The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-24
pEPARrMENr Cd rAg INreRIoa.
Summary Of Public Lands, Forest Re-
serves and indian Population.

Summary OF Public Lands, Forest Re-
serves and indian Population.
Washington, November 23--Following
are extracts from the report Of the aecre
tayy OF the Interior;
The advisablllty Of the early enactment
Of legislation looking 10 tue reclamation
Of the arid lands OF the county has hocn
frequently mentioned in pravioLs annual re-
ports of the department, and congress at
It's last session recognised the National I'M
pOrtance OF irrigation an che passage n
the reclamation law, approved june H.
1902. This law creates a fund from Tho
moneys received from salcs Of public
lands, 70 be expended IN the eonstrlletton
into control Of the settler. tho moneys re
ceiyed therefor to be applied 70 the further
extension Of the Irrigation fystcn. The
Get is general in character, aud leaves TO
administrative action most Of the details,
thereby imposing upon the secretary Of the
Interior very great responsibility IN ear.
ryiug it into effect
New forest reservations have been cstab.
lishcd during the year, the forestry service
extended. better and more thorough sys
tenn OF patrulng the reservations has been
perfected. and the work OF rcforestntiou on
the various reservations uas been entered
upon with satisfactory reWlts.
The unlawful fencing ~ the public lands
Tor grazing and other purposes referred Ia
hereafter has greatly Increased In some
sections OF the West and grown 30 fragrant
as TO cause much concern; vigorous mems
ing these unla wful occupants Of the public
domain, and prompt steps taken looking 20
the Institution qf civil or criminal pro-
ceedlnga against them
Timber on the unreserved public LANDS
can not now be properly protected; exist
ing laws relating thereto, and especially
the act 81 June 3, 1878. known ns tho
timber aud stone act" n rot repealed or
radically nmeBded, viii result ultimately In
the complete destruction ~ the t'nlher ON
the unupproprinted aud unroserved public
no demands
Of the remedial legislation on THE subject
hereinafter mentioned
Agreements have been negotiated with
the i've civilized tribes Of IudlRn Territory
whereby iust ailotmcuts Of ana con he
made to them Ia scvernltv. Provision has
been made for the leasing of coal. asphalt
md other minerals IN the Seminole. Creek
aud Cherokee nations. Respectively, and
also for the sale ~ coal 7ud asphalt lends
in the ChOctaw and Chl1kaslH uatlons, TO-
spectively. IN such 2 inannar AS 10 protcct
the interests Of All parties A definite time
has been AYed for the closing of tho cltl.
zrushlp rolls OF the several Indian tribes
tribes commission 10 hnaly close It's work
IN the Territory within the next two years
~
There we're disposed Of during the fiscal
year ended June 10. 1902. public lands az,
gregatlng to,4ss,58530 ncres, classified as
follows; Cash sales, i75I 592 90 acres;
miscellaneous fnifliNt tNinlhcluE NOME
steadsy land Warrants scrip locations,
State selections, swamp lands. railroad
and wagon road selections, indian
allotments ETC. i78i4,79255 acres.
and Indnn lands ti6.150i2 acres. showing
on increase Of 8.025. 7S9 acres as compared
with the aggregate disposals for the pre-
ceding fiscal years,
The total area Of the pubne lands may be
stated 10 be approximately 500 $50. $40
acres, Of which sa3, 055,470 acres nrc IN
disposed of 151, t5t 63s accss have hcen
reserved for various purpossa, and 78i
422,7g6 acres have been appropriated.
There are now hftyfour forest reserves,
created by presidential proclamations nm
der section "a Of the act Of March 3. 1891
c2B Stat. L., 1000, embracing eo,l75, 7e5
acres
During the last fiscal year four existing
reserves have heen enlarged. four have
been reduced and ffteen additional bave
been established.
The totaf Indian population OF ths United
States Is approximately 260, 306 Of which
the New York Indians and those known
as the Ave civilized tribes embrace 50. 1872.
leaving 1888 occupying 1856 reservations
having 55.l27 600 acres outside a New
York and the indian Territory.