Omaha daily bee., 1902-11-24
% USE HAVING RUINS OF ONE FAILURE
Setter Wait for Permanent Successful
Dams to Be Built
ON DEFINITE WORK CAN COMMENCE
Data is Being Secured by Corps of Trained
Men.
PROTESTS ONCE MORE AGAINST FENCES
Says Public Domain Must he Protected
st All Hazards So that Actual Set
tiers May Have Rights Ac-
corded Them.
(From a Stan Correspondents

(F'rom a Stan Correspondent)
| WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-(Speoiai Te,e.
gram.)-The annual report of the seere-
tary OF the interior for the fiscal year
ended June 30 was made public today.
! Inc year has been characterized by O
great Increase in volume Of business, nota-
bly, so in patent Office, general land ofice
geological survey and secretary's Office
Probably the work OF most interest tc
the west is that in connection with the
irrigation laws.
The report says:
1t has been considered wise at the out.
| reclamation bureaus with new officers and
untried regulations, but TO permit
initiated in 1883 under Major Powell. Great
Ing and fearless scientist who, through
his mature life urged in public and before
clamation works, The work, which was
begun under his direction fourteen years
part G 6e OF Re
don of the United States. The engineers
gained broad education and experience,
particularly in western or arid lands, and
many of them. between intervals OF SER
vice vice lot the government planned and
Taking, therefore this body of men as a
tested rules and regulations of geological
survey an engineering corps has been
! services, and being for admin stratiye
purposes, branch of the geological sur
The data already at hand concerning the
| amount of water available, the location of
! reservoir sites and the altitude and area of
catchment basins has proved invaluable in
beginning the work CT reclamation These
doGts nave Pee been eoIleeted by men now
| are familiar to them and immediate prac-
teal work Is thus possible. leading up to
specifications for reservoirs and main line
Although there is thus available a great
| mass OF information concerning arid land
and opportunities Of leclama tion, yet when
project great caution must be exercised,
and consequent delay, especially with first
works, must be expected.
Few persons appreciate difficulties tnsep-
arably connected with siJcLtssfuI hydraulic
construction. The construction OF water
storage and irrigation works Of magnitude
Is In many respects still n matter of ex-
pertinent. In nearly every part of the
country where large works have been COM
pleted they have offered a series Of sur
prises. Even though carefully planned, one
part or another has had TO be replaced or
changed In government works II is of
prime Importance that all designs should
be considered with unusual care. so that
errors may be avoided and the confidence
OF the people In the finished work be fully
The intense public interest in the irriga-
ton law is voiced in the popular desire to
see the water running over the dams be-
Iore another season passes. No one Is more
desirous than myself and my assistants of
bringing about such conditions, but II is far
more important that water should be rum
ming over well-constructed works for an in
definite number of years than through ruins
| of a single failure.
Illegal Fencing of Land.
Another matter of interest which at pres
ent has its storm center in the United
States court at Omaha is the prosecution
OF those who have illegally fenced public
lands. Upon this subject the secretary
says:
The unlawful fencing of public lands for
grazing purposes has greatly increased In
some sections of the west and grown
hagrant as to cause much concern. Wig
orous measures, however, have been pur-
sued regarding these unlawful occupants
OF the public domain, anG prompt steps have
civil or criminal proceedings against them.
The avowed policy of the government to
preserve the public domain for homes for
relentless foe than the class that seeks
to occupy public lands for grazing purposes
by maintaining unlawful fences thereon.
There is now pending before congress a
bill to provide for leasing, for grazing pur-
poses, OF the adjacent public domain and
eral entry, the rentals to be special fund
Should that bill become a law the pub
lie domain in sixteen states and territor-
les, aggregating 525 100000 acres. practic-
ally al the vacant public domain west of
lease at 2 cents per acre for ten years
with the privilege Of renewal for ten
During The last fiscal year there were
gi5ha sntTes rhat ana Sfes M % ns original b
acres and Affecting $3.50 persons. and
are that more entries will be made. affect
ing more people and embracing a greater
If enacted, would place the last acre OF
desirable public land out OF reach Of
government to preserve the public domain
for homes for actual settlers. II would
eiamation act and make possible the form
plated by the public land system. but
which, on the contrary, II Is one OF the
purposes Of that system to prevent.
During last year there were reported to
ful fencing of public lands, embracing
3,952,sA acres. In one case one man was
acres of lands subject to disposition under
the public land laws, but which he with
Ihe law he Is openly and notoriousiy vi
olating, and Of the rights Of those who are
entitled to the benefits and protection OF
There were also reported as having been
removed during the year, In compliance
area of A,564 acres; IA cases were re-
ported as in process Of removal or were
of various states and territories for
action under the act Of February 25, 1885,
embracing s.s2S,2SO acres.
Pensions stiI Increase.
The report OF the commissioner OF pen
sions shows a total number OF pensioners
on the roll OF 1.O41 .6s7, net gain over the
previous year OF LII, and exceeding in
number any former year. The dsburse-
ments for army and navy pensions during
the year were $1S7 .504, ,267.s9. The expendi-
ture for navy pensions was $3.50 02224.
The disbursements for pensions by the
United States from July /. 1890. to June 80.
1865, were 800, ,445. .444.23. Since 1855 the dis
bursements we're 32.SO4, ,4Os. .s5722. and for
cost Of maintenance and expenses $9l 654,-
: 1872. or a total OF 81 $50. .O63 .57512.
The commissioner suggests laws prohlb-
iting the payment Of pensions to widows
who married old pensioners, finally deciding
disputed points, finding better methods of