The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-12-17
HITCHCOCK'S REVIEW.
SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR ON THE WORK OF THE TEAR.

ON THE HOIth On I11E I LAhs
 Progress of IrrigatiOn-FOrsst Reserve
 PoIicy-PubItc Lands and tho Big
 Frauds-indian Afrairs-.sIatistics of
 Pensions and Patents.
 Washington, Dec. 15.-The annual re- port of Secretary of the Interior Hitch cock calls attention to the increase in the business of his department, not withstanding the fact that one branch of the service-the census office-was by law transferred on July 1, 1903, to the Department of Commerce and Labor. He suggests the early adjustment of the salaries of the assistant secretary of the interior and the chiefs of division on more equitable basis.
 By the act of congress approved June r, 1902, provision was made for the construction of arid and semi-arid lands of the Western States. Thereaf- ter reclamation service was organized, surveys made and various projects con- sidered. A contract has been let for the construction of diversion works in the Truckee river, Nevada, and also of a canal to carry waters to reservoir on the Carson river. Investigations in connection with other projects are rap- idly approaching the jpoint where con- tracts can be let for their construction. | FOREST RESERVATIONS.
 Two additional forest reservations have been established and two reserves have been slightly reduced in area. The management of these reservations during the year has been satisfactory. The transfer of this service to the agri- cultural department, he says, would be productive of better administrative re- suits. Existing laws relating to the public lands in many instances do not provide adequate protection for the in- terests of the government, and remedial legislation in the cases and along the 1 lines as suggested herein should be en- acted by congress at the earliest prac- ticable date. .....5..
 l PUBLIC LANDS,
 There were disposed of during the fis- cal year ended June 30, 1903, public lands aggregating 22,S24,299.65 acres, classified as follows: Cash sales, 3,07S,- S96.99 acres: miscellaneous entries, embracing homesteads, land warrants. scrip locations, state selections, swamp lands, railroad and wagon-road selec- tions, Indian allotments, etc.. 19,577,- 0S1.1O acres, and Indian lands, 17S,S71.- 56 acres, showing an increase of 3,335,- I T64.s5 acres as compared with the az. gregate iisposnls for the preceding ifs cal year. The total cash receipts dur ing the fiscal year from various sources including disposal of public land, $10,- 567 7,61S66, and Indian land, $SoS, S,s3914 from depredations on public lands. S95,- 251.31; from sales of timber on forest re- serves, $31, ,96624; from sales of govern. ment property, $S49.S2, and for furnish ing copies of records and plats, sS0, 0,1is.- 4S; aggregate, $11. .o24, ,743.65, an increase of s4,762,sf6.47 over the preceding fisca year. E
 There have been a few applications for surveys in Alaska under the act o1 March 8, 1891, as amended by the act ot May 14 1898, and nearly all the surveys executed in the last fiscal year have been fragmentary and isolated tract. applied for under the said act of May II, 1898, which extends the homestead act to that district.
 THE BIG FRAUDS.
 During the past year there have beer indicted and arrested in the state of Or. egor, charged with forgery and conspir acy to defraud the government. Uni ted States commissioner and three oth CTS, the first being a woman. The Uni ted States commissioner has been re moved from her office, and all art awaiting trial by the court. Informs ton has also been received from thu department of justice of the conviction by the federal court in the northerl district of California, of three person: for subornation of perjury In connection with the entry of land under the tinbe and stone act.
 The secretary says: "It has been In! determination from the beginning tha the matter should be probed to the bot tom, regardless of the apparent infiuen tial character of some of the mcu in volved, and the inquiry has been con ducted throughout along these lines"
 There were S12 cases of depreciation upon public timbered lands during tn year, involving timber to the value 0 $622, ,099.11, decrease of $770,907.-2 iron last year. In ninety-six cases recon mendation was made for civil suit, tn damages involved aggregating $325 ,29SS,I r. Propositions of settlement to tn number of 164 were accepted, their ae counts aggregating $S7,1O439. F'ron sales of timber cut unlawfully iron public lands there was received $S,S37. 2S; from compromises, $34, ,4O0.29; iron fines imposed and judgments rendered $64, ,09274; making a total Of $194, ,434.7 accruing to the government through de predations upon public lands.
 "On June 30, 1903," MT. Hitchcocl hays, "there were pending in the UniteI States courts 16S civil suits for the re covery of total amount of $2,976, ,23S.6t the value of timber alleged to have beel taken unlawfully from public lands, an BIO criminal prosecutions for cutting o removing timber in violation of law" l ccaJ Jo,,,