The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-12-03
INTERNAL AFFAIRS.
The Report of the Secretary of
the Interior.
THE CONDITION OF THE COUNTRY.
Recommendations Concerning Mineral, Coal
and Timber Landslide Indians-Irriga-
tiOn-A Service Pension Advocated.

with Drle1 review Oh Ine opening o.
Oklahoma, the successful negotiation of {
treaty with the Sioux Indians and the ad
mission OF four new states. In reviewing
the progress of the work of the Cherokee
commission the secretary speaks at length
of leases to cattle companies and recon-
mends the necessity of Congress making
more exact and stringent laws prohibiting
direct interference by citizens with the
movements of the government when at
tempting negotiations with Indian tribes.
Speaking of the coming census of 1890
the secretary suggests, upon the recon-
mendation of Superintendent Porter, that
our decennial census would be far more
complete and satisfactory if the census of
flee were made prominent bureau.
Coming down to the work of the general
land Office the secretary says that during
the work of four years of the prior admin
istration there had accumulated 1000
cases over and above any former amount.
The present secretary ordered an
investigation INTO the cause of this bad
state of the public business and the cause
was not far to seek The secretary refers
to the order of Commissioner Sparks of
April 3, 1885, suspendiUg final action on
entries in the west The secretary re
fers to the modification of the order of
December 3, 1885, creating a board to pass
upon and report cases to the commissioner,
and to Secretary Lamar's order to Sparks,
April 6, 1888, revolving Sparks order of
April 3, 1885.
The report of the acting commissioner
shows the total number of patents issued
for the fiscal year ending June, 1889, was
20, l4l. During the first eleven months of
that year, under the former methods of
work, there were issued of said total SO, CTS,
a monthly average of 1874, while during
June of said year, under the new methods,
there were issued 16,523 patents. 1t is not
to be understood, says the secretary, that
there is any disposition to relax eXamina-
ton to an extent that will permit fraud to
grow or illegal claims to be established.
Patents were issued during the year for
u, 7S4, 1916 acres of land, including agri-
cultural, mineral, coal, railroad, swamp,
etc. The total amount of cash sales
reached $, 379 40. There remain pending
in the Office at the end of the fiscal year
1S0,6lS final entries of all classes; of origi-
nal entries of all classes 353, 1854; railroad
sections undisposed %, "A, 251.6 81 acres, not
including 3O4, 1861 acres of Oregon wagon
road selections. Swamps elections of vari-
Gus states, covering over 100000 acres
were pending and educational and in
ternal improvement containing selections of
1878, Az. IS acres.
On the subject of irrigation the secre-
tary reviews at length the work of the
geological survey and reports of survey ors-
general of the various western states and
territories and recommends that the atten-
ton of Congress be invited to the necessity
of determining at the present session
whether it will establish permanently the
reservation of all irrigable arid region, and
if so, what general laws it may deem best
TO be adopted to regulate the supply and
use the water under government control.
Regarding railroad land grants the secre-
tary reports 2l,66O, S4e,sS acres have been
suspended to await legislation for for
FIXTURES and the failure of Congress to act
may be well taken as an indication on the
part of the government that forfeiture will
not be insisted upon.
Regarding mineral lands, it is reported
that the work of examining eX-parte min
eral entries is in arrears two years and
half and contest cases about two months.
There have been suspended lists of rail
road selections involving 1851, 207 acres
upon the question whether the company
shall be required to furnish mineral affida-
Wits or not. The question presents itself
in regard to mineral lands lying within
grants to railroads running through min
eral belts which would otherwise than be-
cause of their mineral character be in
Guided within the railroad grants. If
legislation Is not made on this sub
iect the department will have to
decide by such light as may be obtained
as to the real nature of the lands
whether mineral or no, however difficult
the Inquiry may be and whatever respon-
sibility is assumed. 1t is deemed, how
ever that some law should be passed by
congress enabling the department to settle
the question. Protests are greatly in
creasing, and are made by parties claiming
81
eral deposits on lands entered as agricul-
tural Regarding mining claims, the re-
port says there are several thousand old
applications, some dating back many
years for which no entries have been made,
and the secretary renews former recon-
mendation that delinquent applicants be
compelled to complete proofs and pay
for their claims within a specified time
or submit to forfeiture and cancellation.
Special agents. reports have been made by
which it is shown that certain wealthy in
dividuals and corporations are attempting
to fraudulently acquire titles TO large
tracts of coal lands, and say that extensive
bodies of these lands, which will eventually
be of great value, are being illegally appro-
priated. the guards and restriction of the
law as it now stands being entirely insult
ficient to prevent such monopoly by I'M
scrupulous spectators. 1t is recommended
authorized by Congress and the secretary
be given discretionary powers to reserve
from sale any portion OF the lands sup
posed to contain valuable coal, and if he
deem it advisable, to lease for a period of
years lands so reserved, upon such condi-
lions and restrictions as will compel the
lessees to furnish settlers with coal at
moderate prices.
Strenuous efforts are being made by the
Il n npnUnpt and nnniGh nm 1Iv-
ful appropriation of public timber by in
dividuals and corporations.
DIN reviewing the work of the geological
survey the secretary says the researches
upon the quicksilver of the Pacific slope
and the iron ores of the Lake Superior
region have been especially important.
The metallic product of the United States
during 1888 amounted in value to $3.50, 245,
403 In addition non metallic minerals
were produced to the value of 1928, ga 2S,
making a total value of 1881, 659, 1881. The
wealth of the annual mineral production of
the country increases yearly, the increases
for 1886, 1887 and 1883 being respectively
S64 per cent, 1866 per cent, and 904 per
cent for each year over its predecessor.
Indian affairs are treated at great length
in the report. There are now 239 Indian
schools supported by congressional appro-
priations. 14g of which are controlled di-
rectly by the Indian bureau and the average
attendance wherein is between ten and
twelve thousand pupils. The number of
Indians in the United States, not counting
blacks. is about two hundred and fifty
thousand. They occupy, or have control of
about 1860 106 acres. The number OF
children of school age is estimated at 1000,
and under school age at 10000. Congress
is urged to devise some measure to relieve
unlawful intrusion upon Indian lands
The estimates for pensions made for the
fiscal year beginning July l, 1889, were not
only inadequate but must have been known