Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1888-10-18
0EmEaAk 4Ahp-osFicE.



Aspo.e OF ME Operations the |
Ras9 Year. |
VAsHIRGToN, Oct SIS. N. Stockslagef.
Of the General Land ofice. has |
submitted To the Secretary OF the Interior his |
report for the fiscal year ended juno 30. lsso.
The figures showing the amounts OF lands COW |
cred by new entries during the year and the
gross oash receipts have already been made pub |
lie. zAe report shows thqt during the year
36O5. 1914 acree OF land we're conveyed from the |
Government. either by patent oerIidcation.
under specific grants. A detailed tabular state
ment shows the number of patents OF each
class issued by States and Territories, from
which 1t appears that q, $50 patents have been
issued during the year. Dakota receiving the
largest number, 16, 1884, and Kansas next STA
This statement does not include mineral pat
enta, Of which 1 ,O34 were issued. Lands were
patented O. certified TO railrosd companies to
the amount OF 827, 162 acres in the States of Ar
kansas, Iowa. Wisconsin and Minnesota. Lands
were certified to the several States under the
same grant to the amount of 96 515 acres, and
under school selections 81, EOS acres.
After showing in detail the conveyance OF
title to the public lands, the Commissioner calls
ONCE undisposed Of July there were pending
and unpstented 233 1856 final entries and 35O,8y3
originsl eutries awaiting final proof The num-
Der OF original entries made during the year was
"a 054 ana final proof was made on TO- 46S. Rail-
road sections aggregated 25. 1886 acres.
swamp selections TO the amount of 761. $50 acres
and educational and Internal improvements
selections aSgressting 1850 Coo acres we're also
pending.
The statement az lands restored 20 the pub.
lie domain during this administration is
brought down TO the close OF the fiscal year
and shows . total OF g. l50. SEQ acres restored
and IS. 0sO5Ss acres recommended for restore
ton Surveys Of 2,912.342 acres were &C
cepted after Q careful examination in
the field bs the agents OF the Landofice. It 10
stated that II 10 impossible TO obtain bids for
the survey OF lands at established rates, and an
increase Is urged. Urgent recommendation
Is also made for an appropriation OF 100000 70
carry on the work OF surveying the public do
main The Commissioner discusses at some
length, the necessity for extending the public
surveys. Il is stated that the ''surveyor-gen-
eral' scrip has been issued on claims in Louis
lana 20 the amount OF %, $50 acres These are
claims OF indemnity by reason of failure in OBJ
Gaining title to the full amount OF the original
grants. An amendment to the act Of 1853, which
provides for the issuing OF this script, is recon-
mended TO provide for the payment OF
el.25 in money for each acre OF the original
grant which 10 lost TO the grantee or his heirs
or assigns instead of issuing certificates en-
titling the claimant to locate an equivalent
amount Of land elsewhere.
That part Of the report devoted TO railroads
is largely taken up in showing the condition OF
the work OF adjustment under the act OF March
3, 1887 The decision OF Secretary Villas in the
Guilford Miller case 10 referred TO and it 10
ting in the Land-of1ce and that the land in the
Indemnity limits OF the Northern Pacific. the
Atlantic & Pacific. the Southern Pacific, the
California q Oregon and the Oregon & Califor-
mia roads, to the extent of 7.63O,OO acres, are
affected by the decision. OF the Is 429, s66 acres
OF land covered by selections pending at the
close OF the fiscal year, 21,660,S46 acres were
selected by railroad companies whose roads
were not completed in the tune required by
their respective grants. The forfeiture of all
lands CO. terminous with those parts of the re-
spective roads which were uncompletcd at the
expiration OF the time limited for their CON
struction 10 recommended.
The time Of the agents employed to invesu
gate fraudulent entries has been principally
occupied in the investigation OF groups or
clus lers OF entries Illegally made tn the inter
est OF single individuals or syndicates and cor
porations who desire to obtain title to large
bodies OF land. Illustrations of this class Of
work in various States and Territories are set
out at length. These entries are said to be most
OF them OF several years standing, and il is
asserted that this class OF frauds has been
largely checked The timber agents have ihves-
tigated depredati0ns on all the public timber
IN all the States and Territories in which tim
Der 10 growing on the public lands. That part
OF the report is followed and supplemented by
reports from 6fty-seven OF the local ofYlces in
all parts Of the West, called for by the Commits
sioner June & These are almost unanimous in
representing q decrease in the attempts to 1na-
properly acquire public domain.
Attention is called to the fact that no author
ity Of law exists for compelling the attendance
Of witnesses TO testify in hearings had on behalf
OF the Goverdment or in contest cases. in pro-
ceedings before registers and receivers, to as.
certain whether entries are legal or whether
the law has been complied with, and Congress
10 urged TO supply some legislation on the sub
ject. Legislation 10 recommended for the puf-
pose Of making the practice uniform as TO the
officers who may take final proof in pre- -emptiox
and homestead cases.
The pending Public Lands bill. commonly
known a. the Holman bill, - 10 Endorsed by the
Commissioner, who also recommends the reor-
ganizaxion OF the bureau by act Of Congress- SO
as to provide for all the necessary divisions by
law and so as TO provide compensation for the
ohicials Of the bureau commensurate with she
class OF services rendered.