Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-28
ROOM FOR HOME EXPANSION
Half . Billion Acres Of the Public Domain
Open to Settlement.
SOME FACTS FROM OFFICIAL SOURCES
Extent and Character of Government
Land In Nebraska, Kansas, wyom-
ing and the Dakotns-
Ample Room to spread.

WASHINGTON, May 27-(speclal) )-The
assertion frequently heard of late in justi-
hcation OF land grabbing in the Orient, that
the United States les short on land, Is re-
futed in the strongest manner by statistics
compiled and issued in pamphlet form by
the Department of Agriculture. The docu-
ment was prepared by Prof. Max West OF
tho division Of statistics. 1t Is an In
structive review of the public domain of
the United States and the recently acquired
territory, and shows there is available an
abundance OF idle land within the compact
boundaries of the republic.
Leaving Alaska and the new island posses
sions cut Of the count, there are within the
limits Of the United States nearly $780,
900 acres OF vacant government land, be-
sides 145, ,122, 900 acres in Indian reserva-
tions, forest reserves, national parks, reser-
yoir sites and military reservations The
latter Is reserved from settlement, but the
former half billion acres, most OF which
IS productive furnishes an ample and invit-
ing field for home expansion, home thrift
and home enterprise. Prof. West says the
public domain of Alaska, vast area, and
the lesser areas OF Hawaii, Porto Rico and
other new dependencies, will bring the total
up to 900 900, 900 acres. Future additions
no the reservations for permanent forests
and reservoir sites will no doubt diminish
the area open to settlers, but these additions
are likely to be counterbalanced in whole or
dn part by the opening of Indian and military
reservations to settlement The 100000
acres granted to each OF the arid states by
the so-called Carey act will still further
reduce the amount OF land to be obtained
Ny settlers directly from the national gov
eminent, but doubtless without reducing the
total amount of public land available for
settlement. At the present rate of dis
posa to individuals, the vacant lands in
the United States proper would last for
nearly a century"
The following extracts show the area and
character of the public land open for set
tlement in the transmississppi region:
Character of the Public Lands.
The table below gives approximately the
areas Of forest and woodland, grazing lands,
and desert, composing the public domain
in fifteen western states and territories. 1t
is based upon the estimates of Mr.. F. H.
Newell, which show that of 500, 900, 900 acres
of land vacant in these states and territories
in 1894 there were about 166, 900 acres OF
forest and woodland, 374, ,0O0. 900 acres of
grazing land, and 100000 acres of desert
or land too barren even for grazing. Max
tng allowance for the forest reserves which
have been set aside since that time, and
also for some areas which have been opened
for settlement, and estimating the probable
division of lands entered by settlers be-
tween timber and grazing land the land
now unappropriated and unreserved Is found
to consist of about 124, 800, 900 acres of for
est and woodland and 1856, 400, 004 acres OF
grazing land, with nearly or quite as much
desert land as before.