Railroad selections, in acres, canceled during year, 17, 747. 13. Letters written during year, 10,518, covering 18,615 pages of press copy. Certified copies furnished, 254, costing $1,081.53.

A comparison with reports of previous years will show that the business of this division has greatly increased, and that the work performed is largely in excess of that of any previous year, while the clerical force has been decreased.

The increase, as compared with last year, is about 20 per cent.

152

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, lands have been patented on account of railroad grants as follows:

During the last year Congress passed the general land-grant forfeiture bill, forfeiting all lands heretofore granted to any State, or to any corporation, to aid in the construction of a railroad opposite to and coterminous with the portion of any such railroad not completed and in operation at the date of the passage of the act of September 29, 1890. The roads affected by said act are as follows:

Wisconsin Central railroad, between Ashland and Superior city, in the State of Wisconsin.

Northern Pacific railroad, between Wallula, Washington, and Portland, Oregon; lands restored are in Washington and Oregon.

Tennessee and Coosa railroad, entire grant, extending from Gunter's Landing to Gadsden, State of Alabama.

Coosa and Chattooga railroad, entire grant, extending from Gadsden, through Chattooga valley, to Georgia State line.

Selma, Rome and Dalton railroad, from Jacksonville to Gadsden, State of Alabama.

Amboy, Lansing and Traverse Bay railroad, from Jonesville to Amboy, in State of Michigan.

Sioux City and St. Paul railroad, from Le Mars to Sioux city, in State of Iowa.

Mobile and Girard railroad, from Troy to Mobile, State of Alabama. Gulf and Ship Island railroad, from Hattiesburg to Brandon, State of Mississippi.

Southern Pacific railroad (main line), from Alcalde to Tres Pinos. St. Paul and Sioux City railroad, from St. Anthony, via Minneapolis, to Shakopee.

Southern Minnesota railroad, from Houston to Rochester.

In some cases no actual restoration of the lands affected by the act has yet been ordered, for the reason that questions are pending, a determination of which may affect the amount to be restored.

In the case of the Tennessee and Coosa railroad a suit in the courts will be necessary before the status of lands heretofore certified on its account can be determined..

The forfeiture act provides for a special manner of adjustment in the matter of the grant for the Mobile and Girard railroad, and this office is endeavoring to secure the necessary information before proceeding with the same.

Questions affecting the grant for the Southern Pacific railroad are pending before the Secretary of the Interior, and no restoration can be ordered until the same are determined.

In the case of the St. Paul and Sioux City and the Southern Minnesota railroads, it is doubtful whether there are any vacant lands opposite the unconstructed portions of said roads, and this office is endeavoring to ascertain, if possible, the companies on whose account the State certified the lands opposite the roads above mentioned.

Following the passage of said act, proper instructions were issued to the local officers of the districts in which such lands lie, ordering the restoration of the lands to the public domain, with the exceptions above mentioned.

The question of railroad forfeiture for breach of condition subsequent being thus apparently disposed of, action can now be taken upon the many suspended cases involving lands in railroad limits, where a portion or all of the road was built out of time.

Greater progress can therefore be made with the adjustment of the grants as contemplated by the act of March 3, 1887, and during the coming year the large number of pending undetermined claims should be. materially decreased.

Action can now be taken upon the railroad lists of selections, and were it not for the mineral complications, that is, the actual condition. of the lands in railroad limits with regard to mineral deposits, consid erable headway might be made with the disposition of such lists.

As stated in the report of last year, in some grants, notably the corporation grants, the lack of surveys renders an immediate adjustment of those grants impossible.

Railroad patents have issued during the last year embracing more than 3,000,000 acres, and clear lists have been prepared, and await the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, containing about an equal amount, which is largely in excess of the amount of work of a similar character performed during recent years.

Attention might also be called to the act of Congress approved August 29, 1890, entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act for the relief of settlers on railroad lands,' approved June 22, 1874."

It appears to be the intention of this amendment to enlarge the class of cases in which relinquishment by the company will be permissible under act of June 22, 1874, by removing the requirement that an entry or filing should have been allowed, thus aiding the adjustment of claims growing out of settlements made upon railroad lands subsequent to the attachment of the rights of the companies under the grants.

Upon the filing of a relinquishment under this act, it being shown that the person in whose favor it is made is entitled to the right of entry and has resided upon and improved the land for a period of 5 years, entry can be made as in the case of other public lands.

