The Lamar register., 1892-08-13
THE PUBLIC LANDS.
COMMISSIONER CARTER MAKES
A REPORT.
Colorado sim Has sI.s97.3-z Acres OF
Vacant Public Land

The annual report of the commissioner OF
the general land office shows ghat during the
fiscal year ended June -, ls92, there we're
twenty-five mineral-land patents issued TO
residents OF Colorado, aggregating S,s4s
acres There we're also i,SAl acres patented
as mill sites During the year the selections
made by the state Of Colorado of school lands
were approved to the extent of es9,o>i acres
The surveys OF the public land, in Colorado
aggregated SSs,4Is acres
Six forest reservations have been created
by presidential proclamation, embracing an
estimated area Of S.s52, so acres. These
reservations in Colorado are as follows;
White river timber land reserve lying In
Routt. Rio Blaneo, Garfeld and Eagle eoun-
ties. embracing l,la>, $50 acres; Pixies Peak
timber land reserve, situated In e faso
county, Colorado, embracing 164-;sO acres;
Plum creek timber land reserve. lying in
Douglas county, embracing 200 acres
The commissioner Is of the opinion that
the practical operation thus far Of the act of
March 3, 1891. t26 state iOaSl, authorizing
the secretary of the interior to permit the
cutting Of timber from non-mineral public
lands in certain states and in the territory of
Utah and District Of Alaska for use within
the state, territory or district where cut un-
der rules and regulations prescribed by him,
justiiies the eouci1sion that law Of this
nature Is in line with the needs OF the public
and must result in great benefit when put
into operation As stated in his last annual
report, however, It requires TO he amended
to apply to all the public lands in the states
and territories
He Is further of the opinion that there
should be no distraction therein between mia
| ersl and uon-mlnesal public lands
The report shows that Colorado now has
| Al .9g7, ,s7I acres Of vacant public land. OF
which 81, SIS, rs acres have been surveyed
| Mr. Carter iu his report does not touch upon
the subject Of the transfer bY the government
of the arid lands 10 the several states in which
| they arc located.
Comparative tables accompanying the re
port show an excess during the four fiscal
years ending June 30, lss2, over the four
years ending June 20, ISIS, in the number Of
acres Of agricultural patents issued ot nearly
l45 per cent, substantially clearing the
docket and leaving the Office on July l, Is9a,
! virtually free to attend to current business n
! it arises.
As to mineral and coal patents, the report
shows an excess under similar comparison
l III TIE uAlAucf u lulAHEAA pA+flA- leaNtA VI -
per cent and In the number of coal patents
issued At 224 per cent, clearing the mineral
! and coke doekets and passing to the people
and states and nation millions OF permanent
\ wealth. During the period from 1859 TO 1892
there were $, ~, ,S95 acres OF the public do
main surveyed as against ., 2,5l5, ,a19 during the
| preceding four years, During the last fiscal
! year the cash sales, according 10 the report,
| aggregated 1,751. AS acres, the principal item
Of which was 913,ls9 acres, which were en-
! tered under the pre-e mpton law. The total
/ acreage disposed Of during the year was i3,-
/ G64Ol9 Three thousand two hundred and
/ forty-two mineral site patents were issued
during the year against 1,7s5siuriuE the year
! 1891. The report shows that the vacant pub
lie lands in the United States aggregate So
| 596,Ts3 acres. The commissioner recon
nends a liberal policy in reference to surveys
! Of the public lands in al the states.