Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-26
THE GOVERNMENT LANDS
Commissioner Hermann Calls Attention to
Perils Menacing Forests.
Stringent Measures I'm Order to Pre-
vent Further LOSS Recommended
A Sufficient Patrol Desired.

The annual report Of Commissioner Bing
er Hermann of the general land Office, In
| terror Department, was made public today.
The commissioner suggests numerous rec
concentrations to be made to Congress and
gives a detailed account of the work of his
office during the year.
The report shows a decrease in the num-
| Der of original homestead entries of 32,S,
the decrease in acreage so taken up being
37S, 62517. In the final homestead entries
there is shown an increase of sixteen over
| the last year, but in the number Of acres
| embraced therein a decrease appears of
| II. 1885. There also appears in the entire
| disposals of public land during the fiscal
| year, as compared with the previous fiscal
| year, falling off of $3.50, 406 and In cash
receipts of SIS. 5000.
| During the year there were cash sales of
419,O52.O2 acres. OF this quantity over 174.-
| O00 acres were in desert land entries; over
| 1O1 600 were sales under the act of Septem-
Der %. 1880, under which certain railroad
| companies forfeited lands which were sold
| to individuals. Miscellaneous entries ag-
| gravated 1884 ,554. 7s acres, and Indian land
| disposed of amounted to S5,509.91.
| The total cash receipts of the general
land office during the last fiscal year
amounted to $2OS7 931.2S. The total ex-
| pense of district land offices for salaries
and commissions of registers and receiv-
| ers, incidental expenses and expenses de-
| posting public moneys during the last ifs
cal year was $tD4, 1868 a decrease COM
| pared with the previous fiscal year of
$25,541.74
Patents of the class deaominated agri-
| cultural were issued during the year to the
| number of 32,OSI, containing approximately
5,133 900 acres. This shows a decrease in
the number of such patents issued during
the year, IS compared with the preceding
year. of 2. 1O3. and in the approximate num-
Der of acres contained therein a decrease
of 1885, 49, OF mineral and mill site pat
ents LOSS were issued, as against 1,iG7 for
the previous fiscal year, a decrease of 39l.
| OF coal patents 81 were issued. as against
I'll for the preceding fiscal year. a decrease
of D. being decrease of 3.219.1S acres.
There were patented for the benefit of rail-
road companies under congressional grants
during the year 51ol 1921 acres. being
decrease of 10.425,S75.67 acres compared
| with the previous year. During the year
there were patented swamp lands in
place SOO,6I3.12 acres. and as swamp land
indemnity lands 1.21S.41 acres. This was
an increase of 517.59703 acres over the
| amount of similar lands patented in the
previous year. The lands as selected by
the several states and territories were GER
titled during the year TO the amount of
I39, 41I.95 acres, being a decrease compared
with the previous year. of 134.95S acres
At the end of the fiscal year there were
pending before the office 1874 final en-
tries, decrease of 1,62 compared with
the condition one year previously.
Damage to Forests by Fire.
The commissioner calls attention to the
great damage done the forest reserves by
fire, and suggests the use of stringen.
measures in order to prevent such losses
in the future. He recommends that means
be placed at the command of the general
land office to enable it to maintain a suf-
ficient local force to properly supervise the
forested acres of public lands, with view
TO preventing as far as possible the start
ing of fires and the extinguishing of those
that are started before they gain any con-
siderable Roadway. Even with the limited
fCrce now at the command of the general
land office, the commissioner says many
damaging fires have been prevented from
DONG great injury. The commissioner says:
Il recommend such appropriation oy Con-
eress as will enable the department to d.
vide and subdvide the forest reservations
Into orderly proportions for the purpose of
patroliing the same in the dry months of
the year, and for the further utilizing of
the patrol force in the cutting and clearing
away of pathways in the reserves which
will serve the double purpose of fire bar
riers ana as open avenues of communica-
ton for the forest force from one portion
of the reserve to another"
The commissioner suggests that no pru-
dent individual owner of property could for
a moment remain Indifferent TO such perils
TO his interests as are met by the govern
ment in its forest reserves He says there
are now existing nineteen forest reserva-
Luis Sieateu ry preSluefitlal procia matiOG,
embracing an estimated area of nearly
19,0U0,000 acres.
Among recommendations of the commits
sloner afc the following: For moditica-
ton of the irrigation law known as the
Carey act; for prompt action by Congress
TO terminate the suspension of Arkansas
land claims; in favor OF an act for the
compulsory attendance of witnesses in con-
tested land cases before the local land
offices; in favor of modification Of imposing
penalties for dcpredatons public timber;
in 1aVor OF repeat or modification of laws
granting special privileges with reference
10 the use of timber on the public lands