Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1886-12-08

IdoG 0C00AOu1 RIOVIulA1S - u dtlOCuuSut VI
lands to Indians on Round Valley reserva.
ton in California, extlnguishiDg of claims
of settlers, and for the sale of any surplus
lands, passed the Senate, but failed to be
come a law. This reservation embraces an
area oil 1O2, 118 acres. The COMMISSIONS
reports that ranchmen and others claim.
ing title to only about 1850 acres within
its limits, are occupying nine-tenths of the
reservation.
TO THE GREAT DETRIMENr
of the Indians therein. 1 concur with him
that if the bill referred to or some Other
measure for the protection of the interests
of these Indians does not soon become
law it will eventually become necessary to
abandon the reservation and TURF the
Indians loose on tue surrounding country,
This is n OF the difficulties of Indian
matters that should be more intelligentIy
presented for. the action of the executive
and to Congress by the commission here
tofore recommended. The Indians are vel
prepared to take land in aeveralty and
Congress is urged to grant legislative
authority therefor" On the subject OF
PUBLIC LANDS
the report says: The commissioners re.
port upon public surveys, though interest.
lily, 10 q pdlulUI cAulUlts II appears IfOM
this document that available agricultural
land in most of the public land States and
Territories has been largely returned az
surveyed and surveys paid for by the
United States, but in many instances the
reported SUI veys are so detective and erro.
neOus as to be without merit and mislead.
ing and that in other cases no actual sur.
veys we're made but plats were manufac.
tured upon the basis of
FICTITIOUS FIELD NOTES.
The proportion OF u~nsurveyed lands is
reported substantially as follows in the
States and Territories named, In Arizona
one-ffth; in California seven-sixteenths:
in Colorado seven-eighths; in Dakota one.
half of the Territory; in Florida, fveIsixths:
in Idaho one-ffth; Minnesota four-6fths;
Nevada one-half; Montana %one-fourth;
New Mexico, two-fiths; Oregon
two-thirds; Washington, one-hs!f; Wyo-
ming, thr~ee-fourths; California, Colorado.
Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Wyo-
ming unsurveyed areas are generally noun
famous or heavily timbtred. In Florida
the unsurveyed lands are principally in the
vicinity of everglades and on islands and
keys on the coast. In Arizona, Colorado.
Idaho. Nevada, New Mexico and Wyoming
the country is reported to be largely occu-
pied by cattle ranches. In the present con-
dition OF these surveys it is very difficult for
the government to prosecute successfully
trespassers upon public lands and depre-
dators upon timber. and it is almost i'm
possible for settlers to identity the lard
they wish to enter. Examinations of de-
post surveys in Washington. Oregon, Cali
fornia, Wyoming, Arizona, Colorado, Utah
and Nebraska show them to be, in numer-
GUS instances, unreliable, defective or fcti-
Tho nhyi0ro 1al,,oo. S-- IL
statements OF this report, which, so far as
l can judge, are based upon patient
and the faithful study of the reports of
agencies of the bureau are:
FIrst-There should he an inspection OF
all work returned as executed in the field
preliminary to the official acceptance of the
moneys and payment therefor.
Second-That the present extension of
the public surveys over new territory is
not largely required in the interest of leciti
mate settlement.
Third-That, owing to extensive frauds
in surveys under the deposit
q re-survey Of a considerable por-
tlon OF the several States and Territories
is becoming a matter of urgent necessity.
Fourth-The enactment of a law making
false and fraudulent returns of public sur
veys q penal oiiense, and providing also
NAA~ ~ VlIJN uC6lTUCUlOu or TenlOVAI
surveying monuments.
The report recommends the modification
of the desert land laws. SO as to render
hem less liable to abuse or their repeal,
The repeal of
THE TIMBER CULTURE ACT
8 also recommended. The Secretary savs.
The statement made in nv last
lnnual report that large bodies
UNLAWFUL ENCLOSURES
u land were unlawfully enclosed for mi.
ate purposes by individuals and corpora
ions engaged in what they call growing
i've stock" and 'ranching' have been veri-
led by the reports of special agents from
hat time until now as shown by the re-
9ort OF the Commissioner of the General
land Office; 375 Of the unlawful Enclosures
covering an area of nearly 6,41O, 900 acres
ave beer brought to his attention up to
present time. 1t is believed that this
loes not represent nearly all the area ille-
noval have been brought, inyolvipe 2
10000 acres. Cases embracing 3750.
'OO acres are pending examination and
part Of these the fences are now being
The total area from which fences
ave been and are being removed as shown
y tbe report OF the commissioner. ia Q
1895 acres. In order to obtain direct
On this subject 1 instructed
wo inspectors appointed under the act ~
ne last Congress to give it their snec;ai
and to report to the department
rrectiy. One was sent to the Territorv ~
wyoming and the other to the Territory VI "
'ew Mexico. The results OF their invsst;'
atoms within their limited time has fnr.
lshed to the department enlarged and
lore special information upon the snh;cot
hey report a number of Enclosures anJ
ne area inclosed in these two territor;as
ar beyond what I have been led to exnact
HOW ILLEGAL OCCUPATION
no possession Of the public domain co,,a
a. grown to such enormous pronort;"ms
beyond my comprehension. In its social
aoral n political aspect, not less than ~
70 economic results, the existenca an5
rowth OF such lawless combinations rest
% upon unlawful Enclosures of the nnh1;.
and protected by the acouirement
! titles through devious or more omun1"
'audulent methods to controlling ths
ources Of water supply, constitute do
Phenomena OF American lie ard
robIem Of political import that demand
ne intelligent attention and action ~ tIa
ongress Of the United States. Whsr sI a.
as hrst represented that ubsta nt;a II" J..
no entire grazing country vest Of the on.,