Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1901-02-07
OUR SCHOOL LANDS,
\, A. Keen, Land Commissioner
Makes Report to Gov, Otero.
A MOST INTERESTING REPORT.

Many people in New Mexico have but
a vague idea about the natur OF the
grants OF public lands which have been
made to the territory by congress for
The bpncnt Of the public schools and
the territorial Institutions; o do many
people understand the duties and func-
tons OF the United states and terrific
rial land commissions as well as OF the
commissioner OF public lands, an office
very c%erditably and ably filled the past
twenty-five months by a. \. Keen.
In his annual report to Governor
Otero M. Keen gives a very clear In
sight into these matters. and at the
same time renders n comprehensive ac-
counting OF his trust. He relates the
history OF the grants and n the organ
ization Of the board OF public lands, the
dlfaculties that have to be overcome In
the beginning. the delays to which lease
notifications were subjected at Wash.
~ington. and explains why the personal
appraisal OF lands to be leased, as re-
! quired by the Washington authorities,
is impracticable. for the cost of such
| appraisal would be greater than the
rental received. Tho annual rental OF Q
section NJ land without water has beer
fixed at $3.50. and with water at s82
| or course, where there are scevral bid
ders for sections the highest bidder re
| ceiycs the land. and a larger sum thar
The prescribed minimum Is realized.
The best lands in the territory have
| already been selected or are included II
| forest reserves. private land grants oi
reservations. Therefore. while th'
grant OF lands made to the territory II
vast I'm extent. its value IL not verl
great. as most Of It can be utilized onl!
for grazing purposes. Nevertheless
St3.546.22 have been received in les
than two years for leases OF publ
school lands. "A sum which compare
favorably with the mount received b.
nclghboring states for their schoo
lands. Union county took the larges
number of leases. ll9. covering 93.42
acres, paying therefor S37al50; Chave
county canes second with go leases
Colfax. p. Eddy. 80: Mora, %; a NJ
guel. "a. Guadalupe. q; Grant, 20; So
zorro. u: Sierra. 10, Lincoln, 10; Bel
naHlo. Q: Santa Fc, .; san Juan, .
Rio Arriba, ]: Taos. o. The funds re
ccivcd are distributed, however. anon
the counties according to school popula
ton. and not according to the amour
paid by each county for leases. Thei
remain 1Ot leases u%napproved; Al appl
( cations awarded. but not yet con
( pleted; gj applications not approved {
! withdrawn: and $3.50 leases Cancelled, r.
linquIshed or withdrawn,
The United States land commissio
was created 10 make selections OF n
lands granted the territory by congress
T The total acreage Of land thus granite
consists OF i.77O.2S2.C0 acres. OF while
the public schools received sections
ana &c in every township, making a I,
tai OF 3,427, 200 acres, a princely donna
; indeed. The other grants are: #,
public buildings, $4,000 acres; b for Il
University of New Mexico, III 500 acre
together with all saline lands with
the territory; the agricultural colleg
100, goo acres; water reservoirs for irr
cation purposes. 10000 acres; improy
: ment Of the Rio Grande In New Me
y leo. 100000 acres; insane asylum, SOC
q acres; school OF mines. $4,000 acres; r
u form school, 10000 acres; norm
schools. 1000 acres; institute for I
blind. $4,000 acres; miners hospital, q
OOO acres; military institute. 50,(
acres; penitentiary. 10000 acres; q
palace at Santa Fe. go acres.
II viii thus be seen that the VI
versity OF New Mexico ia the best e
bowed institution, and should Dc {
first to be self-sustalning. OF the lai
5 to be slected only 49S, l04S5 acres IA
n been picked out, and 2ll,S0I67 acres
Is these selections have been approved,
only about one-eighth of the tot
grant. The selections made are as Il
lows: Agricultural college. 81 ,5Sl
: acres; military institute. 30, sS4.si acre
u deaf ana dumb school. 32.2t7O4 acre
University Of New Mexico, 1864
acres; insane asylum, 34,O5G.71 acre
, institution for the blind, 3i,G37 acre
school OF mines. 80, 7O9.37 acres; refoy
A. school, 33,G6S.49 acres; water reserved
o for Irrigation purposes, 49.G45.05 acre
normal school, G7,ll2.J2 acres, mine
hospital. S3,S3O,4O acres, p%enitentiai
a 80, 096. 80 acres.
h Unfortunately the funds available I
- ldg MS AHf HFhFNNhie lffN lbI INC fHA
IS OF these lands We're not available un
July, 1900, and even then would I
have been sufficient for the purpo
The land commission was, thereto
le very glad to accept the offer of I
t. Alamogordo Lumber company md
y r. Burkdoll TO pay in advance for tt
~ Der lands to be selected by the comm
4, sion. From that source, 81 $1,000 W,
~ received. and enabled the territory
make and enter the selections for
re territorial institutions.
Of In reference to the old palace in 81
4. IA Fe, Land Commissioner Keen r
IN Ommends that the United States &
err eminent again assume control over
building, giving the Smithsonian in'
n ute It's supervision. The revenue
10 ceivcd from the old palace amounted
Sl,OiS.50, while the expenditure y
q. $40.
Five per cent Of the proceeds Of
H. sale OF public lands within the terrific
n by the United states Is TO be used a
permanent fund, the interest OF VIII
only shall be expended Tor the SUPP