From the 1925 appropriation there have been purchased four new cars. Total number of cars now in service, 54.

The cars purchased in 1924 and 1925 were equipped with fourspeed transmission, mountain brakes, vacuum pumps, speedometers, and other extras, greatly adding to power and efficiency on rough and mountainous roads. Backs of front seats are hinged that they may be dropped down, thus making cars available for sleeping purposes while in the field.

The cost of the four new cars purchased in 1924 averaged, with standard equipment, $600.87.

Cash expended for 4 new cars with standard equipment..
Cash expended for additional equipment---

Total cash expended-----

NEEDS OF SERVICE FOR 1926

$2,403. 49 160.00

2, 563.49

Cars should be exchanged at the end of three years' service. To run them longer the upkeep becomes too expensive, deterioration too rapid, and exchange value too small.

At the beginning of the coming field season 21 cars, which will then be at least 3 years old, should be replaced with new cars.

In order to avoid the use of expensive rented cars, new cars should be purchased in addition to the exchanges above referred to. For this reason the allotment for purchase, operation, and maintenance of motor-propelled passenger-carrying vehicles should be at least $45,000.

MOTOR BOAT

This boat is used in our field work in Alaska, along the coast and among the islands and plying the rivers leading into the interior. It is in use the entire field season each year.

Total cost of operating and maintaining last year was $700.25.

RENT OF BUILDINGS

Field service rents, quarters at Helena, Mont., and Anchorage, Alaska. At Helena the Federal building is filled to capacity, and therefore rental of outside quarters is necessary. At Anchorage no Government building available, hence rental of private property compulsory. Field division offices could not be combined with the land office, because a satisfactory building of sufficient size was not available.

SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS

Stationery and office supplies: This item covers the stationery and office supplies for 9 field offices and a force of about 136 employees. The office clerical

work is heavy and a great number of typewritten reports in duplicate are made to this office.

Scientific and educational supplies: This covers reference books on technical subjects, city directories, etc.

Fuel: This covers gasoline used for motor-propelled vehicles.

Sundry supplies: This covers lubricants for motor-propelled vehicles, ice, small tools, and miscellaneous.

Materials: This covers paint, varnish, etc.

Subsistence and support of persons: This covers expense for drivers for automobiles, guides, and occasional temporary assistants.

Subsistence and care of animals and storage and care of vehicles: This covers the keep of hired teams and garages for storage of automobiles.

COMMUNICATION SERVICE

Telegraph service: This covers expenditure for telegrams sent by the field offices.

Telephone service: This covers the expense for telephones for nine field offices.

Other communication service: This covers the cost of registry stamps, postoffice box rent, etc., of the nine field offices.

Travel expenses: This covers the cost of railway and other transportation for the field employees and their per diem of $4 per day each.

Transportation of things (service): This principally covers freight and express charges on articles purchased from the General Supply Committee, parcel post, drayage, etc.

Photographing and making photographs and prints: This covers the cost of making photographs to use in exhibits in special agents' reports and for making prints of maps in the matter of mineral claims, etc.

Furnishing of light: This covers the cost of water for the Helena field division and light for the Alaska field office.

RENTS

Rents of buildings and structures: This covers the rental of field headquarters at Helena, Mont., and Anchorage, Alaska.

Other rents: This covers the cost of hiring teams, saddle, and pack horses. Repairs and alterations: This covers the cost of auto parts and repairs. Special and miscellaneous current expense: This is largely used for paying recording fees in the matter of deeds reconveying lands to the United States.

EQUIPMENT

Passenger-carrying vehicles: This items covers the cost of purchasing new

automobiles.

Furniture, furnishings, and fixtures: This is mostly used for purchasing computing machines and typewriters, and sometimes tents are purchased for camp use.

Other equipment: This covers the cost of tires, tubes, carburetor, etc., for automobiles.

HEARINGS IN LAND ENTRIES

Mr. CRAMTON. The next item is the expenses of hearings in land entries.

Hearings in land entries: For hearings or other proceedings held by order of the Commissioner of the General Land Office to determine the character of lands, whether alleged fraudulent entries are of that character or have been made in compliance with law, and of hearings in disbarment proceedings, $15,000: Provided, That where depositions are taken for use in such hearings the fees of the officer taking them shall be 20 cents per folio for taking and certifying same and 10 cents per folio for each copy furnished to a party on request.

Mr. SPRY. I submit the following justification:

Hearings in land entries, 1924:

Appropriation for hearings or other proceedings held by order

of the Commissioner of the General Land Office_ Total cost of hearings tried during year__

Unexpended balance...

Number of hearings held, 1924.
Average cost of hearings, 1924_
Hearings in land entries, 1925:
Homesteads-

Hearings ordered_.

Hearings anticipated.......

Desert entries

$18,000.00 15.914.95

2,085, 05

286

$55. 64

Number of cases

88

45

133

$15,000

Appropriation, hearings, fiscal year 1925.

It is estimated that from the large number of hearings already ordered the entire appropriation for the year 1925 will be wholly expended, compelling the continuance of all hearings which may hereafter be ordered until after July 1, 1926.

