The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-12-26
UTELLIeRNCk BY RE MAILS.
THE REPORT
From THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

sm:-The act to establish the Department Of the
Congress- when the attention Of that body oceu-
pied BY large accumulation Of business, in
ausnce Of which was left IN some respects imperfect
The Department IL named In the title, Home De-
psrtment but the body Of the act provides that It
should be called the Department of the Interior'
The title Of the act being the last part adopted In
process of enactment is believed to express the in
teption Of Congress 1 to the name but the language
Of the act itself being imperative felt constrained to
conform to 1t In the adoption Of seal and in all other
official acts.
Transferred from the President, and from the State
the Treasury and the War Departments, to the De-
sppointment Of Secretary and Chief Clerk but d
rects the employment Of other clerks In the
provision that the President of the United States
the recommendation of the Secretary Of the Inte
rior may transfer from the Treasury Department
proper TO the Department Of the Interior such clerks
in the office OF the Secretary OF the Treasury per-
form the duties which the supervision and control
given by this act to the Secretary of the Interio
II was however ascertained, on careful examination,
that there clerk who could be transferred by
virtue Of this provision For, although some part of
the duties of several clerks employed the office the
Secretary of the Treasury was transferred to this
Department, yet there was not transfer OF all, or
even the principal part of the duties OF any one clerk
Therefore, taking charge OF the department,
found that there onerous duties, running into
much detail eujoined by law to be performed, aud no
means provided to enable me to perform them A
great proportion business requiring atten
ton from day to day and would not bear postpone-
ment. Pressed therefore by the necessities Of tho
public service, felt it incumbent on me to employ
such clerical aid would enable me to organize the
business until Congress should make permanent pro-
vision for the full and regular discharge of ell its dulles
Land oes tw1 cerSs fson the eA nSan ocs ons
from the Pension Office one and in addition thereto
employed i've three OF them at agreed salaries OF loOo
400 and 200 dollars respectively the other two at
the usual per diem wages. There will be nesded, as
permanent fierce in the Office of the proper
ten clerks whose compensation in the aggregate IL es
timated at Sl4 500.
In addition to his various administrative duties,
there referred to the head of this Department. from
the Pension Office the General Land Office and the
Office Of Indian Affairs many for judicial decision,
involving the examination of evidence and the deter
imitation OF questions of law. The decision Of these
cases-many OF them Of great magnitude and impor-
lance require all the time and research which
due to the proper exercise of judicial functions
For many years there solicitor pertaining to the
General Land Office, whose Office abolished In 1872
But since that time the acts of Congress giving
bounty lands to soldiers who served in the Mexican
war, has greatly increased the number Of legal
questions arising In that bureau; while those from
the pension office under the same acts and other lays
conferripg pensions and military bounties are very M
merous and often difficult The number of priv&te
land claims aud questions arising out OF Indian in
tercouse will also be greatly increased by the extension
Of eeteme nts to Oregon and the acquisition Of Ca
lifornia and New Mexico From all these sources will
arise amount Of judicial duty, sufficient to require
the undivided time and attention of able law officer
and which cannot be promptly and we'll discharged BY
the head OF department engaged in his daily admin
strative duties Ia my opinion therefore, the public
service would be promoted by the creation of the
Of Solicitor Of the Department of the Interior which Of
6cer should be charged with the examination and do
cision Of these various cases and claims.
The act establishing the Department Of the Interior
was passed so immediately before the asjournment Of
Congress, that provision OF could be emboded
in the general appropriation bill for Its support In
the act by which is established there is provision
directing that portion Of the contingent fund OF thd
Office of the Secretary OF the Treasury should be trans
fered to The Office Of the Secretary Of the Interior
Under this provision, the sum OF $1,000 has been so
transferred leaving IN estimated deficit to
penses incurred and which must be incurred in said
Office in the past and present asca years Of S3i37 50,
| for which an early appropriation will be- desirable.
PUBLIC BUILDINGS.
