing 100000 acres, are pending
examination The total area over which
fences have been or are being removed, is
2,7l4,o26 acres, mostly In Colorado The
report continues: "Twelye hundred and
nineteen cases OF timber depredations
have been reported, involving a value Of
timber products amounting to @9,389, 679
recoverable to the United States
About 100000 OF this has been
recovered. Depredations upon the
public timber by powerful corporations
and wealthy mill-owners, lumber com.
panles and interruptions monopolies,
TO certsin degree checked, are
still being committed to an alarming ex-
tent and to great public detrlment. "The
subject OF forest reservations he says,
sis one OF unquestionable Importance,
and respectfully renew the recommenda-
lions heretofore made. y The commissioner
recommends that an act be passed making
Ialse and fraudulent returns Of public sur
1eys and Of surveys OF private land
claims offenses punishable by fine sud
Imprisonment. The recommendation Is
llso made that the law authorizing sur
'eys 70 be made under the Especial de-
,osits" system be repealed. z
GEORGE w. ADAMS DEAD.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.---George w. Adj
inns, president OF the Evening Star
company, died al his home in
bis city this morning