Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-04
INrEnIoR pErAnruENr.
The Public Lnnds--AIlofneht in Sew
ernlty--pensions.

/ tfnify~-f'tuNhbhHs
The report OF the secretary OF the IN
terror exhibits the situation Of the nu'
merous and interesting branches OF ths
public service connected with his de,
partment. commend this report, and
the valuable recommendations u the
secretary to the careful attention OF
I congress. The public land disposed 81
I during the year amounted 10 10 400, l0O.Il
acres. including q, s7g05 Of Indian lands
| II 10 estimated that the public domain
still remaining amounts to q little morel
than 500. 900 acres. excluding, how
/ ever, about 800. 0O0,0 900 acres IN Alaska,
/ az well as military reservations and
/ railroad and other sections OF land yet
/ unadjudicated.
I The cash receipts from sale OF lands
( amounted 10 s2,67i. $500, including x9l.
/ 9sl.Os received Tor Indian lands, Thirty
{ five thousand patents were issued FOR
I agricultural lands and thirty-one hun
dred patents wore issued 10 indians on
| allotment of their holdings In sew
! crafty, tile lands 30 allotted being in
] nlienahle by the Indian allotted for n
period VI twenty-five years after al
/ lotment
There were certified and patented on
account OF railroad aud wagon road
grants during the year SG5, J5G.45 acres
OF land, and at the close or tho year
10000 900 acres were embraced In the
lists Of selectiona made by railroad and
wagon road companies, and awaited
settlement. The sections Of swamp
lands and that taken as indemnity
therefor since the passage Of the act
providing for the same IN 1919, amount
10 nearly or quite S0,5Oo.000 acres OF
which 5s,0000O0 have been patented to
states. About l3s,00O ncres were pat
entcd during the last year Nearly
$4,000 acres OF school and education
grants were approved during the year
and at it's close ] $50. 3G3sl acres re-
malnd unadjusted.
II appears that the appropriation for
the current year on account OF special
service for the protection OF the public
lands ana the timber thereon ls much
less than those FOR previous years, and
inadequate FOR an efficient pursuance
OF the work, A larger sum OF money
thnn has been appropriated during
number u years past on this account
has been returned to the government.
az "A result OF the labors OF those
employed IN the particular service mem
toned. and / hope This service will not
be crippled by Insufficient uppropria-
ton.
! fully indorse the recommendation
OF tho secretary that adequate protoc-
ton he provided for our forest reserves,
and that comprehensive forestry syH-
ten ne lhuuHlrntcd' Huoh Keepers ana
5uperlhtcndeHH rs arc necessary 10
protect the iorrsta h'reldy reserved
should he provided, I am of the opln-
lon that there should be an abandon,
mont OF the policy sanctioned by pres
emit law, under which the government,
for a very small consideration, rs rap
luly losing utle 10 immense tracts OF
iund covered with timber, which should
pc properly reserved as permanent
SOURCES OF TIMBER supply
Thc suggestion tlut % rhange be
made N the mhnner OF securing sur
NeN5 OF lhe puehc lanaH ls especially
M"t'liy ~ snnsldrl"l iNh' anu ANtished
mat these surveys Hhould Ice made by
"a corps on surveyors unurr me lmmedl-
ate control aud direction OF the commits
alpner nt me general land once.
IN exceedingly important re-, ofnmen-
dhtion Of tho hceretnfy relates To the
mHhher III Wrleh contests ana ItlEntei
cases growing out or efforts To obtain
k"Nernnent lpnd are determined Thi
,htirc testimony upon whlsh these con-
u0Ytrsl'a depend on an theh stages,
iH taken bofore the local resiHtrarA and
receivers, ana yet these Officers have no
power To- sbpoeha witnesses or to en-
trtce thelr att'ndanoa 10 tesliiy. These
cnseA' numbering Three or tour thous-
ana annually are sent by the local
oihcors 10 tho commissioner OF the gem
eral land ollice for his action, The
tNlEcnclea OF his other duties obllgr
nm to act upon the decision of the
registrars ana receivers without an OPP
portun'ty Of thorough rerfonal eNamln-
cases arc appealed nnnuallv rrnm tbe
commissioners 10 the secrctary OF the
Interior Rurdened with otior lnport-
amt admlnlstrntivC dutics. his detormin-
alton OF these appeals must he almost
perfunctory aud based upon tho ex.
animation OF Others, though thls deter
mlnntlon OF tho secretary operntea ns n
dnnI adjudication upon rishts OF very
great Importance concur In the
opinion ,hnt the commlsssioner ~ Inc
general land ofucc ahould lie relieved
from this duty OF deciding Inflated
land cases. that Il non.parfisnn cntn.l
shouid be created Ia pngs on cnsea ana
that tho decision or thig court sbonld hc
ilnal, at ioast So far az Inc deci.ions nf
the department are now final Tho nro-
posed court might be t-lven n1itho,lf,
Ia certify dueations of inv In matters
OF special Importance 40 tho auprernc
court Of inc United states. or the com,
or appoals foy the District OF Conimbia
for decision. The creation of wich a
tribunal would expedite tho disnosni
OF cases and Insure decisions OF a more
satisfactory character Tho reslatrn,s
md receivers who origlnaliv be@r ~