Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-05
TELEGRAPHIC.
HIS ANNUAL REPORT
Secretary Of The Interior on Various
Branches Of His Department.
MATTERS OF INTEREST 10 UTAH.
Recommendations as 10 the uncOmpah'
grs and Uin'ah RESERVATIONS
Utah Asphal;um.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4-The annual
report OF Secretary Of the Interior
Francis was made public today. 1t
deal, with all the various branches oil
the Interior department during the
mast year, and makes number Of i'm
portsnt recommendations, 1t pro.
poses q solution Of the vexed probl,m
Of the bond.aided ROADS, deals exhaus-
lively with the pension administra.
tlop, reviews the progress OF the
Dawes commission negotiations. and
touches upon various matters OF spe-
cial Significance In the West.
The report opens with q discussion
OF tho public domain. 1t shows that
the total number Of acres dispoped OF
up to June Both last was GAG, 900, 900,
leaving public domain still vacant
estimated at over 800, 100000 acres, not
Including the district OF Alaska, with
an area OF over $50, 600, 900 acrep.
Since the homestead act was passed
in May, 1862, there have been 1872
ssl,l92 acres entered by homestead
settleis. OF this almost 103. 900, QUO
conditions have been made.
The total number Of mineral entries
up to date IL 20, 800.
There also hnve been 1886, 729. 75l acres
disposed OF by presumption cash eales,
scrip locations, military bounty land
warrants, town sites, desert lanu, tim.
her culture, timber and stone entries,
Indian allotments and donations to
settlers.
There are yet due to railroads and
wagon roads under their grants h.
1855, $3.50 acres, OF which not more than
go per cent are available for patenting
under the conditions OF the granite.
"Oi the ia, 600, 600 acres granted to
railroads but not patented, there can
be no objection to transferring posses
sion apd control of whatever portion
has been earned by complying with
the giants and that may be available
Hereunder Estimated at 10000, 00O)
with ne much promptness as possible;
but until these grants are adjusted no
additional ones should be msde. Dur.
ing the year 15,527,S4i acres were
patented TO railI0aus under congres-
sional grauts."
Discussing forest reservations, the
reporter says no permits to cut timber
on public lands should be granted Tor
any purpose other than to supply the
needs oil actual settlers.
THE ARID REGIONS.
Secretary Francis urges upon Con.
gress the necessity for legislation for
tho reclamation and disposal OF lands
within the arid regions. Unless the
Carey act should be- Amended 30 as to
give the state power To pledge lands
for their reclamation, he says IL would
be no better to place the lands under
the direction OF the states, only 30
lar as may be necessary 80 secure
their rscls matiCn Tor the benefit OF
actual settlers.
PENSIONS.
The total amount paid by the gov
eminent in pensions snd the cost OF
Disturbing the same for the last
Ihiriy.ons years lie S2,0s4,Si7, 789. The
present number OF pensioners, which
10 97O,67S, Ia greater by 1885 than in
1893, when tho maximum annual
cost was reached, and Is greater
than ever before. This 10 due TO
the death OF old soldiers and the
continued payment OF allowances to