By the act of Congress approved October 1, 1890, entitled "An act for the relief of settlers on Northern Pacific indemnity lands," certain persons who were erroneously permitted to make entry for lands within the indemnity limits of the grant for said company subsequent to August 15, 1887, and prior to January 1, 1889, are afforded an opportunity to transfer their claims to other public lands subject to entry under the settlement laws.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, lands have been patented on account of railroad grants as follows:

During the last year Congress passed the general land-grant forfeiture bill, forfeiting all lands heretofore granted to any State, or to any corporation, to aid in the construction of a railroad opposite to and coterminous with the portion of any such railroad not completed and in operation at the date of the passage of the act of September 29, 1890. The roads affected by said act are as follows:

Wisconsin Central railroad, between Ashland and Superior city, in the State of Wisconsin.

Northern Pacific railroad, between Wallula, Washington, and Portland, Oregon; lands restored are in Washington and Oregon.

Tennessee and Coosa railroad, entire grant, extending from Gunter's Landing to Gadsden, State of Alabama.

Coosa and Chattooga railroad, entire grant, extending from Gadsden, through Chattooga valley, to Georgia State line.

Selma, Rome and Dalton railroad, from Jacksonville to Gadsden, State of Alabama.

Amboy, Lansing and Traverse Bay railroad, from Jonesville to Amboy, in State of Michigan.

Sioux City and St. Paul railroad, from Le Mars to Sioux city, in State of Iowa.

Mobile and Girard railroad, from Troy to Mobile, State of Alabama. Gulf and Ship Island railroad, from Hattiesburg to Brandon, State of Mississippi.

Southern Pacific railroad (main line), from Alcalde to Tres Pinos. St. Paul and Sioux City railroad, from St. Anthony, via Minneapolis, to Shakopee.

Southern Minnesota railroad, from Houston to Rochester.

In some cases no actual restoration of the lands affected by the act has yet been ordered, for the reason that questions are pending, a determination of which may affect the amount to be restored.

In the case of the Tennessee and Coosa railroad a suit in the courts will be necessary before the status of lands heretofore certified on its account can be determined..

The forfeiture act provides for a special manner of adjustment in the matter of the grant for the Mobile and Girard railroad, and this office is endeavoring to secure the necessary information before proceeding with the same.

Questions affecting the grant for the Southern Pacific railroad are pending before the Secretary of the Interior, and no restoration can be ordered until the same are determined.

In the case of the St. Paul and Sioux City and the Southern Minnesota railroads, it is doubtful whether there are any vacant lands opposite the unconstructed portions of said roads, and this office is endeavoring to ascertain, if possible, the companies on whose account the State certified the lands opposite the roads above mentioned.

Following the passage of said act, proper instructions were issued to the local officers of the districts in which such lands lie, ordering the res toration of the lands to the public domain, with the exceptions above mentioned.

The question of railroad forfeiture for breach of condition subsequent being thus apparently disposed of, action can now be taken upon the many suspended cases involving lands in railroad limits, where a portion or all of the road was built out of time.

Greater progress can therefore be made with the adjustment of the grants as contemplated by the act of March 3, 1887, and during the coming year the large number of pending undetermined claims should be materially decreased.

Action can now be taken upon the railroad lists of selections, and were it not for the mineral complications, that is, the actual condition of the lands in railroad limits with regard to mineral deposits, consid erable headway might be made with the disposition of such lists.

As stated in the report of last year, in some grants, notably the corporation grants, the lack of surveys renders an immediate adjustment of those grants impossible.

Railroad patents have issued during the last year embracing more than 3,000,000 acres, and clear lists have been prepared, and await the approval of the Secretary of the Interior, containing about an equal amount, which is largely in excess of the amount of work of a similar character performed during recent years.

Attention might also be called to the act of Congress approved August 29, 1890, entitled "An act to amend an act entitled 'An act for the relief of settlers on railroad lands,' approved June 22, 1874.”

It appears to be the intention of this amendment to enlarge the class of cases in which relinquishment by the company will be permissible under act of June 22, 1874, by removing the requirement that an entry or filing should have been allowed, thus aiding the adjustment of claims growing out of settlements made upon railroad lands subsequent to the attachment of the rights of the companies under the grants.

Upon the filing of a relinquishment under this act, it being shown that the person in whose favor it is made is entitled to the right of entry and has resided upon and improved the land for a period of 5 years, entry can be made as in the case of other public lands.

By the act of Congress approved October 1, 1890, entitled "An act for the relief of settlers on Northern Pacific indemnity lands," certain persons who were erroneously permitted to make entry for lands within the indemnity limits of the grant for said company subsequent to August 15, 1887, and prior to January 1, 1889, are afforded an opportunity to transfer their claims to other public lands subject to entry under the settlement laws.