The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-01-12

lands disposed Of by sales and localities, for
the periods aforesaid, 1857 ,550.ll acres.
According 10 statement from the Com
missioner Of Indian Affairs, dated November
30, 1913, 1882 Choctaw certificates have
been issued under the act of Congress Of
August %, 1872, calling for 70O,2i0 acres,
and transmitted for delivery to the claim
ants; Of which, according to the latest re-
turns, l,ol3 certificates appear to have been
delivered. OF the amount thus issued and
delivered, $50 certfc ates, calling for 279,-
lao acres have, according to the latest re-
turns to this Office, been absorbed in the To-
cation OF 21,316.l1 acres of land in the four
States of Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama,
and Arkansas, in which only they are by law
receivable, leaving 12l 100 acres yet to be
located.
The first MeNican war warrant issned from
the Pension Office, branch Of the War De-
partment, under the 9th section Of the act Of
Congress of the llih Of February, lSi7, for
100 acres of land, is dated the 10Th Of March,
1877, and was registered in this Office March
30, lSi7. The first warrant for 40 acres
bears date the 7th Of April, 1917, and was
registered April 8, 1917,
Since that time, and up to November 80,
1913, warrants have been issued for lGO a
cres each, TO the number of 1895, for g.
$4,000 acres Of land and for AZ acres each,
to the number of 3,319, for l33,:GO acres
making TIE whole number of Mexican war
warrants issued, up TO the Goth Of Ncvem.
her, 1913, 1914, embracing 6,505, 800 acres
of land.
OF this number, 1878 warrants for 100
acres each, and ZIG warrants for 40 acres
each, calling in the aggregate for us 500
acres, have been located upon lands, and re-
turned TO this office, by the local land Off
GERS, for patents.
1t will be seen, by the statement of the
Adjutant General, dated April 5, 1913, which
was comnunicat ed in report made to the
Senate Of the United States by the Secre,a-
ry Of War, on the 9Th Of the same month,
that the strength of the regular army, at the
commencement of hostlities with Mexicoin
April, 1916, was 7,2i4 men; that since the
18th May, 1916, $4,000 men have been re-
cruted, Of which 1856 were sent to MeXi.
co; making the old army and recruits to-
gether amount to 36,2il, besides battalion
OF marines, composed of $50 men. There
were other recruits after that time, not mem
toned in this statement, which General
Jones (the Adjutant GeueraD estimates at
ahont 5000 or 5000; making, altogether, of
the regular army, as nearly as can be as
certainel, 10000 men. OF this number,
$1,000 were probably entitled TO ''land war.
rants"
According to the same statement, the vol
unteer force enrolled under the act of May
10, 1916, and the 9th section of the act Of
March 3, 1917, amounted to 56.926 officers
and men. General Jones thinks that sui-
ficieut number Of recruits may be added,
which became necessary, from time to time,
to keep up the whole number authorized by
the act Of Congress to $4,000 men, to max e
the entire number of volunteers equal to a.
bout G0,00D men. OF this number, 81, 900
were probably entitled to land warrants
making the whole number Of regulars and
volunteers entitled to bounty lands. about
10000 men.
The number Of warrants issued by the
Commissioner Of Pensions, and registered
in this office, up to the 30th Of November,
1918, amounts, as before stated, to 1914.
Now, if this estimate should prove 10 be cor
rect, that 9O, 900 were originally entitled to
bounty lands, 6,S26 warrants still remain TO
be issued.
1t is understood that the average number
of warrants issued by the Commissioner OF
Pensions per day is from $50 TO 200 At
this rate, il will take about 26S working days
to complete the number still to be issued, if
all who are entitled should apply, "a suppo-
s,ion by no means probable which would
make the time still required for this service
about ten months.
think it not improbable, however, judg-
ing from our past experience, in respect to
D Tate 10 ilntF IL, 90 g
teen thousand embracing the cases of for.
eigners who were killed or died in the SER
vice, without relatives in this country, and
rights will not be applied for within the tn.
suing year, and very many, doubtless, will
never be called fer at all.
The estimated receipts Of cash, on accoun,
of the sales of the public lands, for the fiscal
year ending Both June, 1919, are stated al
! S2,S3l 700; and for the fiscal year ending
Both June, 1850, 2,i07 500, provided the usu.
al quantity of fresh lands are surveyed and
brought into market, according to the exist.
l ing practice Of the Government.
This supposed falling Off in the receipts
as compared with the last year orr two, is ac
counted for by the fact, that very large a
mounts of the public lands are now being To-
Gated with Mexican war warrants, insteat
of money; and so it must be, in a more oil
less degree, from year to year, until these
warrants are all absorbed by locations, anc
thus withdrawn from competition in the mar,
ket.
From the best data that can be obtained,
! it is estimated that 1900 warrars, cover
ing 2,d00,O 900 acres, will be located during
the balance Of the current fiscal year; and
$1,000 warrants embracing 4,0O0p0O acres
for,hc year ending Both June, 1850. These
added TO the estimated amount Of cash sales
it will be perceived, will make the estima
ted aggregates of lands disposed of III eact
year nearly double the usual averoge, will
proper allowance for increase Of population
and the increase Of locations consequent up
on the reduced price Of these warrants.
The compensation allowed TO the distric
land officers for their services in the location
of. these warrants, by the act Of l7ih May
1918, has been found to be wholly made
quatc, and many just complaints have beel
, made ON this subject The labor and trou
$ bic devolved on those officers, in receiving
noting, registering, and returning those " ar
$ rants, is much greater than IN receiving, no
$ ting, &C., an application for an ordinary pri
|, yate entry. I would thei plore rpspettIull