Imperial Valley press., 1910-06-04
LAND OFFICE PLAN
 FOR CLEARING TITLES
ReIotting of Claims Will Cure Defects in Valley
 Surveys.
Special Agents Suggestions of Year Ago Adopted By Washington Off,
 ciaIs and GraveIy Submitted as In-
 vention of Geniuses in Land Office.

NCUblOH VI 1CUtuScS EdUu OUtCGs
 Relotting of conflicting claims in Imperial Valley has been recognized at last by the general land office as the obvious and simple remedy for complications brought about by the futile efforts of numerous surveyors to retrace the alleged survey of 1856. This method of adjusting was urged by Special Agent Saterwhite a year ago, but not until actual cases of con- fiict were placed in detail before the department could the officers clearly comprehend the situation.
 The Assistant Commissioner and the board of law review have just got around to consideration of the prob lem put up to them by the special agent in a letter of July 29, 1909, and under date of May 21, 1910, they re- view the case presented and adopC the plan of relotting.
 About two years ago, Horace H. Sheets, Charles s. Johnson and Jennie Thornquest squatted upon adjoining tracts of land, and fenced, ditched and cultivated their tracts according to the survey of the Imperial Land Go. In 1909 they made application for desert entries, but it was found impossible to describe their tracts according to the resurvey without bringing their entries into conflict. There was no conflict upon the ground and the parties did not desire to make conflicting entries, but the resurvey so nnt1ddled things that even the land office could not tell them where they were at."
 In the letter of May 21 to Special Agent Satterwhite, the commissioner says:
 Tn regard to such eases and to the claims of those who, in good faith,. settled upon or occupied and improved lands in the Imperial Valley prior to the resurvey of such lands in the field,. and who now claim it is impossible to adjust their claims to the lines of the resurVey, it seems to this office that an advisable course of proceed ure would be for field investigation to be made, township by township, and, upon this investigation as a basis. for recommendations to be made for relotting of the lands claimed &C.,. cording to settlement or occupancy in cases where such relotting could be made from established corners of the resurvey All persons known to have claims of this sort. would be notified of the date of examination of the lands and information as to the proposed examination would be furnished to the newspapers published in the vicinity. Upon completion of the examination of township, you would note on a copy of the plat of resurvey the pro- posed relottings of lands in that township and forward to this office with report and recommendation. Action by the local land office upon applications of this sort would be sus- pended until the reports were made and the supplemental plats were con- structed, approved and filed.
 Tt is requested that you report to this office your views regarding the above outlined plan of procedure, with such suggestions and recommen- dations as you may have to make"
 MT. Satterwhite says the work can be begun early in the fall, and with two field assistants he can do the relotting expeditiously and dispose of eighty per cent. of the conflicts in the valley without trouble or litiga- tion. Patents may then be issued in great many cases.
 The special agent also reports that the school section conflicts in the older settlements of the valley have been settled by agreement and com promise to the satisfaction of all par ties, and but few difficulties in ad- justment of titles remain to be solved.