The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-09-26
THE LAND OFFICE.
Commissioner Carriers Report
Upon its Operation.
Number of Patents Issued During 1890-91-
Amount Of Vacant Public Lands-Set-
Element Of the Arid Land Question.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-The report OF
Commissioner Carter of the operation of
the general land office was made public
today. The total number of agricultural
patents issued during 1SS6S7 was A, 443,
against total of 231, 6O7 during the years
1890 and 1891, an increase of 1877, 1874 pat
ents. The number of mineral patents is
sued was 967, and coal patents $50. The
number of acres of public lands disposed Of
during 1891 showed the cash sales amounted
to 2, 143, 090 acres; of miscellaneous entries,
(not CASH, 500, 1893 acres; homesteaded,
500, DOG acres; entries under the timber Gull
ture law and railroad selections amounted
to 1,657,572 acres; state selec-
tions, ia, 4O4 acres; Indian allotments
to III, 4S5 acres and original swamp selec-
tions to %, 1877 acres. The total receipts
during the year were s.. 42s, 220. The Ill
ings during the year were 20,24l. Final
entries during the year were 81, 1874, repre-
senting an acreage of 1859, 905; original en-
tries in the same time. 1886, aggregating
6, 400, S32 acres. Decrease of entries for the
year, 1864, representing an acreage Of
| 2, 596, $50 patents to land grant railroads
during the year, 30,0SS,675 acres, an in
crease over the previous year of 2, 724, 817.
| Surveys were accepted during the year to
\ the amount of S,096, 004 acres. The vacant
public lands n public land states and terri
tories is 57,664,6S3. Commissioner Car
ter makes strong plea for
the irrigation of the arid lands
The approvals during the year under the
different grants to states for educational
purposes and under the saline grant, hav-
ing the effect of a patent, embraced an
area of 756, 172 acres. OF this amount Ne
vada received approvals for 44S, S64 acres,
Oregon 81, 443, and Idaho 40,007. At the
close of the fiscal year there were found TO
be 83,05S final entries pending in the Office
against 20S, 064 at the close Of the previous
fiscal year. Railroad selections amounting
1891, which is decrease of 930,07S as com
pared with the last preceding fiscal year.
The following shows the vacant public
land in the states and territories: Arizona,
80. 061, COS; California, 52,299, 400; Idaho,
%, 7S1,85 Montana, 74,372. $50; Nevada
SO, 6SS,524; Oregon, Sc, 220, ISL; Utah, IS,
42S, 9S7; Washington, 20, 401 SOL; Wyoming
80, S42,434.
Carter protests that the unsatisfactory
experience following the granting of swamp
lands to states cannot properly be urged
against the plan proposed for the settlement
of the arid lands question and then says
''While the swamp lands grant to states
may have been Indifferent and unwise il
dealing with grant which was but mer'
incidental matter the desert lands gran
to states could not afford to thus deal will
question of vital Importance. Indiffer
ence would court adversely and reckless
ness would bring ruin. When a PROPOSE
ton of this gravity is submitted to any or
ganized body Of American citizens directl,
l interested in it's wise consideration and 80
luton, they will consider it wisely and &C
|