OCR Text |
Show LAND OFFICE REPORT, Commissioner Richards Gives Figures Fig-ures as to His Department. WASHINGTON. Nov. 22. In his annual report for this year Commissioner Richards Rich-ards of tho General Land ofllco recommends recom-mends tho exercise of more deliberate consideration of propositions looking to the establishment of forest reserves than has been exercised ln tho past. The report re-port adds: "Though the Importance of the object to be accomplished by the reserves and the maiiv local Interests to be considered necessitate, great care in proceeding further fur-ther ln this direction, the Government can well afford at tills Juncture to delay action ln establishing additional reserves until the forco of forest experts now engaged en-gaged upon tho work can, by practical tluld examinations and the necessary scientific research beyond reasonable doubt in what localities and to what ex-lent ex-lent further areas should be set apart for this purpose." During tho last fiscal year nine reserves were created, bringing the total number up to tlfty-nlno and Increasing the aggregate aggre-gate area covered Ly forest reservations to fi2,7G3,4M acres. Tho report shows a falling off of 51.741.-401 51.741.-401 In the total receipts of tho office, us compared with tho previous year, and a decrease in the area of public land disposed dis-posed of amounting to C.1S4.177 acres. With the exception of IWi tho cash receipts re-ceipts were greater than any previous year. The patents Issued for the year numbered num-bered GG.3SG, exceeding those for any other twelve months In' the- history of the office. The receipts wero ?3.2S3.34l. and tho kind disposed of aggregated 1C.-W3.821 acres. Of this ciunnllty 10.171.203 acres were entered upon the homestead law. 2.353.5S4 vere patented as railroad selections, and l.XJ,-2G1 l.XJ,-2G1 under timber and stone onirics. Speaking of the frauds committed under the limber and stone act, Mr. Richards says: "With respect to unlawful incisures inci-sures 137 reports wero received showing an nfea of 1 353.fiG7 acres of public land unlawfully inclosed. Through the efforts of special agents thirty-nine Inclosures, embracing 717.E03 acres of public land, have been removed." According to tho report the total amount covered into the treasury for tho benetlt of tho reclamation fund amounted to .OlS.S.'iG on June 30 last. |