In applying the appropriation for the painting aud
tn. CAPITOL IL became
With care the condition OF the walls aud to remove
such portions Of the stone AZ were orumbng or falling
OF in scales that the coat Of paint might be laid upon
sound and solid surface. On this examination 1t
found that many OF the stones especially those near
the base II the building were di-integrated at tina
surface and some were much and deeply affected,
that 1t wac necessary TO remove them. The capitol Is
massive building its walls are thick and maiatan q
certain equality OF temperature changing slowly with
changes In the temperature of the air. In change
from cold to warm the walls remain FOR time cold,
and there In condensed upon them portion OF tina
moisture of the atmosphere ns up-n pitcher contain
readily absorbs the moisture and the natural cement
which seems 70 be slowly soluble In water l. dissolved
or otherwife loses It's adhesive power and the stena
eiunbes TO sand thick coat Of pant carefully ap-
piled from time 10 time, has been resored to, TO
rerye, end doubt tends 10 preserve, the building
but unless other aud more pernsnen projections
be resoted TO- &c Is destinsd to early diapidston IL
left wholly unprotected from atmospheric action for
fifth Of the time that marble structures
10 have stood this noble edace would become mound
| Of sand
The Treasury buildpg and the prcsen, Patent Oai,s
building Of the same matsTisl and having been in
no manner protected, already show signs OF decay.
The coTniee Of the Treasury Guiding which exposes
heavy mass Of stone 10 atmof phec setion begins to
be NOES grown; and pieces Of the Patent Ol,e build
ing have crumbed and fallen. Besides its tendency
10 dis!ntegrSon exposure the stone In its beet
dillon is weak. chtriny htte more resistance to
eru,l ing force than common brick These buildings
csnnct win al possible be long preserved by thu
means at present adopted But II the stone could bs
rendered permanently AID absolutely impesmsa5le to
moisture, The principal difficulty would b. removed
and this may perhaps be done by some means known
to the arts which may be discovered by experiment
IN.
Of tho stone b. carefully snayEsd series Of
experiments be tried With view Of fading che
mical agent The application II which will prevent its
der It durable.
consequence Of the defective quality Of stone
ana9 the reports OF committees OF Congress In 1881,
and 1892 condemnngit thought proper direct that
the wing. Of the Patent Office building should con-
structed Of different material. After full considera-
ton white marble from quarry la Baltimore coun-
~ Maryland was selected IL Is as'rong stone resist
ing about three times a. great crushing force the
sand stoue Of the mont building All the pFtctcabls
tests which were applied, show II to be durable IL Is
material OF great beauty, aud 10 will be to make
the front building correspond With IL In color than
with the grey gpeiss auy other strong and durable
stone Of mixed varied oolors which could b. readily
procured. The work the eastern wing a. csndiera.
bly, advanced Something has been done on the foun-
ton has been expended aud Il IL important TO the pro
gress Of the work that further appropriation for its
continuance be made a. an early day.
In order 10 make room for the foundation Of the
Eastern wing IL became necessary 20 remove part Of
the Conservatory In which Il Kept the rich collection
% much skiu and care by Capt wilkes AMI the sclsn-
titc gentlemen who accom- panied him ths Kporing
Expedition. The appropriation which could be- applied
20 that object being insufficient u erect build
log adapted to The purpose Of their permanent Peeser-
walton. u thought best that part Of The
structure which ntersrei With the foundation OF the
IateBt OMce, and rebuild it in cheap 30 AZ
10 preserve the plants ull Congress might Ok upon =
rpot on which permanent building should be con-
tructed and select adj AGENT gOunds for the cu:iya
ton n the harder plants q The collection.
Something has been done. within the present season
towards enclosing and protecting the waste and ne
elected portions q the public grounds; but gny 20
the limited Appropriated for that object but little IN
planting or sdorning them. Add In looking the
best planted petitions of these grounds the Presi-
dents mansion and about the capitol It cannot but be
observed how measre ~ the collection Of trees and
shrubs both native and excite In planting the newly
tnclosed grounds this defect ought be rene lied at
least 10 those ~ native forests Of which many
varieties, and some Of them the most bsautfal aud
beet lifted for plantations aud Lawns have been wholly
neglected rich variety u exotlcs though desirable