Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-11-02
Thousands of Land Entries
Made For Speculation In
Pacific Coast States
LAW CHANGES ARE URGED
Commissioner Richards, of the General
Land Office, Makes Some important
Recommendations Hitch
cock Authorizes Statement About In
vestisation Into Public Land Frauds.

OF the general land office, which has
Just been made public. says there was
in the past year large increase in the
total number OF supposedly fraudulent
land entries over the proceeding year
He attributes their discovery largely t.
an order of the secretary of the in
terror dated Nov. 2, 1902. directing the
Investigation of all entries made under
the timber and stone act inthe states
of California. Oregon and Washington
Under this order alone 10000 entries
now fifteen special agents of the lane
office in that field engaged in ferretine
out the fraudulent entries.
Commissioner Richards also says
that during the year there We're re-
ported 1875 unlawful enclosures of pub
lie land. covering an area OF 2,605,39(
acres. Seventy nine of these enclosures
have been removed and proceeding are
pending to compel the removal of the
remaining number. He says. however
that the total number mentioned, Is on
ly fraction of the enclosures main
tanned In violation of the law.
The report makes a strong plea fol
larger force Of special agents. saying
that thousands Of entries are made for
speculation.
Vast areas are unlawfully enclosed
to the exclusion of actual settlers, and
Hundreds of thousands of dollars worth
of public timber is taken unlawfully
To put a stop to these practices and
go to preserve the remaining lands fol-
the home builder. a large field force Is
absolutely necessary"
Law Changes Urged.
Speaking OF the forest land selections
the commissioner says there were
$500 of them pending on the first OF
last July. and they involved an ap-
proximate area of l,263,136 acres. He
recommends change in the law per-
hitting the exchange of patent land
within the reservation for unpatented
land on the outside.
Mr.. Richards also recommends the
transfer OF the control OF the forest re-
serves to the department OF agriculture,
There are at present fifty-three re-
serves, covering an area of 62,3b6,96t
acres, and the commissioner recon-
mending strongly that these reserves
be included.
The report shows a marked increase
In the business OF the office over 1902
the total receipts being $11,024,743, an
increase Of $4.762,S16. This increase
over 1902 is greater, it is said, than the
total receipts for the year 1899. The
the year was 22,S24,299 acres, an in
crease OF 3.335.764 acres over the pre-
ceding year. About half the area en-
tered was entered under the homestead
law.
The Office is about twelve months be-
hind with it's work, and the commits
sioner recommends an increase of the
force.
Aitehcock's Statement.
The following statement of the con-
duct of the investigation into public
land frauds In the Pacific coast states
was prepared at the interior depart
ment and given out with Secretary
Hitchcock approval:
Nearly a year ago information
reached the secretary of the interior
which strongly indicated that frauds
of a serious nature had been and wert
being perpetrated against the govern
ment under what is known as the for
est reserve lieu land act of July 4. 1897
by a combination Of land spectators
on the Pacific coast. The information
and Indicated frauds were Of SO grave
~, In OF an
declared a thorough investigation to be
made. This investigation was COM
menced last January. and has been con-
Quoted by those having charge of the
actual work with great care and with
all possible expedition Of consistent
thoroughness. The investigation has
proceeded step by step. without il-
Permission, under the secretary's per-
sonal direction. and every clue to
wrongdoing has been quietly followed
to it's source with the result that 1t
is the confident belief of those in
charge of the inquiry that the guilty
parties will be apprehended and speed
lily brought to justice.
'The work is now nearing completion.
and the whole matter at an early date
will be in shape for definite and APP
propriate action against the Offenders.
Few Patents Issued.
'sWhile several hundred thousand
acres OF public lands are involved in the
illegal transactions brought to light.
the number of acres to which patents
have been obtained by the perpetrators
of the frauds Is comparatively small.
1t is proper to say also that some OF
the statements in regard to the mat
ter which have appeared In the news
papers recently, both in the east and
In the west, are exaggerated, and 9TH
ers are mere surmises. The state
ments widely circulated to the effect
that five United States senators and a
large number of representatives were
implicated and that the lands invoked
would reach in value $15,000,O00 to
10000, 900, are without foundation In
fact 1t can be positively stated that
they did not originate In the interior
department The details and results Of
the investigation are known to few, and
startling stories based upon statements
which have heretofore appeared in the
press must be received with due allow
ance.
AT the proper time a full statement
will be made covering the results of the
entire investigation. and the whole mat
ter will be given to the public.
"The work Of the investigation has
ben conducted by Arthur Hugh, as
sistant attorney in the interior depart
ment, and William j. Burns of the Sc
cret service Of the treasury depart
ment .--..--.--.--.-..-.----.