The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-04-12
Mr.. Wilson Suggests Improve
ment of Present Method.
SURVEYS NEED MORE MONEY.
The Senste Removes an Old and Trust.
ed Clerk for Revealing Secrets.
Blsin Wants His Rejection by China In.
vestixated-Bad Habits OF Pension
Clerks-The House and Senate Ac-
complish Nothing.

WASHINGTON CRY, April 11.-TSpecial. i
Representative Wilson has been endeavor-
ing to effect some kind of settlement be-
tween the government and the state of
Washington for the disposal of public
lands granted to that state when it was
admitted. A bill has been introduced into
congress which provides that a
large amount of unsurveyed land
shall be set apart in each of
the states that were admitted at the same
time as Washington was and that each
might select the amount granted to it be-
fore it was settled upon. Now as soon as
the lands are surveyed, even for state selec-
tions, the settlers go upon them and pick
out the very best and leave a very poor
quality for the state to select
This bill has been referred to the
secretary OF the interior, who has
furnished the opinion OF the commissioner
of the general land office upon it to the
House that the present bill would not be
constitutional and would suspend set le-
ment for an indefinite period. He pro-
poses a substitute which will allow the
state to have about sixty days
to select townships which it de-
sires before settlement is allowed
upon them. The state may then make ap-
plication for unsurveyed lands and have
them withdrawn, and after the7 are sur
veyed make its selections. Mr.. Wilson
is very much interested in the proposed
bill and will endeavor to get it up before
this session of congress.
Representative Wilson is heading COM
bination of Western states which pro-
poses to secure an increase in the amount
appropriated in the present bill before the
House for survey of public lands. His
state last year got a large amount of
money out of the 100000 appro-
priated, yet it was insufficient
for the demands. He says that
in Washington there are now 10, 900 people
upon unsurveyed lands. Last year there
was set apart $4,000 for examination of
surveys, and the commissioner says this
amount is about exhausted. A great
many examinations yet remain to be made
of surveys under the last large appropria-
ton, and he thinks that at least $4,000
will be necessary for examinations of
surveys for the year ending June 30,
1898. He says that should the amount re-
main as at present in the sundry civil bill
the surveys will be injudiciously effected.
Long delays will occur in the acceptance
of such surveys as cannot be examined,
and the men who have made the surveys
will be prevented from securing their
money and settlers Inconvenience by rea-
son of the non-filing of plans in the land
offices so that they may secure titles to
lands which they have settled on.
Today Representative Dixon, of Mon
tana, appeared before the house commit
tee on public lands and urged the passage
of bill providing for the survey of lands
granted to the Northern Pacific Rail-
road Company in 1854, to ascertain
their character. whether mineral or
non-mineral. This, he urged, should be
done so as to remove any doubt IN the
minds of persons who contemplate set
tling along the line of the road, the origi-
nal grant to the road stipulating that
lands included therein should be non-
mineral