THE STORY OF OUR PUBLIC DOMAIN 41 



few months before were quoted at many thousands, 

 or perhaps actually sold. Much of the barren shore 

 and innumerable small islands near shore were sup- 

 posed to be or known to be federal property, and 

 some were filed upon under the homestead act and 

 even thereafter sold for speculation occasionally at 

 high prices. 



The Land Office determined to withdraw this 

 property from homestead entry so as to save profits 

 for the Treasury, but surveying for discovery was 

 unthinkable. It would take too long and cost far too 

 much. It was known that about 15,000 acres of 

 public lands subject to entry remained in the state, 

 but location of most of it was unknown. The land 

 records of Florida are very old, voluminous, in 

 places illegible, and often wholly independable. 



The problem was solved with a blanket with- 

 drawal by executive order covering all federally 

 owned lands that might exist in a strip three miles 

 wide along the coast, inclusive of islands. As the 

 boom was extending at this time, the order was made 

 to cover the Alabama and Mississippi coasts, also. 



Uncle Sam profited little by this invasion of the 

 field of speculation, however, for soon afterward the 

 boom attained its peak and rapidly subsided. 



Similarly, along the beautiful lake shores of 

 Michigan and Wisconsin, and elsewhere off the 

 shores of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior, 

 the government owns many beautiful islands and 

 bits of water front mainland which are acquiring 



