have the equivalent of a title or patent. I think that is the practice now. They are all listed, are they not, Governor? Commissioner SPRY. Yes, sir. Assistant Secretary FINNEY. And certified to the State? Commissioner SPRY. Yes, sir. Senator WALSH. I was a little surprised that the Government insisted on going back of the approval, but I did not think it did so except for the purpose of asserting fraud. Assistant Secretary FINNEY. I know of no cases, except where fraud was alleged. Senator WALSH. That is all. The CHAIRMAN. Without objection, the committee will stand adjourned until 2.30 this afternoon. Senator KENDRICK. Mr. Chairman, while the Assistant Secretary has completed his statement, we would like to have him present during the hearings here. The CHAIRMAN. Yes. Assistant Secretary FINNEY. I will be here as much as possible. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Hon. ROBERT N. STANFIELD, GENERAL LAND OFFICE, Washington, February 18, 1926. Chairman Committee on Public Lands and Surveys, United States Senate. MY DEAR SENATOR: Reference is had to your letter of February 11, 1926, relative to information as to school sections in the different States. We have taken 10 of the typical Western States as the basis for this report, and attached hereto and made a part hereof are statements in response to certain numbered requests outlined in your letter. The first statement gives the States of Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming, with the numbered sections granted to each State and the estimated number of such sections in each State. Attention is called to the statement as to Nevada, which received a quantity grant in lieu of school sections 16 and 36. The second statement shows by States the number of school sections involved in pending investigations, hearings, proceedings, etc., as to the mineral or nonmineral character of the lands. the number of sections being 1,706 on December 1, 1925. There are about 950 sections, some of which may be included in the number reported on December 1, 1925, and other subsequently, and as to which more definite information can be given as will appear from the third statement hereto attached. This latter statement shows the particular section, township and range in certain of the States, the date when the rights thereto attached, if at all, and the dates when field examination was ordered for the purpose of ascertaining and determining the character of the land. The data given in the three statements is all that is available in this office at the present time, and to obtain the information necessary to answer your requests numbered 3 and 4, would require reports from our field representatives, the reading of thousands of pages of field notes of surveys in each State, together with an examination of all of the plats of survey. All of this data could be secured and compiled only by detailing a large force of employees, now engaged on pressing work, for several months at least. It is, therefore, hoped that the data furnished herein will be sufficient for your purpose. Very respectfully, WILLIAM SPRY, Commissioner. The State of Nevada, by its enabling act, was granted Secs. 16 and 36 in each township for the support of schools. By the act of June 16, 1880 (21 Stat., 287), this school grant, exclusive of lands theretofore sold by the State, was converted into a grant in quantity of 2,000,000 acres. It is estimated that approximately 97 school sections were sold by the State prior to June 16, 1880. Statement No. 2.-Number of school sections pending examination, as shown by division inspector's reports of cases pending December 1, 1925 |