Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-10-04
LAND COURT WORK.
Splendid Progress That Has Been
Made Toward the Settlement of
Titles in Arizona and
New Mexico.

The annual report of U. S. Attorney
Reynolds, Of the land court, to the attor.
ney general has been completed and
shows that great work has been done
by the court in the period embraced in
the report, from November 6, 1898. to
September 80, 1894. The term of court
just closed has been characterized, says
the report, by settlement of some of the
largest and most important claims pend
ing in the court from New Mexico. The
area claimed under grants finally disposed
of during this term is 2,573,Oo5. The area
finally confirmed has been 26l,250 acres
and the area rejected 2,31l,755, the con
frmed area thus being small portion
over 10 per cent of the amount sued for.
Attention is called to the fact that, in
most of the grants where judgments were
obtained, the areas have been very much
reduced. A number of surveys have been
returned to the court under the 10th sec
tion of the act creating the court, which
| are f1agraat violations of the terms Of
the decree. In one instance, Mr.. Rey-
nolds says, the surveyor paid no atten-
ton to the west boundary as set forth in
the decree, but surveyed 114,000 acres,
where the government contends that a
proper survey, according to the decree,
would not exceed 10000 acres. As these
surveys must be approved in open court
the government will file objections in all
such cases for the purpose of trying the
correctness of the surveys.
In speaking of the Cochiti cases Mr..
Reynolds calls attention to the fact that
two we're defeated entirely and the other
two SO reduced in area as to mako the
result complete victory for the govern
ment, which "has relieved the public ex-
citement growing out of the fear that
combinations might be made so rs to in
clude the recently developed mining in
terests covered by these claims"
During the term two claims were con-
tinued because of amendments filed by
the plaintiffs sixteen were continued on
application of the plaintiffs; and one
case was passed for resetting at the re-
quest of the government. The following
NJ uCoS dIC q ICCd pilulhuAoA VI VIC WIN
of the court for the year:
Area sued for in New Mexico district,
4,593,718 acres.
Area confirmed in New Mexico district,
1851 acres.
Area rejected in New Mexico district,
3,S14,107 acres.
Area sued for in Arizona district five
cases), 19O,933 acres.
Area confirmed in Arizona district,
none.
Area rejected in Arizona district, 1907
933 acres.
Total area sued for in both districts,
4,764,651 acres.
Total area confirmed in both districts.
1851 acres.
Total area rejected in both districts,
4,OO5, 04O acres.
During the term beginning August -,
1894, six cases, involving $40 square
leagues, were dismissed by the plaintiffs
on account of demurrers filed by the
United States.
At the adjournment of the court three
cases we're still under Amusement; these
will be decided at the next term of court.
Mr.. Reynolds, in his report, pays we'll
merited compliment to his assistant, Mr..
Summers Burkhart; and to the efficient
Office force and assistants who have aided
in speeding the cases to hearing.