Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-10-18

s. NJ. Stockslager, commissioner o. ens ssn-
Ii iand office. has submitted to the secre.
tarv ofthe interior his report for the nscal
vear ended June 80, 1888. The ngures snow.
;ng tbe amount of lands covered py ne"
an7r;es dnring the year and the gross cash re-
eeipts have already Deem Ho"' P
reRRU DIn% the year s.605, 1914 acres OF land
- haen conveyed from the government,
other nv patent or by certihcatioh uhuer
sneciac grants. A detailed tabular STATE
mont shows the number OF patents y sasn
,h;cb X anpears that AZ. 150 patents Rave
been issued during the year. Dakota received
tba largest number, 1864, and kanses
nsxt. S.744. This statement does not IN
cI,de mineral patents, of which l,o34 we're
isaued, Lands were patented OF eeroneaoo
railroad companies to the amount oIoSg,-
1870 acres in the states of Arkansas, Iowa,
WISCONSIN and Minnesota. Lands were ceru-
H,d nv the several states under the swamp
nrant 10 the amount OF 96,6l5 acres anu
9nd,r school selections, 99,2O5 acres. AFTER
showing in q detail the conveyance OF ute 70
the public lands, the commission cans alter
zion 10 the accumulation of work IN hls Of
a. nndisposed OF. July | there were pend
;ng and un~patented, 32S,l 6S f1ai entries
ami 35O 953 original entries awaiting maj
nroof The number of original entries mace
during the year was 1884 ana the nhai
proof was made on 70,46s. Raliroad selec-
lions aggregating 25,429,S66 acres, swamp
selections TO the amount OF 7Sl 500 acres
and educational and internal improvements
selections aggregating 1,S50,00O acres. were
also pendinp The statement OF lands re-
stored to the public domain during TINS az,
ministration is brought down to the close OF
the fiscal year and shows a total OF S4,loo,-
900 acres restored and acres
recommended for restoration. Sur
yeys OF 2 .912 ,342 acres we're accepted, after
n careful examination in the field by the
agents of the land Office. 1t is stated that IL
is ;mnossible to obtain bids for the survey
ing OF lands at established rates, and an ln-
crease of rates il urged. Urgent
dation il also made for an appropriation oI
5000. 900 to carry on the work OF surveying
the public domain. The commissioner DIS
cusses Mt some length the necessity LOT ex,
tending the public surveys. The decision oi
Secretary Villas in the Guilford Miller case Is
referred to, and it is stated that there are
1000 similar cases pending in the land Once
and lands in the indemnity limits OF the
Northern Pacific, the Atlantic & Pacific, the
Southern Pacific, the California q Oregon
and the Oregon 4 California roads, to the
extent of II, $50 900 acres, are affected by
said decision. The report says that OF the
25.429, 500 acres of land covered by selections
pending at the close ofthe fiscal year, ~,
t6O. SAG acres were selected by railroad
whose roads were not completed
in the time required by their respective grants.
The forfeiture of all lands with
those parts OF the respective roads winch
were nneompleted at the expiration oil the
time li-ited for their construction Is recon-
mended. ..tention is called TO the fact that
no authority o.. aw exists for competing the
attendance of witnesses to testify in hearings
had on behalf of the government or IN
contest cases, in proceedings before
registers and receivers. to ascertain whether
entries are legal or whether the law has been
complied with. Congress is urged to supply
some legislation on the subject. Legislation
is recommended for the purpose of making
the practice uniform as to the officers who
NAV take final proof in pre-emption and
homestead cases. The pending public lands
bill, commonly known as the Holman bill. is
endorsed by the commissioner. The com
missioner recommends the reorganization OF
the bureau by act of congress, so as to pro-
vide for all of the necessary divisions by law
and for compensation for the officials OF the
bureau commensurate with the class Of ser
vices rendered.