Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1891-05-15
THE PUBLIC LANDS,
Not Half Surveyed in this State
Statistics Of the Sales.

\ Washington dispatch of the I0tl
states that not quite one-half OF tn
public lands in Washington have beel
surveyed, ST. say the land Office OIL
Gals There are. as is known, A
100, 100 acres OF public lands in th'
State, OF which 2l,S23,027 acres hav,
been surveyed; thus leaving as still
unSur>cycd, 222.973 l33 acres. Tn,
interior department people, of course
put the blame on Congress for thi:
slow progress in making the land sur
vcys, and say with justice that il ade
quatc appropriations were allowed
such n condition could not exist. But
it is the fact | am dealing with and
not as to where the fault lies. II
might he added that the total area OF
public land unsurvcyed amounts to
800 9,4l9, ,i72 acres. The commissioner
of the land office, however, says the
volume OF land in the unsurveved por-
tion of the public domain suitable for
homes and subject to settlement I'M
der the laws Of the United States is OF
comparatively small proportions" "
The number OF acres OF public lands
disposed OF in Washington during tic
past year amounted to 906,92I acres,
the smallest number for seven years.
The banner year was 1883, when the
government got rid OF i,J7J, l94 acres.
The following statement will he
found of interest, giving as it does the
number of acres in each land district
of the State, surveyed and unsurveyed,
which have not been granted away or
reserved, but which are subject to set
tlcmcnt or entry:
Seattle-Surveyed land, 81, $50 acres
unsurveyed land 7,l99, $50 acres, total,
7,234,7Sj acres.
North lakima-Surveyed land, q
049,97l acres; unsurveyed land, 5,OGS,.
500 acres; total, 7,l1S,77l acres.
Spokane Falls-Surveyed land, S19,-
Si3 acres; unsurveyed land, l,7I2, 400
acres; total, 2,562,7I3 acres.
Nancouver-Surveycd land, 345, 1851
acres; unsurveyed land, 1,l0j,6 ,64O
acres; total, I,450,997 acres.
Walla Walla-Surveycd land, 9O5,.
l2O acres; unsurveyed land, 374 ,40O
acres; total, ,279,520 acres.
Total for State-Surveyed lands
1,l1J,l11 acres; unsurveyed lands
lJ,49l, ,llI acres: total area, 1856
BIG acres.
As there are 44,79G, ,lG0 acres OF
public lands in the State, it can be
seen that much less than one-h half is
now left for settlement or entry.
The government disposes of its lands
in many different ways, the larger
number of which are in comparatively
small amounts, which it would ONLY
bc tedious to mention. 1t will. though
be of interest to give the larger trans
rctions of the past year, which have
been as follows, of course confininp
the statement to Washington:
Sales of lands subject to pre-emp.
ton entry-Entries, 2,05j; acres, 272 ;.
100; amount, 1925 ,SO5.GS.
Sales of timber and stone lands
Entries, 9iG; acres, 135,O7j; amount,
S335 5O7999.
Original entries under the desert
land act-Entries, 50; acres. 1884;
amount, $5,966,Sl.
Homestead entries commuted ia
casE-Entries, 743; acres, 1O7,9IS;
amount, $1GS,Ol3.4O.
Total cash Substitutes, Ais;
acres, 424 ,O5l; amount, S9,797.39.
Original entries of lands under the
homestead laws-Entries, 3OO5; acres,
4O6,o67; commissions, $2,24S.16.
Final homestead entries-Entries,
2,lOS; acres, 314,6Ol; commissions,
$1S,444.94.
Original entries under the timber
culture laws-Entries, 4S7;; acres,
72,456; fees, $6,53S.
Total miscellaneous entries-En-
tries, 5000; acres, 5l2,S7O; amount
received, $75,l35.
Aggregate. OF all classes of entries.
area OF lands disposed of and receipts
from all sources-Entries, 1851
acres, 936,92l; amount, LOSS, ,137.
Expenses incident to the disposal of
public lands-Salaries, $4,000; incl
dental expenses, $l3,SO9.39; expense
of depositing, $3S2.6S; total, $44, 1872
OF.
With revenues in excess Of $1,000
600, and expenses of less that $4,000
itwould seem that the government,
or rather Congress, which provides the
money, could afford to deal Justly
with the people of Washington in
preparing :hc public lands for settle
ment.
The land office in the State which
has done the largest business is. of
course, that of Seattle. The follow.
ing are the figures for each district:
Seattle-Entries, 1892; acres, 46I.-
9l3; amount xG5,323,S7O.
North iakima-Entries, ,4O3; acres,
1881; amount, $S4,27G.
Spokane-Entries, 2,l77; acres,
l2S,221; amount, S9O,62i.
Nancouver-Entries, 2,33I; acres
l3S,GlS: amount, S2Ol ,S6S.
"aila Walla-Entries, loss; acres,
GG,3lG; amount, $5S,152.
From the statement which has been
given it can he seen that Washington
is one of the leading public land states
and az such is entitled to more than
the ordinary consideration.
THE first iron column ever cast on