Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 49, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 August 1883 — THE PUBLIC DOMAIN. [ARTICLE]

THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.

Facts Showing How Rapidly the Newer State* and Territories Are Being Populated. Dakota Take* the Lead ia the Amount of Land Taken by Aetna! Settler ■T" ■ A Good Showing Abo Made bj the Soother* States, So Long - Neglected. [Washington Telegram to toe Chicago Inter11.OoeanJ An official statement, furnished by the Commissioner of the General Office, dhows something of the marvelous rapidity with which toe newer States and Territorial. are becoming populated, and toe enoraon* drafts which are being made upon the public domain in order to satisfy the requirements Of actual settlers. It also indicates that the public lands remaining in tin Southern States, which had been so long neglected, ore rapidly coming under settlement- The statement includes the mote Important transfers of public lauds in the following States and Dakota, Florida, Kansas. Louisiana, Minnesota, Mlsetesippi, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington and Wisconsin. As Omnnared with the year end* ed June 30, 1882. the statement shows an increase of 85,217 in theonunber of entries (cash sales, original homestead entries and timber-culture entries) and 8,60 ,843 in the number of acres entered. The amount received from cato sales increased from $3,313,834 In 1882 to $7.564449 in 1883, or more than 128 per cent. In 1882 the number of pre-emption ond other filings and of applications to purchase mineral, timber and ■tone lands in the same States and Territories was 29,080, and the amount of fees received, $64,668; in 1883 the number and amount were respectively 43,591 and $91,848. The amount of fees and commissions paid on acoount of original homestead entries in 1882 was $456,661; in 1888 it was $572,60ft Dakota, of course, takes the lead, both ia the amount of land taken by actual settlers and in the amount sold for cash. In that Territory toe number of homestead entries increased from 14,156, covering 2,218,26$ •ores, to 28,491, oovering 3,267.227 acres. The Dumber of timber-culture entries ran up from 9,368, covering 1,44,6.532 acres, to 11.566, covering I,7i&s£9 acres, and the cato sales Increased from 678.388 acres at $977,. MZ t0L.518,091 acres at $8,109,387. Probably toe history of no State or Territory* con furnish a parallel to .these figures In Florida thp cash sales increased from 128,872’acres at $158,037, to 221,853 acres, at $341,554, and the Uuxnbdr of original homestead entries from 191,033 acres to 212,895 The public lands Of Kansas have been pretty closely culled, and. although toe cash sales Increased from 90,962 acres at sllß,683 to 159.144 acres at $189,329, toe homestead entries fell off from 537,349 acres to 608,781 acres, and the timber-culture entries , decreased from 278,053 acres to 237,860 acres* In Louslana the cato sales decreased front 867,465 acres at $462,000 to 855,230 acres as $448,816. but the homestead entries ran up from 872, oovering 117,703 acres, to 985, covering 124,650 acres, ana the timber-culture entries Increased from 1,004 acres to 7,754 acres In Minnesota there was a decided increase in cash sales from 318,465 acres at $482,I 369 to 739,345 acres at $1,324,976, but there was a falling off in original homestead en» I tries' from 588,343 acres to 431,872 acres, and in timber - culture entries from 176,741 acres to 122,750 acres The homestead settlers of this State are rapidly acquiring patents for their farms after five years of settlement, as also is the casein i Kansas In Minnesota they received patent* ' to 285,238 acres this year against 245,686 last year. In Kansas the*amount in 1888 I was (.03,081 acres, against 4997.00 inlßß2. There were no entries in Mississippi under the Timber-Culture act, but the cash sales increased from 219,45 > acres at $274,820 to 849,562 acres at $440,1C2, and -the original homestead dhtries from 138,488 acres to 167,079 acres. Nebraska still has a large area of fertile publlo lands whioh are open to settlement. In that State the number of original homestead entries in 1882 was 8,2*3, oovering 471,939 acres; in 1883 there were 4,728 entries, covering 716,508 acres. The cato sales increased from 112,575 acres at $143,758 to 190,628 acres at $511,677, and the number of timber-culture entries ran up lrom 2,086, covering 298,520 acres, to 3,216, covering 478,204 acres. In Oregon the cash sales increased from 52,819 acres at $85,560, to 59,666 acres at $123,503; but the homestead entries fell off from 153,58-1 acres to 111,v?.> acres, and the timber-culture entries from 88,038 acres to 35,463 acres in Washington Territory, however, there was a remarkable increase, not only in cash sales, but in homes toed and timber culture entries The cash increased from 71,244 acres at $102,345, to 251,086 acres at $571,446; the original homestead entries from 231.132 Seres to 386,778 acres, and the timber-culture entries from 67,52 Acres ts 143,412 acres In Wisconsin, while the cash sales fell off from 348,596 acres, at $5)6,538, to 812,574 acres at $501,165, the original homestead entries increased from 879, Covering 98,478 acres, to 962, oover.ng 111,707 acres While the foregoing figures do not cover all toe States and Tenitorles In whioh unoccupied lands are still open to settlement, they are believed to show 'fairly the enormous growth in population of the new States and Territories generally, for they include the Territories in which about threefourths of the- public land sales and entries were made last year. In the South the entries in Alahnmn an( j Arkansas will probably show as great an increase relatively as In tho.e Southern States forwhich tbe official figures are given It isknown, too, that during the paat year tyere has been a large lnbrease of immigration to New Mexico, Utah, Montana other Territories, and consequently a very large Increase In tbe amount of publlo land which has come into the possession of actual settlers