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

Of special branches Of business, were absent
rom sickness, or for rela yation, necessary
alike to the health OF the officer and the true
interests OF the Government, their duties had
I" remain unexecuted til their return.
Moreover, It sometimes happened, that diff
ferent branches Of the same business were
discharged 10y different individuals, and
hence arose risk Of dscordant views, and
conflicting decisions. To obvia,e these
evils, on fall considerations, concluded to
place the whole Of the accounting business,
including the book. keeping, and miscella.
neous correspondence connected herewith,
under the charge OF four OF the most expert
enced and competent clerks, giving 10 each
a first assistant, who could discharge his du-
ties III case Of sickness or absence; and snch
further assistance as the magnitude Of his du.
ties required. The transmission Of patents,
with all the correspondence connc cited there
with, WAS placed under the charge Of the
Recorder. BY this means, the Miscellane-
Gus Bureau has been abolished, the force of
the Office concentrated, and although the
new system has not been long enough in
operation to decide finally on its merits,
have no doubt that its results will be highly
satisfactory, and will materially advance the
public business, and promote the best inter
ests of the office.
Under the act Of 9th May, 1913, relative
to the selections for the Wabash and Erie
canal in Indiana, and entitled "Anact in adj.
dition to an act therein mentioned" the ne
ceSsary instructions have been issued, TO Ell.
able the trustees Of that work TO complete
the selections authorized by that act.
To carry out the provisions of the second
and third sections Of the act of 29ih May,
1913, "for the admission of Wisconsin into
the Union" lists have been prepared of all
the sales made within the limits Of the grant
for the Milwaukee and Rock River canal,
showing those at the increased minimum
fixed by the act of 18th June, 1893. These
lists have been sent to the land officers a;
Milwaukee, with instructions to compare
them with their records, and to check any
errors or omissions that may be found in
them. When these lists are returned thus
corrected, the lands in the even.numbered
sections belonging TO the Government, will
be brought into market at the ordinary min.
imum, as required by the act of Goth May,
1913, above mentioned; under the same act,
the land officers were required TO ascertain
and report the present owners of the lands
within the limits of this grant, which were
purchased at the increased minimum fixed
by the act of 18th June, 1898, that the GER
,iiicates for the difference between the min.
imum Of one dollar and twenty-five cents
per acre, and the price paid for those lands
may be issued to the present holder Of then
as required by the third section Of the act Of
1913.
Diagrams have also been prepared of the
grant made by the act of 9Th August, 1886
TO Wisconsin, on her admission into The I'm.
ion, for the improv ements Of the Fox and
Wisconsin rivers, and for connecting the
sameby a canal. This actis maniiestly de.
ficient in this, that it grants to the Slate a
quantity OF land equal 20 one-half Of three
sections in width on each side of Fox river,
the lakes through which it passes, aud the
canal above mentioned, bnt makes no pro.
vision as to character or locality of the lands
that shall be selected TO supply deficiencies
caused by sales and donations in the odd
numbered sections within that grant, which
were made before that act went into opera
ton In the correspondence with the Gov.
ernor on this subject, he has been au,horiz
! ed to make selections to supply those def
| ciencits; and the land officers have been in.
Structed TO reserve all lands so selected ill
the final action Of Congress has been had on
the subject.
The act Of 10th June, 1913, sfo attach a
portion Of the north. western land district in
Louisiana TO the district north of Red river
in Louisiana" has been executed, and the
platS and records Of the lands thus separated
have been transmitted from the former TO the
latter Office.
Under the act Of LIST July, 1918, sHfor the
relief of the bona fdc settlers, under the act,
for the armed occupation and settlement o,
a part OF tho Territory Of Florida" an agent
was appointed to repair to Florida, and tc
obtain the evidence required by that act
Instructions, full and minute in every par.
ticular, were prepared for this agent, with
records, IN which all the Cases that had arts.
en- "hder Inc armed OCCUPATION acts were
entered in numerical order, with full his.
tory Of each, so far as was shown by the re
cords Of this Office; and blank column lief
for the decisions Of the agent The return!
Of his operations, rs far as received, have
beer highly satisfactory; and there is ever,
reason to believe that this long pending ar
harraSsing matter will soon be finally diso'
sed Of.
The total number Of patents rurnShea to
applicants during the year lSl7and three
quarters of 1913. was Ill, 756-thc largest
number ever issued in tho same length OF
time.
The leasing system Of lead mineral lands
having been abolished, the lands Of this de-
scription belonging to the U, S. have been
offered for sale. A very small proportion,
however, has been sold as mineral lands,
and the balance have become subject to pr.
va,e entry at 81 ,25 an acre.
The sales of copper mineral lands have
also fallen far short Of what had been anti.
cipated-amoun,ing to bu, S26, 2l2-princi'
pally in the Lake Superior district. The
commissioner, with earnesines,, and icI
many good aud soundrcasons, recommends
the reduction Of the minimum price OF these
lands from 50 to 81 rs and their being open
ed to redemption claims, like all other gov
eminent lands.
As of peculiar interest in this region, W,
copy entire that part Of the commissioner
report which has reference to