The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1921-04-07
MAY ABOLISH OFFICE
OF SURVEYOR GENERAL
CONGRESS MAY ADOPT SUCCESS
TON OF GENERAL LAND
OFFICE.

If an idea advanced by Representa-
tive Sisson of Mississippi and approx
ed by Commissioner Clay Tallman is
enacted into law, the offices of sur
veyors general in 13 states viii be
abolished. The house committee on
appropriations requested Commits
sioner Tallman to give its members
his ideas on the subject No further
action will be taken at this session OF
congress. but some disposition of the
matter is one of the probabilities of
the special session which Will con
vene early next month. says the Min
ing Congress Journal
The work of the general land Office
which would be affected by this
change is now done by the 10 survey
ors general and the field survey or
ganization. II the change Us made
there win still be some form of sup
ervision at Denver but am of the
work will be consolidated i'm the gem
eral land Office at Washington
Commissioner Tanman explained to
the appropriations committee that the
making of surveys on mining claims
was supervised by deputy mineral
surveyors appointed by the surveyors
general Persons desiring mineral
surveys apply TO a surveyor general
naming the deputy whom they desire
to do the work, and the surveyor gem
eral orders the deputy TO make such
survey and report TO him. The dep
utl is paid 10y the party for whom the
survey is made under contract The
applicant for survey makes a deposit
with the surveyor general ror pay
ment OF the cost of Office work In the
surveyor generals office Official plat
and field notes are made of the sur
vey copy Of which is given TO the APP
piicant which me uses as a basis for
application for patent i'm the land
office At present ll5 employees are
on duty at Offices of the surveyors
general.
Maintain State Stations.
There are in the general land office
duplicates Of field notes and plats of
public land surveys which are on file
in the surveyor general Offices all
though i'm the absence OF an entry of
the land surveyed the land Office
would not receive copy of field notes
and plats of q mineral survey I'm
der the proposed consolidation at
Washington Commissioner Tallman
said il would be necessary to main
tain in each state a field survey sta
ton whose seports would DE sent to
Washington instead of to the survey
ors general the official field notes to
remain in the local field surveying or
ganization. Instructions for each sur
vey would also be issued from Wash
ington to the field surveying organi-
cation and it would not be necessary
t. remove official field notes and plats
now in offices of the surveyors gem
elal where they are now kept for ref
erence 10y the field surveying section
and for the information OF the pub |
lie Mineral surveyors might be app
pointed by the land commissioner Mr. /
Tallman. said instead of by the sur
veyors general with the commission /
ar's approval Application for miner /
AZ surveys would he made direct 90 I
Washington and each order for sur
vey issued TO the deputy who would /
make his report to Washington.
The commissioner proposed "a sup
srvisor of surveys at Denver Con-
'olidation OF the surveyor general Of
fees in one Office would save expense
Ind correspondence. would consolidate
functions and develop 81 single STAN
lard of efficiency The only disad-
'antagc would be the abolition of the
more localized sources of public i'm
ormation principally i'm the case or
mineral surveys within the state. but 8
he commissioner said this matter
'ould be handled so as to obviate. if
rot eliminate this opposition by lcav-
ne these offices with their permanent
ecords of which the general land of
ice has duplicates i'm charge of an h
assistant supervisor of surveys The ,
resent law provides that the official
Ield notes and plats of the surveyors
.eneral shall be turned over TO the ,
tates when the surveying work i'm ,
uch states is completed
Thirteen States Affected
Commissioner Tarman submitted
roposed bin to carry ont the consol-
iation, providing for it's taking effect
une 80 1921 N
If the plan is put into effect ON res
f surveyors general i'm Arizona Cali
'rnia. Colorado Idaho Montana
-evada. New Mexico. Oregon. south I
'akota Utah Washington Wyoming I
nd Alaska viii DE abolished a
The bill provides for sending to z
Washington records and such clerical I
)rces in the surveyor general offices
S may be needed i'm the general land q
flee, appropriatng 100000 for ex- f
cnses.
Last year it cost S221465 to main @
lin these Offices and the estimate for &
ext year was increased S34.S50. G
The bill also proposed the establish @
ent of the Independent Office of the n
'cretary of Alaska. s.
The commissioner estimated the
,,-r~ffa,4ior -.-o-,r7 eor-0 eae OK for D.