Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1904-06-30
Turned Over to the u. S. Sur
veyof General Here for
Safekeeping.
VALUABLE FOR
REFERENCE
From Legal and Historical Standpoint
We're to Go to Washington, But A.
torney Reynolds Recommend.
ed Otherwise.

lOQay was tne last Qay or the exist
ence Of the U. 8. Court of Private
Land Claims. The records, and they
are of great value from judicial and
historical standpoint, were turned ov-
er by Ireneo L.. Chaves, clerk of the
court, to the U. S. surveyor general, for
this district in this city. They were
to have been bundled up and sent to
the interior department at Washington
according to the following letter:
"June 25, 1904
"The Clerk of the Court of Private
Land Claims, Santa Fe, New Mexico
"Sir--By the act of Congress of
March 3, 1891, (26 Stats, 854) by
which the Court of Private Land
Claims was created. and by the sup
Elemental legislation extending the
life of the court. it was provided that
when the powers and functions of the
court should cease, all papers, files
and records in the possession of said
flee of the United States should be re-
turned to such office, and all other pa
pers, files and records in the possess
sion Of or appertaining to said court
should be returned to and filed in the
department Of the interior
"By the act of April 2S, 1904, {33
Stats, 485) it was provided that GER
tain functions of the court should de-
volve upon the commissioner of the
general land office, wnen powers
and functions of the J1ult should
cease.
"Under these provisions of law the
records appertaining to the court
which do not properly belong to any
other public Office of the United States
should be transmitted to this office, at
the expiration of the life of the court
on the 30th of the present month, and
1 therefore, have the honor to request
that the necessary action be taken by
the proper officer of the court to carry
out these provisions Of the law. While
longing to the court and which do not
belong or appertain to any other pub
lie office of the United States should
be transmitted here, it is equally nee
essary that no records should be trans
mitted here which belong to some 9TH
er public Office.
II have addressed letter to the
United States surveyor general at San
ia Fe, directing him to render the
court such assistance as he can, to-
wards effecting the execution of the
law pertaining to this matter.
every respectfully
81. H. TIMPLE,
Acting Commissioner.
"P. SIT is suggested that the rec
ords after being properly wrapped,
may be transmitted by mail in sacks
procured from the city postofice."
When Matt. G. Reynolds of st.
Louis, U. S. attorney, with the court,
arrived here day before yesterday, and
found what was to be done with the
records, he interested himself and
wired the commissioner of the genei al
land office setting forth that this city
was the best place for the records, as
in the future it was very probable that
reference would often have to be Aade
10 them and that they would be ~
ed in judicial proceedings, az
land titles in New Mexico for
years to come. The commissi'
IDENTIFY acknowledged the str
correctness of Mr. Reynore..
and wired Mr.. Chayes 'e
court as follows:
Washington, D. c.,
CLERK Court of Priva
Santa Fe. New Me@i
Referring to offic.
fifth, and Mr.. Rey-
teenth, deliver recol.
general. (Signed)
81
"Acting
Mr.. Reynolds idea is : .o,Ieol one
and his action was Very timely and
proper as should litigation arise aelss.
should it become ne cessary to consult
or examine the rec, ords. in regard to
titles to New Mexico land grants, this
can and will be promptly done, as the
records will be ord file and in charge
n