Page:U.S. Department of the Interior Annual Report 1873.djvu/49

Rh President, at Saint Cloud, embracing the public lands in 113 townships, at Taylor's Falls, embracing the public lands in 10 townships; at Litchfield, embracing the public lands in 105 townships; and at Duluth, embracing the public lands in 49 townships.

The selections certified for common schools during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1873, amounted to 76,909.17 acres, an for seminaries 320 acres. The selections certified for agricultural colleges amounted to 15,976.21. The locations of agricultural college scrip by assignees of the States to which the same was issued, reported during the year cover an area of 653,446.41. Since my last annual report agricultural college scrip representing 240,000 acres has been issued to the States of Arkansas and Florida. This exhausts the amount which Congress authorized.

In administering the laws for disposing of the public lands, the depredations committed on the timber growing thereon has received attention. It is. held that the United States, as owner of the lands, has all the legal means of protecting the timber which individuals enjoy in like cases. The act of Congress of March 2, 1831, as construed by the Supreme Court makes the depredating on such timber a criminal offense, punishable with line and imprisonment. The extent of the evil at an early period induced special efforts by the executive authority for its correction. In 1855 the matter was placed in charge of this Office for its supervision. The duty was imposed on the registers and receivers of the district land-offices to act as timber agents, without additional compensation, in their respective land-districts. When reliable information reaches them that spoliation of public timber is committed, their instructions require them to investigate the matter, to seize all timber found to have been cut without authority on the public land, to sell the same to the highest bidder at public auction, and deposit the proceeds in the Treasury. They are to bring the offense committed to the attention of the proper officers that the perpetrator may be arrested and held to answer as usual in criminal cases. In these proceedings, however, the purpose in view being merely to protect the rights of the Government, and not to indulge in vindictive prosecutions, due regard is had to the circumstances of each case; and, when these justify so doing, the district officers are authorized to compromise with the parties, on their paying any costs incurred and a reasonable stumpage for the timber, which is then released, and prosecution waived. By this course, although depredations continue, yet they are checked to some extent, and that without cost, it being made a rule that the expenses incurred shall not be permitted to exceed the money realized for the Treasury from the sales of timber seized, and stumpage paid in compromised cases.

In the adjustment of land-grants for railroad purposes considerable progress has been made. In July 1872, a division was organized to which all questions growing out of, the adjustment of railroad grants are referred for examination. Prior to that time these questions had