The record-union., 1891-09-26
PUBLIC LANDS.
ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITS.
SIONER CARTER.
Large Increase in the Number of
Patents Issued-Strong Plea for the
Irrigation of Arid Lands.
Special to the REcoRD-US1oN.

Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN
WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-The report of
Commissioner Carter of the operations of
the General Land Office was made public
to-day. The total number of agricultural
patents issued during 18S6-87 was A, ,443,
against total of 23l ,667 during the years
lo9O-9l, an increase of 187, 164 patents The
increase in the number of mineral patents
issued was 967. and of coal patents 3S2.
The number of acres of public lands dis
posed of during 1891 shows the cash sales
amounted to 2, 143, 900 acres, of miscellane-
Gus entries mot CASH; 5,040,393 acres
homesteaded, and $500 acres entered
under the timber-culture law. The rail-
road selections amounted to 1857, ,572
acres, the State selections to ia, ,404 acres,
the Indian allotmentS to III, ,4S5 acres, and
the original swamp selections to %, ,I67
acres. The total cash receipts during the
year were 50, AS, ,220. The filings during
the year were 20,241. The final entries
during the year were 81 ,934, representing
an acreage of 1855, 800. The original en-
tries the same time were Is, ,S45, aggregat-
ing 6,409,S S32 acres. The decrease in en-
tries for the year was 15,664, representing
an acreage of 1856, $50. The patents to
land grant railroads during the year were
30,0SS, ,679 acres. an increase over the pre-
vious year of 2,724,S17. Surveys were
accepted during the year to the amount
of S,096,904 acres. The vacant public
lands in the States and Territories are
579, ,664 ,6S3 acres. Commissioner Carter
makes a strong plea for the irrigation of
arid lands.
The approvals during the year under
the different grants TO States for educa-
tional purposes. and under the Saline
grant. having the effect of patent, en-
braced an area of 756.172 acres. OF this
amount Nevada received approvals for
448, ,S64 acres; Oregon, 81, l,34S, and Idaho,
10000.
At the close of the fiscal year there
were found to be 82,05S final entries pend
ing in the office, against 200,S64 at the
close of the previous fiscal year. Railroad
selections amounting to Is, SAC, ,577 acres
were pending on July l, 1891, which is a
decrease OF 930,07S, as compared with the
last preceding fiscal year.
The following shows the vacant public
lands in acres Of the several public lands
OF the States and Territories: Arizona.
55,06l.005 California, 52,299, ,499; idaho.
., ,7Sl,S5l; Montana, 74,372,7 ,769; Nevada.
53,6S9. .524; Oregon, 1920, isl; Utah. 35,-
42S,79l; Washington, 20, ,40l, SOL; Wyom-
ing, so, $40, 434
Commissioner Garter protests that the
unsatisfactory experience following the
granting OF swamp lands to States cannot
properly he urged agains1 the plan pro-
posed for the settlement of the arid lands
question, and then says: while the
swamp land grant States may have been
indifferent ana unwlse in dealing with
the grant, which was but a mere incl
dental matter, the desert land grant States
could not afford to thus deal with ones
ton of vital importance. Indifference
would court adversely, and recklessness
would bring ruin. When a proposition
of this gravity is submitted to any organ
lied body of American citizens directly
interested in its wise consideration and
solution, they will consider wisely and
act well.n