Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-01-03
Comprehensive Report Of Com
missioner Hall.
An Exhaustive Review of Texas State
Land Matters, with Some Timely
and Important Suggestions.
Gentlemen and Newspapers that Have Been
Opposing The Gazette's Land Views
Should Read and Ponder.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE,

MY DEAR SIR-In6 IOllORluG IdDles VI
exhibits show the operations of this de-
partment for the two years beginning
September l, 1886, and ending August
81, 1888:
Exhibit "A'' shows the issue of 10 1874
patents, covering $50, 1856 acres, as
against I3, 200 patents, covering s ,0l7 ,729
acres for the two preceding years. At
tention is called to the item in this exhibit
of 49I patents embracing 2 ,l49 ,75G acres
of capitol lands, which item is extraoT-
binary and, to indicate properly the de-
cline of work Of this kind, should be de-
Quoted from the figures above given.
AS patent and fling fees have been,
and are now, the chief source of revenue
to this Office, and in consideration of the
certainty that receipts from this source
viii rapidly decrease and soon reach a
minimum it is evident that radical
changes are necessary in the laws regu-
lating and prescribing fees for this de-
partment, if the same Is TO be self-suS-
tanning, as is contemplated by the con-
stitution of the state.
LAND CERTIFICATES ISSUED.
Exhibit ;'B'' shows the issuance of
3OS certificates, authorizing the location
of 294 ,29I acres for individuals, and
$3.50 for the school fund. The issuance
of certificates for land was formerly q
prolific source of revenue. but now eX-
hausted, as the laws authorizing the
same have been repealed,
NEW RETURNS.
Exhibit &C, - giving the new returns,
shows the inevitable decline both in
number and acreage. For the next two
E,II.
must be still greater, proportionately
resulting in further loss of revenue.
PUBLIC DOMAIN.
In connection with exhibit "D' it
may be stated that the result of 1913 ,S76
acres of liabilities in excess of public
domain is an approximation in which
near approach to accuracy is not claimed;
this being effected by all the errors in
surveys, such as excuses, deficiencies
and conflicts. 1t is apparent from the
maps of this Office that there still remains
about 3 200 900 acres of unappropriated
public domain lying chiefly within the
limits of the Texas and Pacific reserya-
ton and the counties north therefrom
To this may be added One-half of Greer
county. In view of the fact that full
provision has never yet been made for
securing to the school fund that proper
lion of the public domain donated thereto
by section two, article seven, of the
constitution, it is suggested that the
proper steps to secure this end, as far as
now possible, be taken without unneces-
sary delay.
Chapter VIII. and TX. title 70, of the
Revised Statutes, being the presumption
and homestead laws, contain the only
provisions for the disposition of the bulk
of ia r,l1blic dom OH ram ainiT1o no
dence in this office is conclusive that q
large proportion of persons who avail
themselves of chapter viii. do so purely
for speculation or for the reward paid by
the real beneficiary who simply makes
use of the pre-emptor to defeat the reser-
walton laws and to consolidate large
holdings. Under this law it is required
of the pre-emptor to occupy the land no
longer than until the same shall have
been surveyed, the field-nOtes returned
and 81 per acre paid to the state. He
can then secure patent and sell or aban-
don the land, and thereby defeat the OBJ
ject of the law, which is to give homes to
the citizens and secure the permanent
settlement and improvement of the
country.
Under chapter TX, above mentioned,
the homeless citizen, after three years
actual occupancy, is given a homestead
free upon payment of patent fees. No
good reasons exists for the retention of
both of these laws upon the statute
book, and it is thought that good results
would follow the repeal of chapter VIII
chapter * furnishing ample provision
for all who seek homes in good faith.
SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY AND ASYLUM LANDS.
The act of April / e., 1887, providing for
the sale of the school, university and
asylum lands, and for the lease of such
lands and the public lands, took effect
on July 4, 1887, entailing on this depart
ment a vast increase of labor, care and
responsibility The results of its opera
ton thus far are briefly set forth in ex-
hibits + and +
The requirements of the law, that these
lands be carefully classified and ap-
praised before they could be offered for
sale, neceSsitated a virtual suspension of
sales for some months In fact, not yet
has the classification been sufficiently adj
vanced to meet all demands for purchase.
While the law seemed to contemplate and
provide for the classification of such lands
as were in demand for immediate pur-
chase, it was discovered in the very in
ception of this work that it was imposSi-
BILE to determine which lands were in
SUCH uSluduO. 1t WAS 50 6NlUSuI IiltlI
the work could be done more econom-
ically by being done Systematically.
Hence, the classifier was directed to
the particular district TO which
he was assigned. This necessitated the
of large number of men in
order to meet the wants of every section
of the state with as little delay as posi-
BILE. Up to this date about three
fourths of t-4ese lands have been CLASH |
fed and placed upon the market;
and by the end of this year not less than
% 900 200 acres will have been offered |
for sale.
Exhibit CO.. showing land leased, |
does not include leases which have ex-
pired, or have been cancelled, but only |
such as are still in good standing
The 8 ,427 1866 acres of school lands |
leased embraces also all leased public do
main.
OF the 900 900 acres belonging to the |
fund only 20 ,437 acres are /
leased, being little more than one
thirtieth of the whole, while of the school |
more than one-fifth are under lease.
1t is desired to call special attention to
this, inasmuch as il is evident that with
put some modification of the terms of the
lease of the university lands, very little /
4. ~.