ANNUAL REPORT. STATE LANDS. In the annual reports from this office, heretofore made, attention was called by my predecessor and myself to the importance of proper legislation upon the landed interest of the state. Thus far our efforts have proved of little avail, but it is hoped and believed that it will now receive proper notice and care. Few unacquainted with the subject are really aware of the value, character, and present condition of this property. The total area of the state of California has been carefully estimated : 99,463,680 acres, of which one-eighteenth, or the sixteenth and thirty-sixth sections, have been granted by the United States to the state for school purposes. This gives for schools 1-18, Add for university lands, Add for internal improvements transferred to School Fund, Making, for school purposes alone, a total of, Add for public buildings, Add for swamp lands, A total of, Acres. 5,525,760 46,080 500,000 6,071,840 6,400 5,000,000 - 11,078,240 Is shown, of lands donated to the state of California by the general government, of which a large body is exceedingly valuable. This magnificent domain is well worthy of the utmost care, and yet much of it has already been lost to the state, its rightful proprietor, and much is being daily lost for want of suitable legislative action for its preservation. The settler is far ahead of the state in every section, and lands which should properly be sold by the state for the benefit of her treasury, are constantly being purchased from the United States. The principal cause of these difficulties and losses is to be found in the want of a central office in which could be collected all the information necessary to an establishment of the state's rights, and in which should be placed the authority to survey, select, register, and patent all lands sold by the authority of the state. At present the county surveyors are the only persons authorized to make surveys of state lands, and they are necessarily compelled to act independently of each other or of any regular system. It is true, instructions of the Surveyor General's office require the work to conform to the system of the United States public land surveys, yet the numerous instances in which the United States lines have not been extended over the lands claimed by the state prevent that accuracy, in separate surveys, which can only be obtained by continuous and connected work in the field. To explain more fully the present position of this interest and these difficulties, I refer to the result of the work of this office during the past year. SCHOOL LANDS. In nineteen counties, forty-two locations have been made under eighty-two school land warrants, comprising 16,160 acres. Of these, sixteen warrants are re-located, comprising 3,200 acres; three warrants for six hundred and forty acres being re-located to conform to United States government lines, the other thirteen warrants, for 2,560 acres, having their former locations abandoned. Nine warrants, for 2,080 acres are reported informal. These locations in the several counties are particularly reported and described in the following STATEMENT: BUTTE COUNTY. Nos. 419 and 792, for 160 acres each, located on lands unsurveyed by the United States, including a part of Yankee Hill, taking 320 acres. COLUSA COUNTY. Nos. 105 and 485, for 160 acres each, located on S. half of N. E. quarter, N. half of S. E. quarter, and S. E. quarter of N. W. quarter of section 19, and W. half of S. W. quarter, and S. E. quarter of S. W. quarter of section 20, township 22 N., range 2 W., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 320 acres. No 115, for 320 acres, located on N. W. quarter, N. W. quarter of N. E. quarter, N. W. quarter of S. W. quarter of section 28, and S. E. quarter of N. E. quarter, and N. E. quarter of S. E. quarter of section 29, township 14 N., range 5 W., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 320 acres. CONTRA COSTA COUNTY. Nos. 88 and 89, for 160 acres each, located on N. W. quarter of section 23, and S. W. quarter of section 12, township 1 S., range 1 W., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 320 acres. FRESNO COUNTY. Nos. 727, 728, 732, and 738, for 160 acres each, located on N. W. quarter, N. E. quarter, S. W. quarter, and S. E. quarter of section 4, township 18 S., range, 12 E., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 640 acres. Nos. 324, 826, and 827, the first for 320 acres, and the latter for 160 acress each, located on west half of section 33, and on N. E. quarter and S. E. quarter of section 32, township 17 S., range 12 E., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 640 acres. Nos. 729 and 730, for 160 acres each, located on N. W. quarter and S. W. quarter of section 3, township 18 S., range 12 E., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 320 acres. KLAMATH COUNTY. Nos. 568 and 679, for 160 acres each, fractional section 28, (all excepting that part covered by survey of Crescent City,) township 16 N., range 1 W., of Humboldt meridian, taking 295 14-100 acres. Re-located, to conform to United States lines. Nos. 570 and 569, for 160 acres each, located on N. W. quarter, E. half of S. W. quarter, and W. half of S. E. quarter of section 11, township 17 N., range 1 W., of Humboldt meridian, taking 320 acres. Re-located. LOS ANGELES COUNTY. No. 172, for 320 acres, located on N. W. quarter of N. W. quarter of section 10, and N. E. quarter, S. E. quarter of N. W. quarter, and N. half of S. W. quarter of section 9, township 2 S., range 13 W., of San Bernardino meridian, taking 320 acres. No. 227, for 320 acres, and No. 156, for 160 acres, located on E. half, E. half of N. W. quarter, and E. half of S. W. quarter of section 21, township 2 S., range 13 W., of San Bernardino meridian, taking 480 acres. Nos. 290 and 291, for 160 acres each, located on S. W. quarter and S. E. quarter of section 17, township 2 S., range 13 W., of San Bernardino meridian, taking 320 acres. Nos. 153, 165, and 786, for 160 acres each, located on S. E. quarter of section 17, N. E. quarter, and N. E. quarter of S. E. quarter of section 20, and fraction of S. W. quarter of section 21, township 1 S., range 14 W., of San Bernardino meridian, taking 480 acres. MONTEREY COUNTY. No. 201, for 320 acres, (one mile E. and W. and half a mile N. and S., on both sides of Carmel River, near its mouth.) No. 200, for 320 acres, (one mile E. and W. and half a mile N. and S., on south side of Carmel River, near its mouth and Carmel Bay, Monterey county.) NAPA COUNTY. Nos. 322 and 323, for 320 acres each, located on fraction of S. E. quarter, fraction of N. half of S. W. quarter, fraction of S. E. quarter of S. W. quarter, S. half of N. W. quarter, S. W. quarter of N. E. quarter of section 7, fraction of S. W. quarter of S. W. quarter of section 8, fraction of W. half of N. W. quarter of section 17, fraction of N. half of N. E. quarter, fraction of S. E. quarter of N. quarter of section 18, township 13 N., range 7 W., Mount Diablo meridian, taking 630 acres. E. Alkali lake included in the above subdivisions, of 226 acres. Nos. 780, 816, and 820, for 160 acres each, located on S. W. quarter fraction of N. W. quarter, and N. W. quarter of S. E. quarter of section 5, and N. E. quarter of S. E. quarter fraction of S. E. quarter of S. E. quarter fraction of S. W. quarter of S. E. quarter fraction of S. E. quarter of S. W. quarter, and fraction of N. E. quarter of section 6, township 13 N., range 7 W., of Mount Diablo meridian, taking 473 50-100 acres. E. Nos. 819 and 821, for 160 acres each, located on S. E. quarter fraction of S. quarter and S. W. quarter of N. E. quarter of section 5, and fraction of S. W. 1* |