The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-09-20
STONES SHOWING
Report of the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office on the
Years Work.
a Document Which Might be Issued
With a View to Possible Po-
iiticai Results.
Large Increase in the Number of Patents
Issued with as Great a Decrease
in once Receipts

WASHINGTON. sept IL - Lt AAAuaA II
port OF the acting commissioner of the gen
ersI land Office, VIM. NJ. stone, has been
submitted TO the secretary OF the interior
In opening his report Commissioners stone
refers TO the accumulation OF business IN
the once, which has been left over from
former administrations, which WAS partly
due to Increasing the work of the local land
Offices. The system in force, be says, was
mol proIn0tive Of speed IN the dispatch OF
business, especially in the case OF lie
board of review created by Commissioner
Sparks, which he abolished as hindrance
TO good, safe and quick work IN the office.
Commenting on Mr.. Sparks unfortunate
and unwarranted suspicious that wide
spread system OF fraud prevailed, and Mr.
sparks assertion that the proportion OF
fraudulent filings to the total number of
filings made and reliDquished may 0e estl-
mated in round numbers at lOO per cent
Mr. Stone says; "Inls wholesale stTalgn-
ment of claimants on the pubic DOMAIN
should not have been made without the
most conclusive evidence TO sustain
&C." The report goes on TO say that
no general misconduct on the part
of western settlers has been found. During
the yesr 7O,l4l agricultural patents were
issued, covering ii, 1gl, lls acres OF land, an
Increase over the preceding year OF more
than COO 200 acres. Mineral patents 10
the number OF sIS, covering an acreage OF
L. Og6 acres, were issued. There were
patented for The benefit of railroads under
the law 425 046 acres. and under the swamp
land grants 10 states 25s, III acres. state
selections under educational grants
were approved To the extent OF lS2, $50
acre. ana lands to Indians patented under
the various acts to the amount l5s $50 The
total cash receipts of the ufhe- from the
sales OF land aud fees were ss,2lO 20, a de-
crease of more then SO, 1000 900 as compared
with the previous year, During the Year
surveys were completed 10 the amount OF
4,544S12 acres, principally IN DAkOta-
Montana and ATiz ma
Commissioner SgOne calls attention to
certain allowance made 10 deputy sur
VeN Ors by the first comptroller OF treasury
in the years 1856 and 1881, (which in NV
opinion were grossly irregular and pal
paDie usurpatlOn Of the powers and duties
specially belonging 10 the commissioner OF
the general land tiiice.
The report refers 70 the unsettled co0di-
ton OF private land claims IN New Mexico.
ArzJna and Montana, and tue need oI
congressional RCtion 20 settle titles IN these
territories. Referring 70 the act OF March
), 1889, which authOIizes the SECRETARY of
the Interior To adjust tie railroad grants
and II any have been enormously certified
or patented to commence proceedings 10
caucel them. the report states OF the
pending selections q, $50 S43 acres have
ocru suspCLucuf awaiting : aSiioh " NOH
gress-
Attention is called to the fact that more
than SO.O0)0OO acres OF land have been
claimed under the swamps land act ia va
riOuS states, Florida alone, while hav-
ing a total area OF but 3s,-
g3I $50 acres. having list filed
TOR - 22l, 400 acTes as swamp land
There can be no doubt" says the report,
..thst large quantities of land amounting
to millions OF acres has been patented to
the state enormously ss swamp, when In
facr they were and are good agricultural
lands" The WORK OF examining eX pGrte
mineral entries is said 10 be two and
half years in arrears. The report recon
mends that when a homestead or pre-
emption claimant receives patent and
mineral is discovered subsequently on his
claim, his certificate of entry shall act a. a
bar to any mining CLAIM discovery made
subsequent To the entry. The report rec
OmmendS the appeal OF all laws relating TO
public timber lands and the enactiDg of a
general law. PLAIN, concise and unmiStak-
sole IN meant <. Fewer fraudulent en-
tries have zen made during the year than
furs many years past owing to increased
vigilance, but several cases are mentioned
obtain coal lands by fraudulent means, and
IN one case had they succeeded the com
mission alone would have amounted to
So, $1,000 The opening Of Oklahoma is
referred 10 as the most important event for
several years in the administration OF the
land Office.