The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-12-08
IN THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
Work OF the Secretary Is Especial,
Recommended

Work OF the Secretary Is Especially
Recommended.
The report of the secretary of the in
terror exhibits the situation of the nu-
merous and interesting branches of the
public service connected with this de-
partment. 1 commend this report and
the valuable recommendations of the
secretary to the careful attention of
congress
The public land disposed Of during the
year amounted to 10.406, n acres. in
Guiding 2S,S6705 of Indian lands. 1t is
estimated that the public domain still
remaining amounts to little more than
6OO,OOO.OOO acres, excluding, however
about $50, 600 900 acres in Alaska, as well
as military reservations and railroad
and other sections of lands yet unad-
Indicated. The total cash receipts from
sale of lands amounted to $2,674 2S5, 70,
including $91,9SLOS received for Indian
lands. Thirty-five thousand patents
were issued for agricultural land and
3,10O patents were issued for Indians on
allotments Of their lands in severalty.
the land so allotted being inalienable
by the Indian allottees for a period of
rs years after patented
There were certified and patented on
account of railroad and wagon road
grants during the year 683, $50. As acres
of land and at the close of the year
29.0OO,000 acres were embraced in the
lists of selections made by railroad
and wagon road companies and the
awaited settlement.
The selections of swamp lands and
that taken SIS indemnity therefor since
the passage Of the act providing for the
same in l849, amount to nearly or
quite SU500.000 acres, Of which 5S .000. 900
have been patented to states. About
$4,000 acres were patented during the
last year Nearly eco ceres Of school
and educational grants We're approved
during this yeer and at its close 1885,
36S.S1 acres remained unadjudicated.
PROTECT THE LANDS
1t appears that the appropriation for
the current year on account Of special
service for the protection of the public
lands and the timber thereon is much
less than those for previous years and
inadequate for an efficient perform
ance of the work. A larger sum Of mon
ey than has bcen appropriated DURING a
number Of years past on this account
has been returned to the government as
a result of he numbers of those eln-
ployed in the particular service men
ti0Eed, and I hope it will not be crippled
by an insufficient appropriation. ]
cheerfully indorse the recommends
tons Of the secretary uat appropr
protection c provided for our forest
reserve, and that comprehensive go
estry system be inaugurated Such
keepers and superinten6ents as an, NJ.
cessary to protect the forests already r.
served should be provided. 1 am Of The |
opinion that there sh IL be an dtan
bonment of The policy sane: oned by 81 |
present laws, under wlicn the go y."n |
ment. for very small cons deTauo" j.
RAPIDLY losing title to immense tracts Of |
land covered with timber. which sh )uld |
be propedly reserved SIS permanent "a |
sources of timber supply.
The suggestion the a chang Le |
made in the manner of securing sur. /
veys of the public lands is espec. ally |
worthy of consideration I am satisfied /
That these surveys should be ma js by |
a corps of competent surveyors under
the immediate control and direction Of |
The commissioner Of the general lard
H.