The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-01
INCREASE IN
LANDS TAKEN

Washington, Jan. 1.-The annual
report Of Clay Tallman, commissioner
OF he general land Office, which was
made public today, shows that the to-
tai area of public and Indian lands or
lginally entered and allowed during
the fiscal year ended June 80, 1913. is
1855, 222.45 acres, an increase Of L.
zS2, 53S.63 acres as compared with the
area entered during the year 1912. The
area patented during the fiscal year Is
!2.67S,o76 acres, an increase of 2.542,-
b0l acres as compared with the fiscal
year 1912; Of the above area 1920, 058
acres were patented under the home
stead law.
Decrease in Cash Receipts.
The aggregate of cash receipts Of
this bureau during the fiscal year 1913,
$685., 504'S1, a decrease Of $3.017,-
543.19 as compared with those for the
fiscal year ended June 30, 1912. The
total expenses of district land offices
for salaries and commissions of regis
tiers and receivers and incidental ex-
penses during the fiscal year ended
June 30, 1918, we're $500, 474.06, an in
crease Of $~4O,353.O2. The aggregate
expenditures and estimated liabilities
Of the public land service, including
expenses Of district land offices and
surveys, were 1886, 1920, leaving a
net surplus Of 1858, 142.51.
The total amount of s collected
and turned into the treasury as a re-
suit Of the work of the special agents
in the field during the fiscal year is
l 55,551.76. AS a result of investi-
cations 15.747.25 acres have been re-
stored to the public domain. OF this
total mount restored 325.76O acres
represent area of fraudulent entries
(taking as an average of 100 acres to
reports; 470,397 acres restored to open
range on abatement Of unlawful in
closures; and 19,590.25 acres were re-
stored through suits to cancel patents
fraudulentIy acquired, brought by the
department of justice IN the recon-
mendation of this office, based on spc-
cial agents reports.
Minnesota State Drainage.
The act of congress approved May
20, 1908 (35 Stat, 169), extended the
drainage laws to the state of Mime
sofa to two classes Of public lands OF
the United States located in said state,
namely, lands which are subject to en-
try and entered lands for which no
final certificates have been issued. The
enforcement Of the charges is proVid-
for by authority to sell the lands
for amounts due and unpaid, and pro-
vision is made for issuing patents in
proper cases, the purchaser being re-
to pay all drainage charges due,
we'll as landoffice fees and COM
missions, and 1925 per acre for the
land, or such other price as may have
been fixed by law.
The first sale made under the act
held in several counties in Min
oo.oEo IN Nov 10 1919 and q. nIlmbpr
Of tracts were sold. These entrees
have not yet been reached for action.
Several new and interesting qustions,
involving the qualifications OF pur-
chasers, have arisen and these will be
duly submitted for departmental con-
sideration.
Chippewa Pine Logging.
The tenth year Of Chippewa logging.
Minnesota, under the act Of June 27,
1902 (32 Stat, 4O0),. closed on June 80.
said year there were cut 3d.
616,153 feet of timber valued at STILL
$50. 81, which was a falling off FROM
the preceding year, in which 102,425,-
$40 feet Of timber were cut. valued at
S78,717.39.
The total amount Of timber cut dur
ing the ten years since the logging
operations began is 1,094,075,158 feet,
and the total amount received for the
timber has been $685. 1861. The
amount of timber cut and paid for al
ready exceeds by over 1873, 900, 900 feet
the original government estimates,
and several Of the contracts have not
been completed. This timber is sold
on the stump and is cut and removed
the purchaser. The logs are scaled
by a government scaler, and payment
is made according to the amount
scaled. The average price realized
the timber cut under contracts has
been $6.S8 per M feet. The total ex-.
pense Of the logging operations to-
June 80, 1913, was 1911, 373.61, which is
Alb per cen of the total receipts.
Regulations for another sale of tim
Der were issued on April IA. 1913. The
schedule described 17,07S.66 acres on
there were estimated to be 1858
Of Norway pine. Most Of this timber
had been previously offered for sale
and not sold for want of bidders.
Sealed bids for the timber were open
ed on July 80, 1918. There were twelve
bidders, the prices bid ranging from
to 81 per M feet for white pine
and 81 to SO per M feet for Norway
pine.
Homestead Law in Alaska.
The homestead laws as now applied
to Alaska have been found to be un-
suitable to conditions in the territory.
The future development Of the natural
resources in Alaska depends a great
deal upon the development Of the ag-
ricultural lands. In order to encour-
age the homesteader to go there, it is
that the laws be made as
liberal as possible commensurate with
proper protection to the public from
acquisition Of such lands.
and he recommends that the area of
land subject to homestead entry be
to 100 acres; the area Of re-
quired cultivation reduced to one-for~
Of the entire area the second
year and one-twentieth the third
year; an absence Of six months each
year permitted; that notice Of home