The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-10-24
THE NATIONS LAND.
Facts From the General Land
Commissioners Report.
More than 100000 Acres Re-
stored to the Public Domain.

The report of S. NJ Stockslager, Commis-
sioner of the United States General
Land Office, has just been made public, and it
shows that during the year S,6O5, 1874 acres OF
land have been conveyed. from the Govern
ment, either by patent or by certihcation
under specific grants. The number of pat
ents issued was Al, $50, not including mineral
patents, of which 1884 were issued. Lands
were patented or certified to railroad COM
panies to the amount of $40, l62 acres in the
States of Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin ana
Minnesota. Lands were certified to the sev-
eral States under the Swamp grant 70 tne
amount of 95,5l5 acres, and under scnooi
selections 80, 2u5 acres. The number OF orig
inal entries made during the year was o.
S54, and final proof was made on ~; tU;1Us; ooS
Down to the close of the fiscal year S5, !oS,sS0
acres were restored to the public domain, ana
s., ,O20, ,5:S acres recommended Tor restora-
tion.
Urgent recommendation is made for an
appropriation of $4,000, which IS an In
crease of s2OO, ,OO0 over the present appropria-
ton, to carry on the Work OF surveying Ine
public domain.
The report says: Surveyor Generals"
scrip has issued on claims in Louisiana TO
the amount of So O3S acres These are claims
for indemnity by reason Of failure in obtain
ing title to the full amount Of the original
grants An amendment OF the act whlcn
provides for the issuing Of this scrip is rec
Commended, so as to provide for the payment
of 81. Is in money for each acre Of the ORR
ginal grant which is lost to the grantee or
his heirs or assignees, instead Of issuing Ger.
tificates emitting the claimant to locate"
an equivalent amount OF land elsewhere.
The principal reason given for this recon-
mendaticn is that it is now the policy OF the
Government to retain the public lands tor
actual settlers.
The report saws that of the 25, ,429, SIG acres
OF land covered Dy selections pending at the
close of the fiscal year q, ,G60, $40 acres were
selected by railroad companies whose ROADS
were not completed in the time required Dy
their respective grants. The forfeiture or
all lands coterminous with these parts OF the
respective roads which were uncompleted at
the expiration Of the time limited for their
construction is recommended.
The time of the special agents employed to
investigate fraudulent entries has been prln-
cipally occupied in the investigation of groups
or clusters of entries illegally made In the in
terest Of single individuals or Of syndlcates
and corporations who desire to obtain title TO
large bodies of land. These entries are said
to be most of them of several years standing
and it is asserted that this class or 1rauds mas
been largely checked.
The pending public lands bill, commonly
known as ''the Holman bill" is endorsed by
the Commissioner. 1t proposes the repeal OF
the :pre-emption. timber culture, and COM
muted homestead laws
The Commissioner calls special attention to
the inadeauacy of the clerical force in his
office, and to the need of additional office
room, which, he says, greatly lessons the
efficacy of the force allowed him at present
He recommends the reorganization OF the
bureau by act of Congress. SO as to provide
for all of the necessary divisions by law, and
SO as to provide compensation for the officials
of the bureau commensurate with the class OF