The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-11
Report Of Commissioner General
Croft for the Last Fiscal
Year.
Over Twelve Million Acres OF the
Public Lands We're Dis
posed Of
Cash Receipts for the Year, e7,78O,517--
Ex Parte Mineral Entries Much
I'm Arrears.

WASHINGTON. Oct. 1O.-The annual re-
port of Commissioner of the General Land
Office Croft shows that the number of agri-
cultural patents issued during the fiscal
year ended June 30 was 117,247, embrac-
ing 18, 759, $50 acres, as against 20, 1l issued
in 'S9, with an aggregate acreage of H.
22O, $50. OF mineral and mill-slte patents
l 1,4O7 were issued, showing an Increase in
the year of 494. OF coal patents 2A were
issued, an increase Of sixty-nine patents,
representing 1916 acres. State school Sc
lections aggregate 539,779 acres. The selec-
tions for the previous year aggregated
only 132,35O acres. The acreage of
swamp lands patented to the several
states during the year was 1O9,35l. There
were patented or certified under the law,
for the benefit of railroad companies, dur
ing the year 363.862 acres. This is q de-
crease for the year of 81 1873 acres. The
total cash sales during the fscal year were
$780,, ,846 acres; original homesteads, timber
culture, state selections, school, swamp and
railroad selections and others of q miscella-
neous character, $780,, ,685 acres. The In
dian lands disposed of aggregate 1913 3O5
acres, making grand total of 12, 798 1897
acres.
The total cash receipts of the Office from
various sources during the fiscal year were
81, ,78O,517 OF this amount Sc, 349, ia were
received from cash sales. Up to June 30,
1889, there were 276,7 ,751 final entries of ali
kinds pending and at the close of the fiscal
year, June 30, 1880, there were 2O6, ,269 pend
ing, showing decrease as compared with
road selections amounting to 29,776, ,955
acres were pending at the close of the wear,
year Of ss2,7M acres. There
were also Oregon wagon road selections
pending to the amount of 3O4 ,942 acres.
Ex parte mineral entries are in arrears
about two and half years. Contest cases,
quasi contests and ex parte coal entries are
up to date. Mileageof land-grant railroads
| actually constructed up to the close of the
last fiscal year, 1900 miles. Surveys have
been accepted, after examination in the
field, of 4, ,462 ,691 acres, including: Arizona,
597, ,748; California, 1862 yO31; Colorado. 473,
457; Dakota, 929, ,992; Montana. $40, ,l6l; Ne
vada, 4O6. .857; New Mexico, 237, ,l31; Utah,
57G,52 Washington. 180 122; Florida, 2,519;
| Idaho. 22,148; Minnesota, IA 1856; Nebras-
ka. 23,O39; Oregon, 84,1OO.
Upon the subject of forests of the public
domain, the commissioner finds that the
most valuable timber on public lands ia
being rapidly exhausted, and the laws re-
lating to the subject utterly inadequate to
protect either the public forests from un-
lawful appropriation or the interests of
settlers. Over $4,000 were received last
year from timber depredations. Provision
should be made for the legitimate procur-
ing of timber from public lands by mill
men and lumber manufacturers for sale, to
the extent necessary to supply the commun-
ity in the location in which they operate
with lumber and other timber products
needed in the settlement thereof, but the
expectation of public timber should be
prohibited, as also should the removal Of
timber from any of the reserved lands, and
from mountainous regions and othe- wood
lands at the head of waters or sources of
streams. which, for climatic, economic OF
public reasons, should be held permanently
as forest reserves exception being made
in favor of settlers or miners for their per-
sonal necessities.