St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-09-20
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
How Govern ment Lands Are Be
ing DiSDOsed of by Uncle SAM

Ing disposed OF by Uncle Sam.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19.-The annual
report of the acting commissioner of
the general land office, William M.
Stone, has been submitted to the secre-
tary of the interior. In opening his re-
port the acting commissioner refers to
the accumulation of business in the
office which has been left over from the
former administration, and which was
partly due to the increased work of the
local land offices. The system in force,
he says, was not promotive of speedy
dispatch of business, especially in case
of the board of review created
by Commissioner Sparks. Comment
ing ON Mr.. Sparks unfortunate
and unwarranted suspicious that wide
Spre ad system of fraud prevailed. and
Mr.. Sparks assertion that "the proper
ton of fraudulent filings to the total
number of filings made and relinquiShed
may be estimated in round numbers at
100 per cent" Mr.. Stone says: "This
wholesale arrangement of claimants ON
public domain should no have been
made without the most conclusive
EVIDENCE TO SUSTAIN IT."
The report goes on to say that no gen.
eral misconduct On the part of the West
IL
the year 20, al agricultural patents
were issued covering II, 791. 119 acres of
land, an increase over the preceding
year of more than 10000 acres. Me-
mortal patents to the number of 913,
covering an acreage of 17,096,
were issued. There were patented
for the benefit of the railroads under
tie law 425, 046 acres, and under the
swamp land grants to the states $50, 72l
acres. The state selections under the
educational grants were approved to the
extent of 1872, $50 acres, and lands to the
Indians patented under various acts to
the amount of $500 acres. The total
cash receipts of the department from
the sales of land and fees were So, 27O,-
225. decrease of more than S., 600, 900
as compared with the previous year.
During the year surveys were accepted
pally in Dakota, Montana and New
Mexico. Commissioner Stone calls at
tention ito certain allowances made to
the deputy surveyors by the first comp
troller of the treasury in the years of
1886 and 1887, which in his opinion were
grossly irregular and palpable,
and usurpation of powers and
duties specially belonging to the COM
missioner of the general land office.
The report refers to the unsettled con-
dition of private land claims in New
Mexico and Arizona and the urgent
need OF congressional action to settle the
titles in these territories. Referring to
the act of March 3, 1887, which author
ICES the secretary of the interior to ad-
just each of the railroad grants, and if
any have been enormously certified or
patented to commence
n
The report states that OF the pending
selections 21,66O,S46 acres have been
suspended awaiting the action by con-
gress. Attention is called to the fact
that more than 100000 acres of land
have been claimed under the swamp
land act in various states. Florida
alone, while having total area of but
81, 931, $50 acres having lists filed for o.,
POI, 469 acres as swamp land. There can
be no doubt, says the report, that the
large quantities of land, amount
ing to millions of acres, have
been patented to the state enormously
as swamp when, in fact they were and
are good agricultural lands. The work
of examining the ex parte mineral en-
tries is said to be two and half years
in arrears. The report recommends
when a homestead or pre-emption
claimed receives patent. and mineral
is discovered subsequently on his claim,
his certificate of entry shall act as bar
toany mining claim upon the discovery
made subsequent to entry. The report
recommends an appeal of all laws re-
lating to public timber, and an enact
ment of a general law, plain, concise
and unmiStakable in its meaning.
Fewer fraudulent entries have been
made during the year than for many
years past owing to the increased Wig
lance, but several cases are mentioned
in the report where syn licates sought
to obtuin coal lands by fraudulent
means. and in one case, had they sue
ceeded the commission alone would
have amounted to s550,0o0. The open
ing of Oklahoma is referred to as the
most important event for several years
in the administration of the land Office.