Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1888-10-19
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, COS, 1874 acres OF
land have been conveyed: from tho Govern
ment, either by patent or by certifcation
under specific grants The number Of pat
ents issued was ~, 15G, not including mineral
patents, of which 1904 were issued. Lands
were patented or certified to railroad COM
panies TO the amount Of S29, 81 acres in the
States of Arkansas, Iowa, Wisconsin and
Minnesota. Lands were certified to the sew
eral States under the Swamp grant to the
amount of 95,5l5 acres, and under school
selections 80, POS acres. The number OF orig
inal entries made during the year was 10
S54, and final proof was made on ~, 46S.
Down to the close of the fiscal year So, 15S, 800
acres were restored to the public domain and
65 O20, 52S acres recommended for restora-
ton.
Urgent recommendation is made for an
appropriation of $500, 900, which is an in
crease of $500, 00O over the present appropria-
ton, to carry on the work of surveying the
public domain.
The report says: Surveyor Generals
scrip has issued on claims in Louisiana to
the amount of 80 OBS 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 which
provides for the issuing of this scrip is rec
commended, so as TO provide for the payment
ginal grant which is lost to the grantee or
his heirs assignees. instead OF issuing GER
tifcateS emitting the claimant to locate"
equivalent amount of land elsewhere.
The principal reason given for this recon-
mendaton is that it is now the policy of the
Government to retain the public lands for
actual settlers.
The report says that of the %, 429, $50 acres
of land covered by selections pending at the
close of the fiscal year u, GO, $40 acres were
selected by railroad companies whose roads
were not completed in the time required by
their respective grants The forfeiture OF
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 prin-
cipally occupied in the investigation of groups
terest of single individuals or of syndicates
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 OF frauds has
been largely checked
The pending public lands bill, commonly
known the Holman bill" is endorsed by
the Commissioner. 1t proposes the repeal of
the spre-emptiOn, timber culture, and COM
muted homestead laws.
The Commissioner calls special attention to
the inadeQuacy 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. 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