Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-12-01
The ANNUAL REPORT
or the Secretary Of the Interior o.
Many Important
Subjects.
VACANT LANDS orTHe UNITED
STATES.
The Total Number Of Indians and
Their Present
Condition.
MILLIONS DISTRIBUTED ~ raE
PENSION BUREAU.
Secretary Mobiles Idea About
the Affairs OF
Gsakkssss.-,z
MILLIONS DISTRIBUTED ~ rHE
PENSION BUREAU.
BY Telegraph to the Newell
An INTERESTING DoeuMExr.
secretary Noble Presents Matters
Of Nati0nal Importance.


tary of the Interior Noble, In his
annual report. says, the vacant
lands Of the United States, exclu-
sive Of those in Alaska. at present
extend over $50, 2l6,s6l acres, Of
which 2S2,772, s39 are already sur
veyed. Alaska contains 577, 800
square miles, or 1855, 529, GOO acres,
OF which not more that 1000 acres
have been entered. The aggregate
reaches 955, ~, 46I acres.
The policy Of the department has
been continued, as the Secretary's
last report shows it 10 have been
begun, under the present ainiinis-
tration, in giving a liberal interpre-
tation to the land laws IN favor Of
the settlers and by advancing. as
far as can reasonably be done. the
early decisions upon all entries
made, contested or uncontested.
Nineteen million acres ofagricultur-
Il land were transferred to actual
settlers during the past year, EN-
bracing those upon final ard com.
muted homestead entries, pre-
emption, timber culture, desert,
private cash, townsite, and all other
entries for strictly agricultural nom
mineral lands.
The lands patented TO States for
sducation, internal improvements
and public buildings lave exceeded
800 per cent over the previous year.
amounting in 1899 to $50, 1854
acres.
The patents issued for the year
ending June 30, 1899, numbered
III, 2i7, as against 70,lI the proceed
ing year, or an increase for the last
year In patents of 4f,io3, and in
land Of 1886, ss) acres, Tire patents
for 1899 covering 1878, $50 acres;
thnse for 1889 II, ODD $50.
In addition to these there was an
increase OF 395 In mineral and mill
lite patents issued in 1899, thcse for
1898 being 1907. The area Of coal
lands granted in 1880 nearly doubled
that of the previous year.
The total receipts from public
lands were s., 470, $40.
The Secretary recommends the
establishment of a United States
land court for the settlement Of pri-
vate land claims and some legisiar
lion for tha pxotssiioR-af the Next
/ can residents of New Mexico in
their property rights.
On the subject OF arid lands the
Secretary says. in part:
"rhe location and selection on the
public lands Of reservoir sites Is
proceeding with very decided energy
under the law Of August 80, 1890,
and the present existence OF the
sites, their continued multiplication,
| aud their future use now demand
from The people and the Govern
ment the most serious considera.
| tion."
The Secretary urges that Congress
should without delay enact compre.
hensive laws, determining the
national policy In this business, and,
If the reservoirs Hre subject to Local
control, particularly guarding
against such misuse OF the power,
granted as would either S...0g the
upper lands to absorb the water con-
tinuously through the dry season,
or the authorities TO require any bul
the cheapest and most liberal terms
for its transportation to the inhabit.
ants and farmers"
"The most valuable timber on the
public lands is being rapidly ex
hausted, and the several lawi
now in force are wholly inadequate
TO prevent the public forests from
illegal appropriation, or to protec
the interests Of the settlers who maj
need to use them i'm the develop
ment OF the country.
"The protection Of the timbel
upon the public domain il of th,
first importance. The great com
mercial value If this product, TN,
ease with which it may be Illegal,
Appropriated, the difficulty of pro
tecting the large forests from raw
ages by fire, which destroys annu
ally a very much larger amount o
wood on the public lands than al
other causes combined, seem I,
require additional legislation by
Congress"
TIE CONDITION OF TIE INDIANS
In reviewing the pasi years worl
of the Department in regard to In
dians, it Is seen that there has beer
steady progress made in eugagin;
them in peaceful ways and indus
trial pursuits. A stronger desire j
manifested among many for tn
education Of their children, for tn
individual ownership of land, an,
generally for the comforts of civil
ration. There are not more thai
$50, 900 Indians within the border
of the United States (excluiin,
| Alaskal. The greater part of thea
reside upon or have some interes
in the existing reservations, tn
others living upon a portion OF tn
public domain. The aggregate are;
lof the Indian reservations wss
at the last report, abou
ll6, 100000 acres, or 1875
lsquare miles, which is, rs cal
culated by the Indian commissioner
greater than that Of the New Eng
land and Middle States combined
Igre ter than the aggregate area G
the States Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinoi
and Kentucky, and nearly equal {
the combined area Of the tw
Dakotas and Montana; or, TO carr
the comparison further, il is large
by half than the United Kingdor
OF Great Britain and Ireland. iarg'
than Sweden or n Irway, andsnearl
as large Is either France or Spain.
There has been q reduction dul
| ing the fiscal year by cession OF In
dian title 10 reservations undo
ratified agreements to the extent {
about thirteen million acres Of land
heretofore held by them, leavin
the aggregate area Of reserved Ian
ut this time over one hundred an
three million acres. This is suff
Gent to give each Of the occupyin
Indians, or those having right
thereon, over seven hundred an
fifty acres. fall were given allo
ments ~ provided in existing Law
and treaties, each Indian would n
ceive not more than an average
so acres Of agricultural land, Q
| l60 acres OF grazing lant
The surplus held In reservi
ton appears therefore to lie VI
reasonably large. A large potfio
Of 1t h lying idle, and is bar to Ia
Indians progress and on: country
development. To restore this to III
. public domain will work no bart
, ship to the Indiana. II the cessior
are made upon terms as fair as hav
characterized the agreements n
Gently negotiated. Those Indiau