The New York herald., 1851-12-03
Report Of the Commissioner of the Gene
raj Land Office.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE. Nov. rs, 1851.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE, Nov. IS, 1851.
SIR Higher evidence Of the growth and pros
pidty of the settlement Of the public lands cannot
be desired than is shown By the fact that since the
year 1902, thirteen new States, commanding with
Ohio and ending with California, equaling in mum.
more mo T than Eve hundred and six millions Of acres, a.
have been formed out of the public domain and ad-
mitted into the Union. There are also our vast
territories, stretching from the northern lakes and
the Mississippi to the borders of California and the
shores of the Pacific, covering an area of eleven
hundred and ten millions Of acres.
lin those States and territories there now remains
an aggregate of more than fourteen hundred mil
lions Of acres of unsold land, abounding In all the
varieties Of mineral wealth, and fruitful in all the
productions of the earth that can minister to the
happiness or comfort Of man.
While thousands are attracted to the Pacific
coast In search Of the precious metals, IN ever in
eressing stream of hardy yeomanry is rushing from
all quarters upon the rich agricultural lands Of the
West, establishing themselves as permanent citi-
.ens, and engaging in all the pursuits Of productive
Imagination can scarcely keep pace with the in
crease of the Western country. The great and
fertile valley Of the Mississippi which, few years
ing ground Of has @ the nso
graphical and commercial centre of our ocean bound
republic, and contains population of about eight
millions. Villages, towns, and populous cities,
have sprung up ss by magic; her mighty rivers are
marine Of any country; magnificent canals have
been constructed, and q gigantic system Of rail:
roads now in progress, viii connect this fertile and
productive region with the Eastern Atlantic cites
by all the ties Of commerce and reciprocal inter-
course.
The minimum price of the publis land is one dol
lar and twenty i've cents per acre and while the
quantity offered is 50 immense that it Is PLACED be-
ysnd the reach and power Of monopoly, the price is
at the Same time 80 small, that every Of ordi-
nary industry has the ability to provide himself With
. homestead; and so long as government offers
ef millions Of for sale, at the price
able to till the ground viii have it in his power 70
become freeholder.
The sales Of the public lands, since 3Oth Jdns,
1850, and TO Goth June 1851 amount to SAC, ,Sf7.
A. 100 acres; and the purchase money, to 2.s7o,9-
45-l0O dollars.
Of the fiscal year, commencing July LIST, 1851, was
473 l40 65 100 acres for which, there has been re-
ceiyed the sum of 60l ,6Sl 0l.l00 dollars. The
amount of land sold for the corresponding quarter
Of the last fiscal year was 2Ss 60 loo acres for
ceived. The sales thus appear to be largely on
the increase.
The stream of emigration, ever flowing towards
thefruitful fields where labor meets its surest
ward, and the inducements held forth By the con-
struction Of the great Central Railroad from Chi
cago to Mobile, will insure a ready sale for large
bodies Of lands hitherto unattractive These causes
will be likely to augment the sales The tracts on
the route Of that road, reserved TO the United
States not being subject to location by land war.
rants, and all lands brought into market since Sd
March, 1851, being excluded By law from location
by such warrants, are causes which, also, may be
expected to increaselthe revenue from the public
domain.
The following IL q comparative table showing
the appropriations Of the public lands by sales and
military locations for several successive calendar
years