El Nuevo mexicano., 1917-12-20
AND INDIAN
LANDS ENTERED ON
16,201,794 ACRES
DURING PAST YEAR
DECREASE OF ~2,s41,a5s ACRES
UNDER PREVIOUS YEAR; 24,Ooo,
600 ACRES ASKED FOR UNDER
SToCkIRAISING HoMESTE FAD
ACT

JDC IcDOlt VI tnC COiinlloblOnCl vi
the general land office to the secre-
tary of the interior for the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1917, states that
the total area of public and Indian
lands originally entered and allowed
during that year is 16,201, 794.3S
acres; a decrease of 2,841 1854
acres as compared with the area
originally entered and allowed during
the fiscal year 1916. The area pat
ented during the fiscal year is IL
313,362.24 acres, a decrease of S48,-
1875 acres, as compared with the
fiscal year 1916. OF the above pat
ented area, 7,544;055,27 acres were
patented under the homestead laws, a
decrease of 179,6S2.9 6 acres, as CON-
pared with 1916.
The total cash receipts from the
sale of public lands, including fees
and commissions and sales of gov
eminent property for the fiscal year
1917 were $685. 1872. S9, an increase
of $203, 604.69 over 1916. The total
receipts of the general land office
during the fiscal year 1917, from all
sources, were $6,144, 630.54, as against
$5,470,466 .S1 for the preceding fiscal
year, an increase of $679,163.73.
For the maintenance Of the field
service of the general land office con
gress appropriated $475, 900 for the
fiscal year 1917, the same as for 1916.
The average number of field men en-
ployed has been 1903, in addition to
the maintenance of offices Of chiefs
of field divisions. The total amount
OF cash collected and turned into the
treasury as a result of the work of
the field force during this fiscal year
was $109, 656.O2. AS a result of field
investigations 1~15,48S.64 acres have
been restored to the public domain.
The field service investigated and re-
ported on 20,72S acres, 4619 of which
were adverse and 5000 were favor
able. Two hundred fourteen hear
ings before the various local land Of
fees in government contest cases
were held during the last fiscal year.
The national crisis already has af-
fected to some extent, the field serv-
ice force. 1t is probable that force
will be further affected. is /,
The total acreage of both surveys
and resurveys effected under the au-
thority of the commissioner of the
general land office through the vari-
Jus state surveyors general was 10,-
205, Ill, Notwithstanding the field sur
veying organizations have been some
what hampered owing to the military
operations now under way and the
calling of members of the surveying
forces to the colors. The record of
accepted surveys indicates that Mon
tana stood at the head, with a total
of 2,643,51S acres, and that the state
nearest approaching this is Arizona,
with 1,0O6,SS5 acres. The average
rate of cost of surveying for all dis
tricts during the year reached the
figure of sever cents an acre, due, IN
part, to the III. G. L., and in part to
the remote and increasingly difficult
areas surveyed.
Within four months after the
stock-raising homestead act had been
enacted, December 20, 1916, applica-
lions had been made under it to the
number of 10000, involving approx
mately 24,000,000 acres. An unfor-
tunate feature connected with this
law was that while congress provid-
ed for the designation of the lands
subject to 1t, it did not provide the
funds with which to make the neces-
sary field examinations until some
months afterwards. This resulted in
considerable delays which have been
expensive and irksome to all involv-
ed; but it is probable that this stu.
alton shortly will be relieved.
The stock-raising act also provided
for stock driveways. This feature OF
The legislation has been the subject
Of quite a little controversy and diff
ference of opinion. The commission |
er's office has determined that there
only one proper way to dispose of
his driveway situation, and that is
to hear all interests and to make a
investigation in the field CT
Ill e to be withdrawn. The for.
sst service has recommended a con
siderable number of driveways be es-
,ablished, and a number of others
rave been petitioned for in Arizona
md New Mexico. One such driveway
vas temporarily withdrawn in central
Arizona by executive order Of Sep
ember 30, 1916, under the act Vi
Tune rs, 1916, (36 Stat, S47) and
anne is under consideration with a
view to its modification to confirm
o the limitations of the act of De-.
20, 1916.
Under authority of the act of April
4, 1904, (33 Stat, 211) selections
lave been made of public lands in
Jew Mexico and Arizona of approx
100000 acres in lieu Of lands
n Indian reservations, and patents
ave been issued for these lands. On
tyua q fQ1e tho dano, tpo oo4 S~osS.a