RESTORATION OF LANDS IN FOREST RESERVES

Mr. CRAMTON. Restoration of lands in forest reserves is the same as heretofore.

Restoration of lands in forest reserves: To enable the Secretary of the Interior to advertise the restoration to the public domain of lands in forest reserves or of lands temporarily withdrawn for forest-reserve purposes, $2,000.

Mr. SPRY. This appropriation was reduced from $3,000 to $2,000 last year, and while we expended but $1,438.50 of the appropriation for 1924, this appropriation should not be reduced from the present figures. The amount required annually varies, but it would be embarrassing if restored lands could not be thrown open to settle

ment for lack of a little money to pay for the necessary preliminary advertising.

OPENING INDIAN RESERVATIONS

Mr. CRAMTON. The next item is as follows:

Opening Indian reservations (reimbursable): For expenses pertaining to the opening to entry and settlement of such Indian reservation lands as may be opened during the fiscal year 1926: Provided, That the expenses pertaining to the opening of each of said reservations and paid for out of this appropr.ation shall be reimbursed to the United States from the money received from the sale of the lands embraced in said reservations, respectively, $1,000.

Mr. SPRY. But $465.05 of the appropriation of $5,000 for 1924 was expended. Last year this appropriation was reduced from $5,000 to $1,000 for 1925. We are unable to indicate how much or when, during the year, this small reimbursable appropriation will be expended, or where it will be expended, in meeting the expenses of a sale, for the reason that sales of Indian lands depend upon the market for same. We hope that conditions will permit the opening and sale of the Fort Peck, Mont., Indian lands in 1926 and if such sale takes place the expenses probably will take this entire appropriation, leaving nothing for other small openings that may also be desirable because of market conditions at the time. Of the current appropriations the expenses of one employee are now being incurred and will be charged in part to the 1925 fund for Indian work at Kalispell, Mont.

PLATINUM CLAIMS IN GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Mr. CRAMTON. That, I understand, completes the Land Office, and we thank you gentlemen very much for your attendance.

Governor Spry, there is one other question or two. This committee and Congress has been giving some attention to the situation in the Grand Canyon National Park with relation to certain mineral claims of Mr. Cameron, now United States Senator from Arizona, and others. In our study of that question we came in contact with certain pending proceedings concerning platinum claims and some other claims of Mr. Cameron and his associates. I would be very glad if you will give us a statement as to the history of those cases and the present status of them, any pending claims of Cameron and his associates affecting the Grand Canyon of Colorado.

Mr. SPRY. Mr. Chairman, I will submit a memorandum covering that entire ground.

Mr. CRAMTON. Thank you very much.

(See page 610 for the memorandum.)

Mr. CRAMTON. Who is the surveyor general at Phoenix, Ariz.? Mr. SPRY. Mr. Donoghue.

Mr. CRAMTON. And is he the same official who has held that office for the past year?

Mr. SPRY. Yes, sir.

Mr. CRAMTON. In connection with my study of this matter it has come to my attention that Mr. Donoghue failed, and in effect refused to give proper cooperation to the attorney representing the Depart

ment of Justice in handling these cases affecting Senator Cameron. Has that been brought to your attention?

Mr. SPRY. I have heard of that, but it occurred while I was away. Possibly Mr. Bond can answer that better than I.

Mr. CRAMTON. I assume it is the policy of the Land Office to hold that these officials are public officials, paid by Government funds to perform the duties of their offices as fixed by law?

Mr. SPRY. That is our distinct understanding.

Mr. CRAMTON. And whether the defendant in a case happens to be a United States Senator or not, they should perform their duties just the same?

Mr. SPRY. We regard our duty as that of protecting in every possible way the interests of the United States.

Mr. CRAMTON. I just referred to it here to be sure that the matter does come to your attention, that this official, drawing a salary to aid in executing the laws, has endeavored to impede and obstruct the course of justice.

UNEXPENDED APPROPRIATIONS OF GENERAL LAND OFFICE

Now, Governor, are there any unexpended funds in your office that are available until expended? I wish you would kindly present a note as to that with the hearings.

Mr. SPRY. Very well, sir.

Mr. CRAMTON. Whether there is something we can turn back into the Treasury.

Mr. SPRY. The only appropriation of that kind that this office has is the one used to pay for advertising the classification of lands within the Northern Pacific grant, provided by the act of April 17, 1917 (40 Stat. 18), which made an unexpended balance ($2,055.67) of a former appropriation available until expended. The total expenditures from the appropriation from July 1, 1917, to June 30, 1924, was $479.22, an average of $68.46 a year. The amount expended during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1924, was $142.96, which is more than had been expended during any other year. It would therefore appear that the appropriation is needed more to-day than it was when the appropriation was made. On the other hand the appropriation for contingent expenses of land offices is available for such expenses, and is used to a large extent in advertising timber sales on the Oregon and California railroad grant and on the Coos Bay wagon road grant and for advertising coal lands for lease. Of course, the elimination of the special appropriation would in effect reduce the general appropriation to the extent that the special is now used, but as the amount used for this purpose is so small the extra burden on the general appropriation would hardly be felt. This office therefore has no objection to giving up the unexpended balance of the continuing appropriation, the amount of which at this time is $1,576.45.