Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-23
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN
ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMITS
sIoNER OF THE LAND OFFICE
Receipts Greater Than for Any Year
but one-Recommendat al
to Reserves and Parks.


We're greater last year than any twelve
months since 1889, according to the animal
report of Commissioner William Rtcb
aids made public today. The total rece,,,s
Ior the year ending June 80 1904, were
e''-"''ofi.9S, and the total area of land dis
Poseo OF was IL 4U0, S2l % acres showing de-
creases Of $1,7H. +O167 and GALS Az 70
acres respectively under the totals for tha
nscai year ending June 80. 1903 II is ex
pialhed, however. that the receipts for 1oo,
were exceptionally large the result of cor
tam extraordinary events, the receipts for
the past year being about normal with ,ba
.,oi iiial increase over other years There
were o63S6 patents for lands Of Ali oIassa.
ISSUED during the last year an jncraaso -.
ire year before of 2,021; but tbere wera
o3,4oS cases pending in the Office JpIy
ay1a anu IN the annual estimates for the
Pe'eS VI the ONCE for the next year nro
VISION Is made for ten extra clerks tn 70,
uie this work. The commissioner calls a.
.. .on 20 the needs of the office in tho
.t ' oi aooitlonal space and urges thar tn
PROVIDE for systematic arraneeman, 80
me mes ana records in such manner as IN
render them of easy access for the new ten
odd '"ei'y-eight additional rooms be pro-
Forest Reserves.
The commissioner reneus tho
mendation made in his last ANNA, ro,,,.
tiiat the work connected with the admins
tra'ioh OF the forest reserves be transferrea
" the bureau of forestry of the Denart
neHl ol agriculture In his present renort h.
1888 mat IL Is needless to say that ,ba
general land Office is neither orea nizad INC INC
this connection " "e uohe IN
Ouring the last fiscal year nine ressr,,s,
w., "eie cIeated. bringing the total numhcr
ap 10 hIty-nfne. and increasing the ayr.
sa.e area covered by forest reservattons :,
62,763 494 acres. a'iohs 10
Land Frauds Committed.
Speaking Of the frauds committed ~
the timber and stone act Mr.. Richards
says: "S
turing the last year it was decided tn
use the corps of examiners of SURVEYS IN
investigate in the field all applications for
surveys which alleged settlement and rho
fesui. mas proven the wisdom of this
course In the timbered regions no real
settlement TO any extent was found but in
Most cases mere camping hut viii out
furniture and destitute of the means Of
housekeeping, was all that the examinar
,o Scover on the ground. 1t was
learned thai these alleged settlers resided
In distant towns and cities and thar tbav
were induced to lend their names nv nron,,
ises OF rewards after the survey was ac-
complished, evidently having no intention
20 make their homes on the land. This in
vest gat1on has thus far resulted I'm ma
terialiy checking the rapid absorption by
Inscriptions persons of tie valuable timber
now standing on the public lands in the
mountain districts"
A copy of the preliminary report of tie
commission appointed by the Pres dent to
report to him on the condition operation
ana eHect or the existing land laws and
the condition and d.srosl ii of public lands
Is Included in Mr.. r chards' annual state
ment This commission was appointed in
October. 1909. and includes Commissioner
richards; Prof. F. H. Newell of the
Pinchot, director of the bureau of forestry.
National Parks.
Comm ssioner Richards recommends soma
general legislation on the subject of ma
tional parks and reservations which will
enable action to be taken promptly in each
instance as cases where reservations of
public lands for national parks should be
made Heretofore it has been the policy OF
the government to mike each case the sub
ject of special act of Congress. In this
connection the report gives a history OF
the attempts made 20 secure legislation set
ting aside the reservations for the proposed
petrfed forest park in Arizona the pro-
posed Pa jarto cliff dweliers' park in New
Mexico and the proposed Mesa Verde Park
in Colorado.
The draft of a bill to be presented to
Congress having this object I'm view is APP
pended to the report The bill empowers
the President to set apart and reserve
tracts of public land which, for their scenic
beauty, natural wonders or curiosi;ies, ans
cient ruins or relies. other objects %
scientific or historic interest, springs Of
medicinal or other properties. IL is desira-
Bile to protect and utilize In the interest Of
the public: the limits and establis hment OF
such reservations to be announced by proc
iamation.
Unlawful Enclosures.
With respect to urlla Enclosures. 137
reports were received showing an area of
1.i5;.567 acres Of public land unlawfully IN
closed. Through s,he efforts of special
agents. ~ unlawfui Enclosures. embracing
III sos acres of public land, have been re-
moved and proceedings are pending to
compel the removal of the remaining cases
reported. Mr.. Richards says that special
Instructions have Leen given the special
agents TO secure the removal Of oil uniaw-
full Enclosures upon the public lands
According TO the report the total amount
covered into the treasury for the benent OF
the reciamaiio fund amounted to $2aolz-
SIG, on the ssOth of June last.
II you want work read the want columns