The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-12-27
PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.
asport orsA. secretary OF the Interior.
DEPARTMENT OF the INTERIOR,
raaan,bar lRl0

f. y December o. ioto
Sin, The establish The Department Of the Interior
passed the close OF the last session oil when
the attention OF that body was occupied by aise
M Imperfect Ihs par men y named ,Ss c,
in the tide Home Ia. ae 9oay 81 ~, hs i e
o" The tide Of The act being The part las! Adopted eaen IN
The Of enactment - believed q express ue sc
self being Imperative, felt constrained 70 conform to Il IN
s adoption Of SEAL and IN all other Official aess
transferred from The President and from The State, the
Treasury and the War Departments 10 the Department OF
,hs interior The provides for the appointment Of
secretary and chief clerk but directs the OF
s 10 SSef ss naed sas on s d the
said Secretary Of the INTERIOR may transfer from the Treas
such clerks IN the Office Of the Secretary the Treasury
perform the duties which the supervision and eoho
Il was however, ascertained on careful examination,
that clerk who could be transferred, 1y virtue
.s s pseRs ia he oos Of the Secretary the
Treasury transferred to this department. yet mere was
o .ay ons clerk Thefsoe on taking charge
department. found that there were onefous dulles run
and means provided to enable me TO Peilorm Them a
great proportion was current business, which
Pressed therefore, by the necessities Of The pubic service
felt noumbsn. on me to employ sae eeroal aa ii wo"d
keep up the current business pnl Congress should make
ali lis duties For this lem porsry purpose, lo the
General Land Office clerks from the Indian Office one,
poyed dye-hree Of them at sgreed salaries q eighteen
hundred fourteen hundred and twelve hundred dollars
w. q, DE usual per diem wsees There viii Be needed
permanent force in the department proper, ten clerks,
whose compensation in the aggregate Is estimated al our'
thousand two hundred doltars, "
In addition his various administrative duties, there are
referred the head OF this department from the Pension
Office, the General Land Office, and the Office o. Indian
Affairs many cases for Judicial decision Involving e ex
aminaion evidence and the discrimination oil questions
oflnw. The decision ohese oasesmany OF them OF great
magnitude and az me tne care and
research which are due TO tie sale aud proper exercise OF
Judicial functions For many yaLs there was soilcor
peI,anag 70 The General Land use, WHOSE nose % 9ee was
giving bounty lands to soldiers who served IA the Mexican
sa asis ss ISreaa @he hose om the Pension Office
under the acts and other laws comforting pensions
s saa hs pSbs & are pva and and
arising out Of Indian intercourse, VIII be also greatly IN,
creased by the extension oil settlements 10 Oregon and
the accession q California and New Mexico From all
these will arise amount Of Judicial duty sul
law officer and which cannon be promptly and well dis
charged by the head Of department engaged IN MS daily
lie service would be promoted by the Of office
Of Solicitor Of the Department OF the nterlor which ofcet
should be charged with the examination and decision Of
these various and claims.
The establishing the department Interior was
no provision could nbodied in the general
appropriation act Tor It's support Ia the lay by which II
the contingent fund OF the office OF the Secretary OF the
Treasury should be transferred to the office tho Secretary
OF the Interior Under this provision the sum OF four thou
sand dollars has been so transferred, leaving an estimated
deficit 10 cover expenses incurred and which must be in
Cured IN said cce in the and present fiscal years, OF
thirty -four thousand hundred and thirty dollars
and sixeght cents, for which early appropriation will
Public Buildings. .. ~.
In applying the appropriation for painting aud repairs
OF the Capitol II became necessary to examine with
the condition Of the walls and such portions Of
the stone as were crnmblng or falling of in scales that the
On th, examination found that many the stones
especially those ar the base OF the building dsn
deeply affected that necessary remove them The
Capitol 10 massive building, its walls thick and main
with the changes the temperature ofthe air In change
from cold TO warm the walls remain for time cold, aud
the atmosphere, upon pitcher containing ice in
suy day The stone, being very porous readily absorb
y oa ana u or sass loses 20 Hs
adhesive power. and the stone cumbles TO sand thick
coal Of paint carefully applied from time time, has been
Ies05ed nre;srss snd danh' toad .tle
buding but unless some other and mpre permanent pro-
lection be resored 70. IL is destined to early dapdaon
IL e wholly unprotected from atmospheric action Tor
fh of time that marble known have
Stood this noble edihce would become mound OF sand
The Treasury building and the present Patent Office
projected already show signs Of decay The
nice Of he Treasury building, which exposes heavy
and pieces Of the moulding Of Patent Office building
have crumbed and fallen Besides It's tendency disin
tegr.on exposure the stone in It's best condition is
weak, offering Lttle resistance a crushing force
than common brick These badings cannot with all pos
adopted Bot ne s ssnds 0 in ss walls al es
be rendered permanently aud absolutely impemeabl to
moisture, the principal difficulty would be removed and
this may perhaps be done by some known to the
arts. which may be discovered by experiment For this
purpose would recommend that specimens OF the be
carefully analysed, and that series OF experiments be
tried, with view Of finding chemical agent the APP
plicaton Of which will prevent It's absorption Of moisture
and thus strengthen and render IL durable.
In consequence OF the detective quality OF this stone and
OF reports nom committees Of Congress in 1887 and 1899
sondsmnng y ,hoash, direct that tho wings Of
The Patent Office building should be constructed Of differ
material. After full consideration, n white marble
RON quarry In Baltimore county, Maryland select
ed 10 strong stone, resisting about three times
crushing orce NJ the sandstone OF the front building All
The prsctcabe tests which applied show IL to be du
rsbs 10 material Of great beauty and II will be easier
make The front building correspond with II in color than
win the gray gneiss other and durable
Of mixed or varied coors, which could be readily
The work on the eastern wing u considerably advanced
Something has been done the foundation Of the
wing but the whole appropriation has been expended
and 10 important the progress Of the work that further
appropriation iof ts continuance be made eay day
In order 30 make fof the oundation Of he caste IN
wing became necessary n part Of conseTya-
that were selected and preserved with much ski and
care BY Captain Wilkes and the scientific gentlemen who
accomplished him the exploring expedition The appro
preuon which could be applied that object being
iher permanent preservation, thought best remove
that part Of The sructurs which inefcred with iounda
ton Of the Patent Oce, and rebuid cheap ma nnef
20 as 20 preserve the plants until Congress might upon
spos on which permanent banding shoud Oe
sna adj sroands of Tue cultivation Of the harder
Something has done within The present season To-
wards enclosing and pfotsetng the aud
pofons OF the pubiic grounds, but owing the limited
spPopAuon Ioi ihsi otec, liie Ia planting 90 sdorB
portions o. the gToandA resaents mans,n aud
sbont The Capitol cannot bat observed how o.ag,,
Nc coctlon of trees and shfabs native and en- c
In planting the newly sfOuuds ths a~l.o, oi
"A Ia NMau 49, 49, -