New-York tribune., 1906-12-11
SAVING PUBLIC LANDS.
MR. HITCHCOCK,S REPORT.
Many Prosecutions Under Wdy-
affairs of Interior Department.

Department Of the Interior. in his annual report.
bhich made public to-day, gives the following
Summary OF the affairs in his charge:
OF the several branches OF the Interior Depart,
government buildings except the geological sur
ton and portion of the general land Office and in1
eluding also quarters for the storage documents
the department now expends annually $3.50 TINS
principal OF s2OSi.SSs 81, at which rate the govern
Ia the interest therefore. OF economy and EN-
cheney OF the serylce provision IA my Tac
ficable for the erection of hreproof 6uiIolns
tui t49 y. eis
50 once be made for the additional room necessary &
The Unusual actiyity in the public land service
3erred to in my last annual report mas not aoated
The prosecution OF all persons GonspiTlR&s p & 20 anfin
sed with visor as s shown by the sions IsTt land
states and territories for the violation OF the pub
10 land laws. So have been convicted ana lhoicI-
The zeal with which The offcers Of this depart
snent and the Department Of Justice are looking
cases that are startling IA cha acIet n' thos IN
Sestigstions prosecutions until proper respect
ieFaTd Tie FOR the Law arc established throughout
shose sections Of the country in which s"ch laws
PROSECUTION EMBARRASSED.
It is to be regretted that the efforts made TO re-
Tease It Ghe public domain from the grip OF its
that human ingenuity could devise; powerful in
5 1eIceS g nHe ei ] See aie y LtHe tst Gould
be commanded 10 weaken tho hand of the law;
Went 70 such influences and the punishment i'm
posed by me courts mas IN nSnE SSSes o9eh Ts3 80
than deter violations OF the law Whether this
Pocal infaSnoes to Which these oitials are more
or less indebted for their commissions and the re
ouss at ihis time ii being sufficient state that
,5i b7 y o. is.i1, iI ' ifeUities which beset
G14i1 h-t
I-ti The opportunities afforded for the fraudulent
acquisition of public lands lay the timber and
ects and the computation clause Of the homestead
tho~e measures, the government may expect TO eX
conTicting those seeking t. defraud il out Of its
public lands. I accordingly renew the recommenda-
Eve wears that Tho above mentioned laws be re-
NY official Influence i'm this matter will soon ter
nnate; but shall have tlIe comfort in retiring
lion thst The action Of the PreFident relative 10
this class OF lawlessncss VIII be rigorous - 10
enable my successor 10 successfully administer
IN my last annual report twelve Irrigation prot
fhe act OF June L. lsa2 (S2 Stat t.. SSS known as
she Reclamation act Such progress has been
made during the last year that there are now
twenty-three Of such projects in process Of con
struction, and one. the Hondo project, in, New
tieved win Sc in operation in a short time
ITenty-tw9 addiJ9Bal forest reseTga6on6 m have ave,
der the OF March g. 1891 t26 Stat L. 1885. the
Of three have been & reduced & aaye
IN efectirg the consolidation referred to. several
small areas were excluded and a large quantity
Of land was added to the reserves. The Increase
s8e e se acres s The total number Of forest res
sTvations created under the act above mentioned
IN the indian service the policy Of inducing able
Feservations. where they have no profitable work
e. home and to sndeayor 70 earn s LYING abor 5or
market has been made a prominent feature OF
XIiotmeats Of land IN severaity are being made
rs rapidly as possible the full force OF AZ &alotfng Ing
leasing of allotted unallotted lands is conducted
n9es tf be Of @ revenue the
reservations in the Northwest have been carried on
under regulations approved by the Secretary Of the
rgston Of Indian tons and aQtments 9
during the year, with very gratifying results
DISPOSAL OF LANDS.
Taking up details OF the work of the department,
te report says, in part:
There were disposed Of during the fiscal year
ended June 80 lsO6. public lands @ aegre%sating % ls-
f774Sgl 65; miscellaneous entries. embracing home
Fteads. land warrants. scrip locations. state Sc
lectioIs, swamp lands railroad and wagon road Sc
1ections Indian alo,lnents, etc, l757ll0253 acres,
snd indian laIls e''4s.S1 ares. sao"ihg an m m
aggregate disposals Tor the preceding fiscal year
o @ Es5TUS ,S - q 59s ~ 5 Tndian an nde
ssS7592 80; depredations on public lands. 81
T40 23 from depredatious Indian lands, $3.50 81:
from sales ef timber sl25: from sales Of govern
snent property, $05i- So and for furnishing copies
OF records and pats s5o225 aggregate. $So,523 80;
IN increase Of S677l2 q as compared with the pre-
During the last year instructians have been is-
sued for the disposal of lands in ceded Indian
reseryations as follows: Round Valley. Cali
and Shoshone or Wind River. WyO. 1,43se33C6
Hrres total Of 2,fs01o3.Ss acres
AS to the details of the land frauds prosecution
the report says in part
An average Of about seventy-flve special agents
of the general land office were employed during
the year in inyestigating alleged fraudulent land
Snulsss ana otler"lse IN protecting the public
lands from timber trespass or Illegal appropria-
There were 324 cases Of deDredations upon public
ti,nbered land reported during the year. involving
timber to the value Of SS97,lzS r. increase Of
s!S8sS . over last year IN sixty-three cases rec
her OF 172 accepted. their amounts aggre-
fully IRON public lands there were received s77s d
ana siXt!-three criminal prosecutions were recon-
ynended Tor cutting and removing timber in viola
Win respect 10 unlawful Enclosures. 1q8 renorts
os special agents were received during The Yoa
showing area Of 2.0sl275 acres of public land
special agents sixty-six unlawful Enclosures en-
bracing 3SS so acres OF public land have been re-
moved, and proceedings IN the remaining cases are
A recent special investigation in the State ~
Kansas revealed the inclosure Of about 90 acres
OF public lands IN Stevens and Morton counties in
porations IN Morton County alone had 1870 acres
of public land ineosed and that in Stevens County
IN organization known as tie Stevens County Live
stock Association was formed fo- the purpose or
81 the nHmber OF cattle owned by each m Il I Dasis
The gigantic land frauds in the State OF Oregon
being pursued with relentless vigor New cases az
well es ramhca tons OF the OLD ones are carefully,
and thoroughly investigated. and indictments are
being pressed 10 convictions rapidly as possible
TRANSFER OF OIL LEASES
The convictions OF Senator Mitchell and Repre-
sentative Binger Hermann among those men
tioned IN a list given. The report takes up Indian
stsirs. and IN speaking OF OIL leases on the lands
OF the Cherokees and Creeks says.
The attention of the department having been