CHARGES FOR COPIES OF RECORDS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. JULY 11, 1912.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. ROBINSON, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 25437.] The Committee on the Public Lands, having had under consideration H. R. 25437, entitled "A bill to make uniform charges for furnishing copies of records of the Department of the Interior and its several bureaus," beg leave to report the same with the recommendation that it do pass. Under existing law the charges for furnishing certified copies are not uniform throughout the various branches of the department, and in some instances the law does not authorize a charge to be made for certified copies. The department regards it essential in the interests of good administration that the bill be enacted into law at as early a date as practicable, as appears from the letter of the Secretary of the Interior, which is printed herewith as a part of this report. Hon. JOSEPH T. ROBINSON, Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, House of Representatives. SIR: The department is in receipt of your letter of July 5, 1912, transmitting for report H. R. 25437, entitled "A bill to make uniform charges for furnishing copies of records of the Department of the Interior and its several bureaus." In response I have to say that the bill under consideration is identical with a draft prepared by this department and forwarded to you on June 11 last. Under existing law the charges for furnishing certified copies are not uniform through out the various branches of the department, and in some instances the law does not authorize a charge to be made for making certified copies. It is very essential in the interests of good administration that the bill be enacted into law at as early a date as practicable, and I recommend that the committee report it favorably, and request that you use your best endeavors to have it passed at an early date. Very respectfully, H R-62-2-vol 5-5 GRANT OF CERTAIN LANDS TO STATE OF ARIZONA. JULY 11, 1912.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. ROBINSON, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 7163.] The Committee on the Public Lands, having had under consideration S. 7163, authorizing the State of Arizona to select lands within the former Fort Grant Military Reservation, and outside of the Crook National Forest, in partial satisfaction of its grant for State charitable, penal, and reformatory institutions, recommend that the bill do pass. The bill subjects so much of the Fort Grant Military Reservation as lies outside of the limits of the Crook National Forest to the selection by the State of Arizona in partial satisfaction of the grant of 100,000 acres made to it for State charitable, penal, and reformatory institutions by section 25 of the act of Congress approved June 20, 1910. The measure is in the form suggested by the Department of the Interior, and is approved by that department. The records of the General Land Office show that said reservation contains 42,341 acres, and is no longer needed for military purposes. About 30,180 acres of this area is embraced in the Crook National Forest by the President's proclamation of September 26, 1910, and the remainder, 12,160 acres was turned over to the Department of the Interior for disposal. The buildings on the reservation are adobe. and are of no great value. Only 1,920 acres of the lands are surveyed. The letter of the Secretary of the Interior under date of July 9, 1912, is printed herewith as a part of this report. Hon. JOE T. ROBINSON, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, House of Representatives. DEAR SIR: I am in receipt of your letter of July 6, 1912, asking for report on S. 7163, which proposes to permit the State of Arizona to select lands within the former Fort Grant Military Reservation, and outside of the Crook National Forest, in partial satisfaction of the grant to the State for charitable, penal, and reformatory institutions. The measure is identical with that suggested by this department in its letter of June 5, 1912, reporting to the Senate Committee on Public Lands in connection with S. 6799, except that the proviso increases the time within which selections may be made by the State from one to three years. This department has no objection to interpose to the enactment of the measure. The records of the General Land Office show that the reservation, which contains a total area of 42,341 acres, is no longer needed for military purposes; that a portion thereof, about 30,180 acres, was included in the Crook National Forest by President's proclamation of September 26, 1910, and that the balance, approximately 12,160 acres, was turned over to this department for disposal under the act of July 5, 1884 (23 Stat., 103), or as may otherwise be provided by law, by Executive order of August 10, 1911. There are a number of buildings upon the reservation but mostly of an adobe character and are not believed to be of any great value. Of the 12,160 acres proposed to be subjected to selection by this bill, 1,920 acres only are surveyed, and the early selection by the State would necessitate prompt survey of the land. December 9, 1911, this department submitted to the Treasury Department an estimate for an appropriation for the survey of these lands and of the Fort Assinniboine Military Reservation in Montana, the total estimate being $12,500 for both reservations. This estimate was in addition to the estimate of $2,500 carried in the sundry civil bill for the survey, sale, and appraisal of abandoned military reservations, including the salary of the custodian of the Casa Grande ruins, or $15,000 in all. The sundry civil bill now pending includes a total appropriation of $10,000 for the purposes described, or $5,000 less than the amount asked for. It is believed that some additional provision should be made for the survey of the lands proposed to be granted by this bill, which it is estimated will not exceed $800, and I suggest that a specific appropriation of this amount be made. Very respectfully, O SAMUEL ADAMS, |