The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-11
PUBLIC LANDS.
Report Of General Commission
er Croft.
4 Large Increase in the Number Of
Land Patents Issued.
New Laws Necessary 10 Protect Forests on
the Public Domain From Further
DepredationS.
Special to THE MORNING CALL.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10.-The annual re-
port of Commissioner of the General Land
Office Graft shows the number Of agricultu-
raj patents issued during the fiscal year
ended June Both was 117,247, embracing
is, 759,520 acres, as against 70,141 issued in
1885, with an aggregate area of ], ,220, 526 OF
the mineral and mill-site patents 1407 were
issued. showing an increase in the year Of
494. Of coal patents 224 were issued-an in
crease of 6 9. The patents representing 1886
acres.
The State school selections aggregate
539, 779 acres, while the selections for the
previous year aggregate only 49,, $50 acres.
The acreage of swamp lands patented to the
several States during the year was 109,351.
There were patented or certified under the
law for the benefit of railroad companies
during the year 1858. S62 acres. This is a
decrease for the year of 61,1s3 acres. The
total cash sales during the fiscal year were
1902, S46 acres.
The original homesteads, timber culture,
State selections, school and swamp, railroad
selections and others of miscellaneous
character aggregated 9.363.285 acres. The
Indian lands disposed Of aggregate 133, ,305
acres, making grand total of Il, 79S, ,S37
acres.
The total cash receipts of the office from
various sources during the fiscal year was
S7,7So,51 OF this amount S6,349, 174i was
received from cash sales. On June 30, 1889,
there were 1871 final entries OF all kinds
pending, aud at the close of the fiscal year
1890 there were 2GS. 269 pending, showing
decrease as compared with the previous
year of 6S,667 entries.
Railroad sections amounting to 29.776, ,95j
acres were pending at the close OF the year,
an increase over the previous year of 332, 704
acres. There were also Oregon wagon-road
pending to the amount of 304, 942 acres EX-
parte mineral entries are in arrears about
two and half years. Contest cases, quasi
contests and exparte coal entries are up to
date.
The mileage of the land grant railroads
actually constructed up to the close of the
last fiscal year was 1900 miles. Surveys
have been accepted after an examination in
the field of 4,462,G ,G91 acres, including: Ari-
IONA, 597, ,74S acres; California, 162,03l :;
Colorado, AS. .457; Dakota, 929992; Mon
tana, 620, l6l; Nevada, 40S, ,S57; New Mex
iro, 237, l31; Utah, 16,525; Washington. $780,,
122; Florida, 25l9; Idaho, %. 148; Minnesota,
1850; Nebraska, 23,039; Oregon, 81, 100
Upon tile subject of forests of the public
domain, the Commissioner finds the most
valuable timber on public lands is being
rapidly exhausted. and the laws relating to
the subject are entirely inadequate to prop
erly protect either the public forests from
unlawful appropriation or the interests of
settlers. Over SS30O0 were received
last year from timber depredations
Provision should be made for the
legitimate procuring of timber from
public lands. by mill men and lumber
manufacturers, for sale to the exten: neces-
sary to supply the community in the loca-
ton in which they operate with lumber and
other timber products needed in the settle
ment thereof, but the expectation of
public timber should be prohibited
as also should the removal Of TIM
Der from any of the reserved lands
and from the mountainous regions and
other woodlands at or in the vicinity of the
head waters or sources of streams which for
climatic, economic or public reasons should
be held permanently as forest reserves, eX-
cepton being made in favor of settlers or
miners fUr their personal necessities.