356 



ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



the date of its enactment in 1911 to the end of the fiscal year 1915. 

 This result, although accomplished with a smaller force of title 

 attorneys and stenographers in 1916 than in 1915, and at a reduction 

 in the expenses incidental to the work, was due to the increased effi- 

 ciency of the field force and to more methodical administration made 

 possible by better knowledge of the conditions in the States respect- 

 ing the titles. The work of examining titles and of the acquisition 

 of lands under this law is up to date. Only such delays as may 

 occur because of defective titles and the necessary incidents of the 

 institution and prosecution of condemnation proceedings need here- 

 after be anticipated to cause the time consumed in making title 

 reports to be greater than is essential to the orderly examination of 

 the records in the usual course. 



During the year three title attorneys resigned. For the reasons 

 that the work of the examination of titles was well in hand and the 

 appropriation for the purposes of the act was about exhausted, the 

 vacancies were not filled. Since an appropriation for the con- 

 tinuance of the work has been made by the act of August 11. 1916 

 (Public No. 190), as further purchases are authorized by the Na- 

 tional Forest Reservation Commission, additional title attorneys will 

 probably be required. 



Appended is a summary, in terms of acres, of the operations under 

 the Weeks law from the beginning to June 30, 1916 : 



State and area. 



Georgia: 



Georgia 



Savannah 



Maine: White Mountain 



New Hampshire: White Mountain. 

 North Carolina: 



Boone 



Mount Mitchell 



Nantahala 



Pisgah 



Savannah 



South Carolina: Savannah 



Tennessee: 



Cherokee 



Smoky Mountain 



White Top 



Unaka 



Virginia: 



Massanutten 



Natural Bridge 



Potomac 



Shenandoah 



West Virginia: 



Monongahela 



Potomac 



Shenandoah 



Total. 



Purchases 

 authorized 

 (esti- 

 mated). 



Acres. 



62,095 



35, 827 



24,825 



270, 849 



30,386 

 76,050 

 39, 903 

 86,700 

 39,839 

 25, 508 



135,976 



117,113 



i 57,000 



49, 949 



66, 792 



84,071 



62, 334 



124, 509 



52,610 

 16,319 

 ( 2 ) 



Purchases 



completed 



(actual 



survey). 



Acres. 

 31,449.99 

 11,345.86 



195, 215. 87 



Reports in Department 

 of Justice. 



For opin- 

 ion (actual 

 survey). 



Acres. 

 66. 70 

 403. 72 



34,817.06 

 31,711.41 

 49,703.75 

 16,879.18 



72,467.09 

 "39,"i67.82 



228. 57 

 114. 54 



13.51 



25,551.09 



For con- 

 demnation 

 (actual 

 survey). 



23,211.86 

 32, 264. 96 

 37, 587. 59 

 84,377.87 



22, 803. 74 

 10,644.80 

 13,318.45 



118.40 

 38.70 



8,803.11 



20,590.52 



3, 197. 59 



546.06 

 569. 80 



« 1,464,715 



706,974.50 i 60,242.40 



A cres. 



27,345.38 



20,064.32 



38,901.35 



11,382.87 

 1,041.17 



14,798.07 

 17,066.59 



9, 281. 20 



10,098.58 

 21, 302. 44 



13,941.99 



415.73 



8,481.42 



18,421.18 



18,706.73 

 1,166.75 



232,475.77 



1 27 387 acres reported in this area on last year's report have since been transferred to the Unaka area 



2 Acreage included in the Shenandoah, Virginia, authorizations. 



a 132,488 acres dropped by the Commission subsequent to approval. 



This office collaborated with the Department of Justice in the 

 preparation of a bill for the simplification of the procedure in Fed- 

 eral courts for the condemnation of lands. It was introduced in the 



