The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1888-01-06

amounts of lands have been restored to the
public domain since March 4. 1885:
Acres.
Area within railroad limits s,95s. lit
Area within railroad indemnity limits 81 ,S2S 600
Private land claimed 6I6. 600
Fraudulent entries cancelled 100000
Invalid swamp and other State selec-
tions Cancelled 5ss, 7o4
Total restored to the public domain 1854 .4sl
In The effort to ascertain. the proportion
Of the above amount which was restored
during the last fiscal year caused thor.
ough examination of the records of the land
department to be made, Shut was unable to
obtain the desired information.
However, the investigation showed that
from March 5, 1885, to Oct. /, 1887, the
number of entries Cancelled for fraud, He
gality, abandonment and other causes
amounted to 91,07s, embracing an area Of
IA, 238 9l3.04 acres, making an aggregate Of
lands restored to the public domain of 49,
663. 1874 acres. In addition there are suits
pending before the department involving
the question of the restoration Of many
millions more ACRES, amounting in the ag-
gregate to 9,490, 4S0,lO.
From the report of the Commissioner Of
the General Land-O Office it appears that the
number of acres of land disposed of during
the last fiscal year, under the various acts
of Congress authorizing sales, entries and
selections. aggregates 25,ll1 ,400,S4, OF
which 74e, 637 80 acres were Indian lands.
SSH ,s07 ,33 railroad selections, and 2,l09,-
43l,43 selections under other grants; the
aggregate amount showing an increase OF
1852, 524,55 acres as compared with the
previous year. The receipts from dispos-
ais of the public lands were $10,7S3, 921'72;
from sale of Indian lands, 81. Asa, 302.30; a
total of $l2.26S,2 e3.02; an increase over
the previous year of $3,247,727.O3. To
which is 10 he added S., 1923 received on ac-
count of timber depredations and $l2. 49S,-
IS received for certified copies OF records
furnished by the General Land Office, maxi
ing receipts Of that bureau from all sources
$l2.2S9, 00SS7.
The total number of entries and filings
made during the year was 248, l7S, covering
1887 ,039.41 acres; an increase Of Ito
over the previous year; whilst the number
of original homestead entries WIS 2,028,
covering an area of 1884, Is acres; =
decrease of 9,6l0 entries and $50, 785, 20
acres. Final proof was made On 19, $3.50
homestead entries, of which 10,20l were
commutsd homestead entries, aud 32l pur-
chased under the act of June Is, 1880; an
increase of $40 entries, and of So, 505,65
acres. The pre- -emption entries were 81.
403, embracing 3.I72,4lLs0 acres; an in
crease of 5,69l entries, and of 1913, l93'41
acres.
Under the Desert Land act 2,242 entries
were made, embracing Isl, O14,O9 acres; a
decrease of ZIG entries and 2,674,54 acres.
Uuder the Timber and Stone act of June
8, 1878, 655 entries embracing 8O,622 acres
were made, being an increase of 223 entries
and 29,92S acres as compared with 1885.
During the year 1882 mineral entries
were made. covering 2S,7s7 ,s2 acres. This
is decrease of nineteen entries and IN in
crease Of 7 400 acres. This does not INCLUDE
eighty four coal entries. covering II ,46l
acres, an increase of seven entries and of l.
29l acres.
The number of patents issued during the
year upon agricultural lands was "a ,5SS, an
increase OF 4,O73 over the previous year,
according to the report ofthe Commission
er. but decrease. as compared with 1886,
of 4S,614.
The work of returning to the people the
large area of the public land hitherto lille
gally appropriated by corporations and in
divuals engaged in the cattle business on
the plains has progressed most successfully
during the last year. The papers Transmits
ted from the General land Office show that
465 illegal Enclosures, aggregating in area
nearly 1000, 900 acres, have been reported.
In 1873 of these cases, involving 8,275, 900
acres, proceedings have been Instituted, and
in 165 Gases the special agents report the
removal, complete or in progress of the IL
legal fences, throwing open to public use
and occupancy 1894 900 acres. renew the
suggestion in my last annual report in fay
or Of the enactment Of a law making false
and fraudulent returns of public surveys a
penal offense, and providing also penalties
for the wilful destruction or removal OF
surveying monuments. Special attention is
called to the recommendation of the Com
missioner for the appropriation Of $500, 900
for executing public surveys. / concur in
this recommendation.
The vital necessity for legislation looking
to the preservation Of the timber resources
of the country becomes more urgent every
year. The annual loss to the government
by the destruction of timber bv fire alone is
estimated at 81 100000. To this shonld be
added the more inn ortant but secondary
loss which follows the destruction of timber
by land-slides, climatic changes Of a per
manent character, and the violations of the |
l.. L.. hn nhaR