The morning call., 1891-11-30
DEATH AT SEA.
THE NATIONAL DOMAIN.
Annual Report Of the Secretary Of the
Interior.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29-The annual re-
port of Secretary Of the Interior Noble has
been transmitted to the President The
number of agricultural patents, which in
cludes those for homesteads, issued for 1889
was 70.14i for $780, 117.247, ard for 1891
ia, $50. and there were left of final entries
for such lands at the END OF the last fiscal
year, June 30, 1891. only 81, 172. 1t appears
by table published in the Secretary's re-
port for 1890 that, not including Alaska or
the Cherokee outlet or other Indian lands
cant lands of the United States amounted
to 5S6, DIG, SIG acres. The amount remaining
on June 80. 1891, with same exceptions. was
579,664,6S3 acres, of which 294 027,773 are
yet unSurveyed. 1t IS estimated that at
least 300 coo, COO acres of these vacant lands
are useless for agriculture, but that
l20,O00,G00 That are now desert may be re-
deemed by irrigation, SO as to produce the
cereals, fruits and garden products possible
In the climate where the lands are located.
RECLAMATION SUGGESTIONS.
The present Commissioner of the General
Land Offl3e Is OF the opinion that the WiSeSt
plan would be to transfer tile land and wa
ter to the direct control of the States, sub
1ect to such limitations and restrictions as
would insure the reclamation of the land by
the States and the transfer of title from the
States, in the first instance, to actual settlers
to each settler, with provisions of forfeiture
to the United States in case of any violation
by the State of the conditions of the grant.
During the year surveys of 1iS reservoirs
have been made by the topographic division
oil tie Coast Survey. OF these 80 are in Cal
ifornia, 46 n Colorado, IS in Montana, in
Nevada and 80 in New Mexico. Under the
act OF March 3. 1891, providing tor desert
land entries there have been already filed
maps of location for 81 reservoirs and 46
10 ln lie IL snt.,n Iii. a
miles in length. Und the Desert Land
law Of 1877 reclamation has been made and
final proof produced i'll 5366 entries with area
OF III, 100 acres.
No one can now compute the money value
that Will concentrate in the reservoirs and
canals and dltcnes conveying the water TO
the fields of the husbaudmep, and upon
which the people must depend for their pros
perity.
SYSTEMATIC RESERVATIONS.
Connected with the water supply of the
arid regions is the necessity at this time Of
making systematic reservations from settle
ment of public lands about the heads of the
streams that are 10 make irrigation posi-
bic. The safety of the public timber was
greatly impaired by a provision of the act
10 repeal timber-culture laws, and for other
purposes, approved March 3, 1891, even as
amended In the meantime an available
method to postpone the worst results is in
dicaled in Section "a of the original act,
which allows the President to set apart an d
reserve in any State or Territory having
public land bearing forests public reserya-
tons. If this authority is freely exercised it
viii anticipate many applications for Ii
censes TO cut timber, and it is urgently rec
commended that Congress take proper action
to have the reservations that are proclaimed
by the President established as national
public parks or granted to the States to be
preserved unmpaired and used for the ben
EFT OF the public only.
PUBLIC LANDS DISPOSED OF.
During the last year ., 143, C90 rs acres of
public lands were disposed of by cash sales,
S,2l4 1903 by miscellaneous entries, and
100, 46S.6l acres Of Indian lands, aggregating
10,477,700.32 acres. The total cash receipts
from various sources for the year amounted
to So, 429, 20. IA. The number of agricultural
patents Issued during the year were ia, $50,
which, allowing 100 acres to each patent,
would embrace an aggregate of 1927, GOO
acres. There were patented for the benefit
Of railroad companies, under Congressional
grants, during the year 3.OSS. 679.2S acres
VACANT LANDS.
The following table shows the vacant
public lands Of the Pacific Coast States and
Territories, surveyed and unsurveyed, re-
naming subject to dispositions