The record-union., 1893-04-13
STATE LIEU LANDS.
Interview With Ex-Surveyor-Ge
Shanklin.
Further Inquiry Into the Administra-
ton OF the Landed Property
of the State.

corning the manner and mode oil admins
tration of the landed interests of the
State of California, and the effect of that
administration as modifying the laws OF
the State, or supplementing such laws,
the RECORD UNION is seeking interviews
with those most familiar with the sys-
tenn, and in pursuance of that purpose
presents herewith an interview Win eA-
State Survey Shankun.
Question.-What years did you serve
the State as Surveyor-GeneraR
Answer.-From 1850 to 1888;
Q.-Who was Governor at that tlme!
A.-George c. Perkins.
Q.-How much land do you think Will
come to the State by reason OF forest
reservations and the exercise of other eX-
listing indemnity right?
Alive include both surveyed and I'M
surveyed sixteenth and thirty-sixth sec
tions, which are still owned by the State.
/ think it would amount to about 100000
acres.
Q.-Is it practicable under the present
system and policy of administration for
homeseeker to avail himself OF the bene-
fits of the Act of February y, lo9l?
A.-Not at the present time, If what
they say is correct 1t is said that appli-
cations enough have already been pre-,
scented to cover all loss of sixteenth and
thirty-sixUh sections within those reser-
vRtions, aside from the amendatory APP
plications that have been made, which
they say will also cover them all.
Q.-Then there are nearly twice as
many applications on file for land in lieu
of that loss as there are bases?
Al conclude that to be the case.
Q.-From whom do these applications
come? Who makes these applications
which now exceed 100 per cent. OF the
lieu right?
At would be difficult to answer that
question, since no one knows at the pres
ent time who the applicants are.
Q.-Why don't they know?
A.-Because the applications are locked
up in the Surveyor-G eneraPs safe, and
are not put upon the records.
Q.-Is there any law obliging the
Surveyor General to so lock up applica-
tons?
Al think not. / think the law re-
quires him, when the application is made,
to file it. if the fee is rendered.
Q.-DoeS not the law forbid the Sur
veyor-G General from receiving any paper
that will affect the land without payment
of the fee?
At does. 1t requires that he shall
not receive it until the fee is paid.
Q.-What object have the people who
have made and presented these appllca-
tions in making them?
A.-To obtain the land for themselves,
or for others with whom they may have
some understanding, l suppose.
Q.-Are the applications, so far as you
have reason to believe, bona fide?
A.-Those that l know anything about
are; that is, so far as am concerned.
eff they were made in good faith
and the fee paid, would they not be filed
and noted upon the public records?
A.-They should be.
Q.-What proportion of these filings
are made by single firm, so far as the
report goes?
A.-One firm reports that they have
enough to cover all the bases of loss.
eff one firm has enough applications
to cover all the bases of loss, how can
they, under the system, make any money
out of it?
A.-By charging for their services a
sum in addition to the States price for
the land.
Q.-Does the practice result in this one
firm dealing in the land as if they owned
it?
Alphabetically so.
Q.-What, so far as you have heard, dc
they get for land? How much per acre
A.-From 81 to 81 10 above the price
that has to be paid to the State.
off they can locate 10000 acres and
get 81 10 an acre, they will get something
like 100000 or 100000 out of the in
demnity?
A.-They would: they and their associ-
ates, whoever they might be.
Q.-Do you know OF any instance indi-
eating that any persons have preference
of filing over other persons?
Al know of some instances in rela-
ton to myself in which 1 was refused
and in which some other persons were
refused to have applications filed, prin-
clpally on account OF the bases named in
the applications; not because of the APP
plications themselves, but because of the
bases used in the applications; and subse-
quently the same bases were used and &C
copied in other applications, without
allowing the first applicants to have ever
notice of it.
Q.-Have you personal observation O
instances of this kind?
Al have.
Q.-Please relate any observation tina
would confirm that statement?
A.-Some land was applied for in Las
sen County upon bases represented OF
the maps as mineral land. The applica
tions were refused because the Com
missioner of the General Land Office haC
reported against the use OF any minera
land as basis unless the land had beer
proven to be mineral, or the United
States had sold the land as mineral land
The offer was made because the return
on the United States maps showed il K
be returned as mineral land, and on tn
superstition that the United States coulC
not go behind its returns, the appllca
y
tions were then on lille made upon swami
land as basis, which had been rejecte(
by the Commissioner and the Secretary
AS many of the rejected swamp base
applications as could be corrected by tn
use OF this same mineral basis, were thu
corrected, without giving any motto
whatever to the persons who had frs
offered applications upon that minera
basis.
Q.-This was done, without any motto
to the first applicant, and without ant
change of ruling by the department?
Ayes, sir. The department changeI
its mind subsequently, and agreed to ac
cept basis of mineral reservation.
Q.-Was there any reason given by til
Surveyor-General for refusing in the frs
instance and accepting in the second?
A.-None, except that the department
had changed its ruling.
Q.-Are applications based upon los
filed with the Survey or-General subse
quently amended?
A.-They have been, many times.
SQ.-How does the amendment affect tn
right of subsequent applicants to tax
land. alleging the same basis?
Aft the amendment was made be
fore the subsequent application was pre-
scented, designating the same basis. til
amendment would prevail.
Q.-What is the custom in the SUI
veyor-GeneraFs office now concernin
the matter of amending applications?
Alt is hard to tell what the custor
is. 1t would be difficult TO tell what doe
prevail at the present time in that respec
Q.-Under the present system can lanc
seekers who want to make homes %
land from the State at 81 % an acre?
A.-They could if they did not have I
employ the middleman.
O.-is not ali the lieu basis taken up b
firms of attorneys, who file through tt