The copper era., 1911-04-14
Surveying Public Lands.

1Os lSlls- It is matter of general interest to prospective applicants for the survey of public lands that Congress annually appropriates the approximate te sum of s4OO, ,OOO for the survey and resurvey of the public lands of the United States, which sum is apportioned among thirteen western states and territories according to the require ments of these respective districts.
 Under existing law, the expenditure of the annual appropriation for public surveys is restricted, first, to lands occupied in whole or in part by actual settlers on the public domain, and, second, to lands adapted to agricul- ture. It will therefore be seen that the applicatio of actual bona fide settlers will be given preference in the matter of authorizing the surveys of townships, payable from this re- gular annual appropriation, and that applications by persons not actually residing on their claims, such as desert land claimants, for the survey of public lands including their claims will receive consideration only after the demands of actual settlers on other lands have been recognized, and provided the fund annually ap- portioned for each district has not been exhausted.
 In making application for the sur vey of public lands, the applicant should carefully determine, as near as practicable, the approximate section, township, and range in which bis claim is located and he should describe in detail all improvements which he has made on his claim.
 The application of one actual bona ide resi- lent in a township, where there are no other settlers, will be sufficient to secure the survey of twelve sections of that township; the applications of two such resident settlers will secure the survey of twenty-four sections: and the ap- plications of three such settlers will secure the survey of thirty-six sec tions in order to include their claims. cant to have two or more settlers who are living within the township make similar applications for survey, as the Government prefers to survey all of the agricultural and grazing lands within a township in the first instance in order to avoid the ad- ditional expenses that would be in- cident to the survey of portions of that township at different times.
 Public land surveys whose cost is payable from the regular annual ap- propriation, when authorized by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, are made without cost to the settler, the Government paying all expenses in connection herewith.
 The Contract System of surveying public lands no longer obtains. Since July l, 1910, the public land surveys have been executed by salaried U. S. Surveyors or Transitmen under the supervision of the General Land Office and the U. s. Surveyor-General for the District in which the lands are situate. It is expected that, un- der this new system, many of the de- lays, which were frequently ex- perienced in the final acceptance of surveys under the old system, will be avoided.
 The claims of all applicants for the survey of public lands are examined in the field by an agent of the Govern ment, appointed for that purpose, in order to determine the good faith, actual residence, etc.. of the appli- cant. If such field examination reveals the fact that the settlers claim is not located in the township stated in his application, he should immediately file a new application, properly describing the location of his claim therein. It therefore be- hooves the applicant to be on the lookout for the special agent and as- certain from him whether his appi- cation has been correctly executed.
 Surveys of homestead entries with in the limits of National Forests may be executed under the jurisdiction of the SurveyorGeneral at the expense of the claimant, in accordance with the provisions of the Act of Congress approved June II, 1906.
 Further instructions relative to the method of procedure in the matter of securing the survey of the public lands will be cheerfully given in reply to communications requesting specific information.