New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-02
THE PUBLIC DOUAIN.
Large Increase IN Business Of the
Land Office

Washington. Nov. The annual report q ". A.
Richards COMMISSIONS % the General Land Ofics-
which made public TO-DAY, says that there vas
III the last year large increase over the preceding
year ia the total number az supposedly fraudulent
land entries. He attributes their discovery largely
an order OF the Secretary Of the Interior dated
November . 19o2 directing the investigation OF al
entries made under the timber and stone act IN
California oregon and Washington Under this
order alone 1000 entries have been suspended. and
there are now fifteen special agents OF the Land
Office IN that field ferr-tiuS out the frauduIent
entries
Commissioner Richards also states that duriga
the year there were reported 80 unlawful tnclos-
ures OF public land covering area OF 2s55-sS
acres Seveuty-nIne Of these Enclosures have been
removed. and proceedings are pending % compel
the removal Of the remaining number He says
however. that the total number mentioned IL only
fraction OF the Enclosures maintained IN violation
OF the law. the special agents having found Il
impossible to give attention % many others because
q the order for special Inv Jst-ea 8. the en-
tries under the timber and stone act Complaint
IS made Of the operation OF The act OF March Il.
80. to facilitate entries. Referring TO this law
the Commissioner says.
The privileges gained by the act have beer great
r. abused. particularly 6y United States Co11uis-
f-s-, In - l1 s irb STTrs Se 5efSre f5rl
Afidavits anu entry papers have been prepared in
OF other ways have been devised BY these officers
GureueUts OF the law
The report makes strong plea FOR a larger force
OF special agents. saying
Complaints come TO this Office from every section
OF the country OF hagraGt Violations CT the various
laws relating 20 the public lands Thousands Of
entries being made FOR speculative purposes.
with scaCeiy any attempt az compliance with tna
legal requirements. Vast areas unlawfully IN
closed The exclusion OF actual settlers. and
hundreds Of thO-=ards 9f dollars worth % public
timber Is being taken urIawfu.ly.
To pur stop 70 these practices and
serve the remaining public lands for the home
builder. large field force Is absolutely necessary
1t viii be remembered that the public domain COW
ers about Oue-hslf Of the entire country. The ap-
preparation for the last year allowed the employ
rue-r OF only about F@rv-ai-hr agents and their
duties consisted not only in Investigating and re-
porting thousands OF alleged fraudulent entries.
timber de7r- datlO-s and unlawful Enclosures but
IN doing large part OF the supplementary work
necessary To establish violations OF law discovered
b. them
Mr. Richards recommends the transfer OF t1e con
trOl Of the forest reserves % the Department %
Agriculture There az present ffty-thres
serves. covering area OF SIS s6s
The report SHOWS a marked increase IN the bust
ness OF the office 1872 the JO-al receipts bei-E
sll24 as an Increase Of 81 712s6 This Increase over
1902 Is greater it E stated than the total receipts
for 1888. The total OF public land appropriated
3335.l54 acres over the preceding year About haif
the area entered Was entered under the Homestead
law
The once is about twelve months behind with 80
work. ard the Commissioner recommends IL
crease OF the force.