Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-11-25

| 'ieSNO Ol VIC dDONO ClhSScS VI CI
tries as follows:
Homesteads zee. %, Al
IlmDer cultures. s.......................... W
Desert entries .............. ............ 62
mineral entries s......-..,.-.,..-........ l,3o
Total. al............... ................ .25, 81
The States and Territories having tn
largest number, respectively, Of origina
entries are: Dakota, 65,082; Kansas
are Indiana and Ohio, each l, ant
one thousand.
The miscellaneous selections ant
claims pending were: Railroad selec
tlons aggregating %, ,429, ,866.11 acres
1ol ,8o7.59 acres under the Swamp Lane
grants, and l $50, 10000 acres embraced
IN State selections for educational anC
internal improvement purposes.
No information can be given as to the
number OF filings pending in this Office
or OF the acreage covered thereby.
Twenty eight thousand three hundred
and sixty-three filings were merged into
final entries last year by final proof and
payment, and are, in classes, as follows
Ere -emptlon % l5l
Coal 49,. ..,.-........... .,............. 152
Timber and stone ne........................ 2,42C
U,,J
luuldn lHnu .....-.... .... = OH
The sales, entries and selections OF
public lands under the various acts OF
Congress relating thereto made during
the past fiscal year embrace "a, 160, 1884, S2
acres, and of Indian lands 325, ,049. 90
acres, making total of "a, ,4S5, 1888. 81
acres; being a decrease OF 1872 ,204 22
acras as compared with the fiscal year
1887, and an increase of 1851 1863 80
acres over the fiscal year 1886.
The receipts from the disposals of pub
lie lands are $l2, ,701 ,072; from sales OF
Indian lands 1921 ,123.77, total of
$l3, ,522, 1877, being an increase as COM
pared with the fiscal ear 1887 OF 81 ,253,-
96l.75, and an increase of $4,501 ,6S8. .S3
as compared with the fiscal year 1886, to
which is to be added $13, 32O.65 received
on account of timber depredations, and
$ll ,631 received for cei titled copies of
records furnished by the General Land
Office, making the total receipts for the
year from all sources 3,547, 1877 AZ, ex.
ceeding the receipts for any year since
1886.
Six hundred and fourteen repayment
claims for lands erroneously sold,
to $56,747.47 were adjusted
and approved.
Eighty accounts for reimbursement
under the act OF March 3, 1887, amount
ing TO $50, ,759.42, were adjusted and al
lowed.
The amount reported to the First
comptroller as accruing to the several
States entitled by acts of admission into
the Union TO per cent. OF the net pro-
ceeds OF sales OF the public lands is
1926 1885.
The quantity of land actually restored
to the public domain from March 4, 1885,
to June 80, 1888, and opened to entry
and settlement is given IS SO, 15S, 800. 81
acres, and that restored and recon-
mended for recovery as amounting to
l4o, l79, ,52S. 81 acres. The table showing
all the lands restored during the said
period was published in full in the Ma
h01al Domain, 1883.
Surveys have been accepted during the |
year covering 2, 1872, ,342 32 acres.
The Commissioner treats the subject |
Of surveys at considerable length, and |
declares that in his judgment there is |
great need OF an increase of appropria-
ion for surveys of the public lands. For
he fiscal year ending June 80, 1887, and |
June 30, 1888, the amount appropriated |
or this purpose was $4,000 each year,
while in the sundry civil bill for the |
current year $l00, 900 is provided for. Ia
lis estimates for the next fiscal year he |
recommends that at least $500, 900 may
De appropriated for surveys.
The number of acres of railroad selec.
ions pending at the close of the fiscal
'ear was 20, 429, ,S66.1l, an increase of
',2l7 ,572.02 acres. Of this amount q,
$50, ,S46 SS acres were selected by rail-
Dad companies whose roads were not
completed within the time required by
heir respective grants.
The Commissioner recommends the
orfeiture of all lands granted in aid of
he construction of railroads which are
with those portions of the
several roads which were not completed
within the time limited by their respec-
i've granting acts or the acts amendatory
hereof.
The Claims presented to this office
,nder the acts Ct Congress relating to
Iwamp and overfowed lands during the
year cover 781 ,957.5 acres, making the
otal amount claimed under said acts to
late 7S, ,1S9, 130.55 acres.
The Commissioner expresses his inten-
ion to have thorough examination
made of all the lands claimed under the
swamp grants by competent agents, as
'oon as practicable, and it is believed
hat much valuable land now claimed |
oy the States, will soon be restored to
settlement and entry without putting
settlers to unnecessary expense and an
1oyance in securing homes on these
ands.
The Contest work is nearly two years
behind, and the number and intricacy OF |
cases is constantly increasing. During
The year 1888 contests were in the files
of the office, and IA, ,40S cases were finally |
disposed OF, leaving a balance undis-
posed of July l., 1888, of s, 100, as COM
pared with II, 1878 pending July l, 1887. |
This gain of 3,278, however, was almost |
entirely in the class of unappealed cases,
which are now not much over six |
months in arrears.
In regard to frauds and trespasses |
against public lands, it is stated that the |
work of the special agents during the |
last year has been effective both in sup
pressing the unlawful speculations in the |
public lands and in fully developing the |
facts in many extensive and fragrant |
frauds. Considerable space is devoted |
to resume of some of the work done
and the great benefits accomplished
through this agency. 1t is further sup
plemented by reports from the local
officers touching the same subject re-
sponsive to circular letter addressed
them the Commissioner June 6. 1888.