The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-11-01
REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
LAND IN new POSSESSIONS
Legislation Covering a Multitude Of
Subjects is Recon-
mended.

Washington, Oct. 31.-The annua
report Of Commissioner Hermann O,
the general land Office says that Is,
&c., 96 acres of public land were dis
posed of during the last fiscal year
an increase of 2,1OS, 90S over the prev.
ious year, which was the banner year
in public land sales.
The net surplus from the entire
land and forest administration is
$3,458,442. The report refers to the
large number Of prosecutions begun
in Idaho and Montana for perjury and
s%ubornation Of perjury in entries Of
land under the timber and stone act,
which entries it says apparently
were made for a speculative purpose
and have become the property of one
a This person, who is not men
toned by name, claims he purchas.
ed the land In good faith and without
the knowledge that the entries were
invalid. The commissioner says that
II this is true cancellation proceed.
ings by the general land Office would
entail much hardship. He says, there
fore, that the law should be repealed
to protect innocent persons who may
invest money in lands to which the
persons shown by the reeords to be
Nvr,,,o,c have 80 1a..o.1 Inv
The land conditions in the new in
sular possessions are discussed in de-
tail.
Following is a summary Of the rec
concentrations for legislation:
Appointment Of a commission to
examine, consider and report on the
survey and disposal of the public
lands In the insular possessions of.
the United States; forfeiture of laps.
ed r~ight-of-way grants; discontinue.
ance of the Yukon and the Circle
City district land offices in Alaska
by consolidation with the Sitka of.
fee, at least for the present, as the
receipts do not justify the continu.
ance OF the Offices; repeal or modif.
cation of the act of June 16, 1898. to
protect homestead settlers who ente,
the military service in war time,
compulsory attendance of witnesses
at hearings on reports of special lane
claims involving the validity Of en-
tries OF public lands; repeal of sew
eral laws relating to timber on I'm
reserved public lands and the enact.
ment of a general law to afford a
supply of timber for settlers and
other parties in need thereof. and at
the same time reserve the forests for
the use of future generations: extern.
slon OF the Yellowstone National
ark SO as to embrace the Yellow.
stone cumberland reserve comprising
l,Sl4 square miles, all that portion Of
the Teton forest reserve lying east
OF the summit Of Teton range. 1.O50
square miles and unreserved areas OF
~ square miles at the southwest
corner Of the park, in Idaho. and 2so
square miles at the northwest corner
IN Montana; extension Of the forest
nre act to meet the various causes Of
nres and overcome the danger from
every source; modification Of the act
permitting exchange of lands with.
IN forest reservations for those with.
out by a proviso that the r%elinouish.
ed tract has not been unnecessarily
changed, that the lands shall be Of
approximately the same value and
rejecting such selections for land re-.
turned as agricultural if before an.
proval it is found to be mineral: +,
withdrawal Of all public lands more
for forest uses than for other
purposes from settlement, entry sale, !
ana other disposition and holding ,
them for the protection and u~tiliza- /.
lion OF their timber; establishment
d national parks to preserve prehis. :
torlc ruins, petrified forests. caves g,
md for other purposes; appropriation
d at least $1S5, 900 to prevent depre-
lations on public timber and 500 OO d,
% protect timber on unreserved !
ands against fires; protection of fish .
md game in forest reserves; relief ;
u bonafde settlers within forest re- /.
'erves who settled prior to the. es- :
adjustment thereof but failed to ,
place claims on record within statu. !,
,ory time. :