' Buildings, structures, and facilities computed at acquisition (known or estimated) cost, and these figures are included in the Federal realty section of this report. 1, 463, 139 1,860, 745 13, 151, 621 12, 384 129 16, 351, 750 5,060, 745 40 5,060, 745 16, 351, 750 Hon. WILLIAM L. DAWSON, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, Chairman, Executive and Legislative Reorganization Subcommittee of the DEAR CONGRESSMAN DAWSON: Reference is made to your letter of February 24, 1959, and to our subsequent correspondence of June 19, and 26 in connection with estimates of the value of public domain realty administered by this Department as of June 30, 1959. Such estimates together with acreages are shown by State in the accompanying table. The area of public domain realty administered by the Department as shown in the table is less than last year's figure by 14,412 acres. This figure represents for the most part the difference between a loss of nearly 35,000 acres of Bankhead-Jones title III lands transferred by Executive order to the Department of Interior and a gain of roughly 21,000 acres in the national forests. The national forest gain was the net result of land exchanges and of various minor acreage adjustments. As in prior years, the data represent an attempt to determine the commercial value of public domain land and timber in terms of "fair market value" assuming the marketability of all lands. As before, no allowance has been made for public values for such important uses as water production. The estimated values furnished herewith are based upon those previously reported as adjusted to reflect acquisitions and disposals during the year. The value of mineral resources subject to disposal under the mining or mineral leasing laws are, as before, being reported to the committee by the Department of the Interior and are not included in the attached figures. Sincerely yours, RALPH S. ROBERTS, Administrative Assistant Secretary. Area and estimated market value of public domain realty, 1959, U.S. Department of Agriculture1 1 Includes national forests, Bankhead-Jones title III lands, and research and demonstration areas. Does not include certain areas of public domain lands in Eden Valley irrigation project administered under law as acquired land. |