New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-05
REPORT OF THESECRETARYOP INTERIOR
DErARrNENr or rnk Inrralna. Nor- pa n


SiR-tor the purpose of enabling YOU Z,
recommend 10 Congress Il IL approaching scsS,o,
such mt ssuTes as you may Judge necessary and o.,
Pecieht respecting the various subjects con6ded 10
the Department Of The Interior. respectfully saon,
the following report
The law creating this Department, was approved
the 81 q March, 1919 By rs provisions the >errs
iary OF the Interior required % exercise slpevi,crx
ana appellate powers over the acts Of the Comm
sohtT q Patents OF the GsLsfal Land Oisce. Of In
dlm Ausus, Of Pensions. ard Of Public Buildiags
and also over The accounts OF Mershas. CLERKS and
other CtetrS OF the Courts OF the United States
over the ofhceTs engaged ~ taxing the Census tAs
Inspectors ina Nartens OF the Penltentary of The
Disulcl OF to,uh,ia end The subject OF lead and
with other duties Lot spec ally mentioned m lie
law. out Mhich, rom th'H peculiar nature appr,-
pflaitly belohs 20 M once Among these is,he
general supervision CT the proceedings of IVA com.
MISSION ruS'i'uied under the treaty Of GuAdamn.
Hidalso 10 and marx the boundary line be,wee,
the United states ard Mexico. Under each of these
several heads he has important. and responsible tune
tons 20 perform he pIeseFioes rules for the gensrs
administration Of the different bureaus. TO then
faithful execution, and decides ludicialy ON all an
peals from either Of them which may be orougal be-
fore him. Such Is the general outline Of the dutex
of the office.
THE Secretary then gives the estimates ofihe Al
propriaoEs for the ensuing year which We published
yesterday, and 90 not now repsatl
MEXICAN BOUNDARY SURVEY.
The amount embraced IN the regular estimates Oh
the present hScalyear Was $4,000 20
The amount included IN The estimates for
the next year ls--------.-----.---.---s .,Ooe0 %
There would, therefore, appear 10 be an excess
over the estimate for the present year OF $4,000
but this Is merely apparent Alter the regular est
mates had been submitted letters were received frcm
| the Commissioner making such representations as
TO the cost of transportation and the scarcity and
high price Of provisions, & C., IN ne country along
the line rs 10 render II necessary 10 ASA fora lseS
! sum. The facts were communicated 20 the Com
/ mlttee OF Ways and Means ot the House OF Renre-
! sentailves, and the Committee on Finance n the
Senate, and they were requested 10 increase the ap-
proprlstlon 10 $4,000 THIS Was not done 10 Ney.
| or. and there was consequently a very large de6-
cheney IN the appropriation Tor the current year. The
present estimates include ihAs deficiency being
ssaOOO " hch added TO the appropriation Of 600
| makes the expenditures on account OF the present
year $4,000, and dcducting from the gross
! amount of the present estimates, leaves $lAl000
only chargeable 10 the next fiscal year beng so0,-
coo less than the amount required for the present
year
PENSION OFFICE.
This Bureau has charge OF two distinct branches
Of business, viz Pensions and Land Bounics.
Pensions may be clasSed under SIX different dyl-
First. To soldiers OF the Revolution
Second. To widows OF Revolutionary soldiers
Thud. To inyalIds.
Fourth. To widows and orphans of soldiers IN the
Mexican War
Filth To Persons in the Naval service OF the
United States
The whole number OF pensioners of all classes now
the rolls Is 1901, of whom 49, i67 were paid dur
ing the FIRST two quarters Of the present year, the
| latest periods TO which We have reports. The num-
Der added 20 the rolls during the 22ss and
| the number of deaths reported 765. The whole
! amount expended for pensions during the year end
ing seth September, 1881, exclusive OF Navy PEN
sions is about sl,i39,siS.
| REVOLUTIONARY PENSIONS.
The first act granting pensions TO Revolutionary
soldiers was passed 18th March, 1915. The whole
nn.iar tn thsn
| time, l. 20,4S6 of whom only ,3s3 now remain on
the rolls, being reduction since my last report OF
| $40.
! The next law on the subjec, was passed on the
| 18th May, ls2s Underit 1855 pensions grant.
ed At the date of the last report but 1862 remained
on the rolls, OF which number 81 are supposed to have
died during the last year. AS only 1913 are reported as
| being now on the rolls.
| The third and much the most comprehensive law
granting pensions to soldiers OF the Revolution was
passed 1th June lsS2 % $50 persons s have been
beneciaries under this act, but only fel5 now re-
main on the rolls.
| WIDOWS OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS.
The first law granting pensions TO persons Of this
class passed the ith July, 1886. Under its pro-
visions 5,O6s have received pensions. The number
now on the rolls under that act and the Of 2lst
July, le4s, is 2,75i.
The act of 7th July, 1885, granted pension, TO
widows of revolutionary soldiers who were married
prior to 1874. OF l,l9 Who received the benefit OF
that law, only ls6 received their pensions during the
first two quarters OF the present year
The act of I'd February, ls4s, extended the benefits
OF the law OF 1888 To such widows had been mar
ried prior to the list OF January, 1894. The whole
number pensioned under this act Is 800, OF whom
4,2Ji are yet on the rolls The act OF 20h July, lsio,
extended Its teuehts % those who were married
prior to 1900, AID under the law, 800 have been pen
stoned, all OF whom, according to the returns, yet
remain on the rolls.
II thus appears that time is rapidly sweeping from
existence these venerable objects OF national graii-
tude and munlhcence.
INVALID PENSIONS
box ...ia ,k.-
on the rolls is 1859, OF whom 6I7 have been added
during the year.
MEXICAN WAR PENSIONS.
The act of 2lst July, 1913, and the fundamental
&C, of 22d February is4o and the Joint fesoIntion
of 2sth September 1850, gave PENSIONS 10 the wid-
ows and orphans OF soldiers killed IN the Mexican
war, or who died Of disease contracted in the SER
vice. Under these laws, 1850 persons are now re.
ceivlng pensions, showing an increase Of 29f since
the date OF my las, report
NAVY PENSIONS.
II has heretofore been the custom TO report the
statistics relating to the pensioners OF this class 10
the Secretary Of the Navy, by whom they were
communicated 10 the President But, believing that
1t would be satisfactory TO embody all the facts
relating 10 the entire subject Of pensions IN single
report have deemed 1t proper 10 embrace this class
with the others.
1t appears from the report OF the Commissioner OF
Pensions that the number Of invalid pensioners OF
this class now on the rolls Is 709 20 having been
added during the last year that the number Of wid-
now on the rolls IS isl being increase during
the last year Oh ~ ann IIhl tic NUMBER oi ofphas
10 49, III having been added since the last report.
The aggregate amount requsedto pay pensions OF
this class now on the rolls IS $i47, 26f 90.
VIRGINIA HALF-PAY AND cOMSUTATf0N CLAIMS.
The halfpay claims examined and allowed since
the date Of my last report amount TO $f 400 lnclud
ing the sum Of s5,2e9 "a which had been previously
adludlcated, but not paid
No action has been taken on any communication
cases during the year. Congress having indicated
purpose TO egisate In regard TO them, directed
SUSPENSION of further proceedings until the close Of
the next session, as 10 afford them opportunity
Of expressing their will on the subject.
BOUNTY LANDS
Donations Of public lands in consideration OF mill
tary service, have been made under different laws,
to various classes Of soldiers The first grants Of this
L IND