The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-07
AZ STONES DENIAL.
u.yges Of Land Office Frauds
Fully Refuted.
,osr UNCLAIMED PATENTS.
r.~,missioner Gives the Lie TO
who Charged Him With
Bleeding Claimants.

c.~.,uor Stone, of Iowa, ex-acting
r;s.;oner of the general land office,
o. !. 4 the Arlington. was asked yester-
- w. a reporter for the fosT-iNTELLI-
o -. What he had to say in regard to the
So made in the Senate OF collusion
Sns s.,orneys in extoriing fees from per-
-. entitled to unclaimed patents. He re-
fisd: - u...s, and easily ~.
- There are between 100000 and 100000
s.;,,.d patents lying in the general land
-. :, washington City. covered with dust
- - .rmberine the pigeon-holes AMI cases OF
- 40. occupying room that Is lady needed
- = nor. important papers and documents COM
.. sr,,n The ioca land Offices. They are great
- '-.-r,hrsnce to our room there, and for years
80. nave been made to have them distributed
:. ,se nartics to whom they belong.
~sua I was acting commissioner
...he, Of applications were made by attorneys
= Ia AZ petents belonging to Certain coun-
.. IN fhsir sratcs This, of course. was con-
- "a AZ = matter of business by the attorneys
.ssnnlvius ior which they exported to receive
.s',r.nsa,iop from the parties entitled t. the
s.,.r,s In. Wss compsIl lied to decline TO make
- Ma IL being almost impossible to make
~. ant n desired, from the fact that the
ssssr,s do not show upon the face OF them the
s,-rt,es 20 which they belong. We c-nnot
ssse,s,in from the description OF the lands
- IN the patents in what particular county
~ IL. Hence it would take great deal Of
sIne ma labor to nnd out the particular coun.
- b which the patents belong.
Tee patents have been sccumulating In the
s,uersl land Office for great many years and
ssve beeu considered as burden to the ONCE.
0i,ep ne have applications from individuals for
thsue y enss and, when the description OF the
Ina il siyen, we can, after considerable time
"a search, fnd them. This accumulation OF
saients covering SO long period OF time, on
sorount Of contracted space In the land office
"a Inc fire which occurred there some
.saon, or system, am satisfied
49, il We should undertake to send these
,stent, to the counties in the respective states
"a territories in which the lands therein de-
rrjbed lie, II would require no less than dozen
ejsrss for an entire year. 1t has been greatly
6rdred for many years that some appropriation
,hould be made by congress under which the
distribution Of these unclaimed patents could
= made, but no such appropriation has been
u,de, On several ccasions attorneys In good
nsuding have applied for leave to make out
IA Of unclaimed patents for certain counties
4 their own expense and. when that could be
done without interfering with the business Of
tAs o6ice, we have allowed it.
ooue time last summer Washington repre-
nnssdye Of o New York law firm, whose name
hsye i0ffotten. came into the general land Of
Is il company with Colonel w. w. Dudley and
vlsoonted me letter from Assistant Secretary
4 ths Interior General Cyrus Bussey, stating
nat he was we'll acquainted with said firm and
fhsk from his own personal knowledge they
~ hishly respectable and honorable gentle
nen They were also unqualifiedly Endorsed as
meh by Colonel Dudley, who also knew the
uonbeu Of the firm personally. The represen-
ntve Of the arm requested permission TO make
out without any trouble or expense to the Dc.
psrsment, lists of these unclaimed patents. OF
eosss ! understood 1t to be q matter of
buEnem with the firm, for doing which
hey would charge enough TO remunerate them
for their labor Knowing that it was exceed
mely desirable to rid the department Of these
"a patents and relieve US from the inconven-
suce and expense Of digging them out of the
duls and forwarding them to the parties calling
ir them, and believing further that It would be
seonvenient way for the owners of tho land to
Chain their patents. gave them permission to
make out these lists, which to some extent was
done. but do not know how far. also gave
III afm letter commencing their undertak-
hg 10 those who were DESTROYS OF obtaining
hen patents. They assured me they should
only charge for their work and responsibility q
very moderate and reasonable fee, which, 30
b. q know, they have done ] am sure
sce1fs interest In this business, but both of
them thought II would be for the public inter-
ct b giant the permission referred to.
when II 10 said on the floor OF the Senate, a.
this newspaper report states. or in any other
plaza By senator or any other cheap slanderer,
nat had the least interest, either directly or
indirectly, In doing what did, brand him a.
q unmiugated liar. ] did no more than ought
y Aaye been done, and would do the same
aenn under similar circumstances.
hgxoo these patents accumulate?
We send them TO the local land office to be de-
nvefed 10 the owners, bat they are often not de-
awsed because the paitie entitled to them fail
. call Tor them, and they are often returned to
NE general land office. 1t is consi cred the
business OF the owners to call for them, and
snsa the party calling for the patent shows by
sdncent proof that he Is the owner of the laud
We ssnd him the patent, If we can find IL, and
We cannot ind 1t we make him out certified
ooW nom our records and send II to him on
Nment Of the prescribed fee OF s1.6o therefor.
would ycu consider 81 an exorbitant fee for
eelivering patent?
40, sir; It IL o. cheap as the government can
eeh for, but this firm, having considerable
,unne@ OF that kind to do, can afford to do 1t
N small margin. do not know, however,
Wv mseh this firm charges. have no reason
3 Oensve tnat this business on the part Of this
, ~, York frm has not been fairly and honor
sy conducted as have heard no complaint
som any parties who received their patents