Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1852-12-31
Annual Report Of he Secretary Of the

Interior.
The annual report of the Hon. A. H. II. Stuart,
Secretary Of the Interior, fills six and half col
umns offhe National intelligencef, and abounds in
various interesting statistics and many important
The sum required for the Department for 1854,
is less by STA, 1902, than for 1858, and the amount
for pensions shows decrease of S690,193, while
the public buildings will require an increase OF
S6S9, 1853, caused by an item of 100000 for the
Capitol extension, for which no estimate was made
this year, and for other new objects in Washing
ton. The estimate for agricultural statistics has
also been increased g, 200 .l..11=.,
The report gives various statistical of the pubic
lands, embraced in the report Of the commissioner
Prom the report Of the Commi sionet CT the
Pension Office, to which the Secretary refers! we
learn that the pensioners the rolls OF the zen.
sion Office, have been reduced to Is, 80s, and are
743 less than last year.
Under the act of the 18th of March 1s4s, for the
officers and soldiers in INDECENT
ces, &c, 4s5 were pensioned, of whom 1,046 are
now on the rolls; only $50 have received payment
in the first aud second quarters of 1859. l6S per
sons were pensioned under the act of 18th OF May
1929 passed for the benefit of officers and soldiers
ofthe continental army, who served 10 the emu OF
the war; 1913 on the rolls, but "A were pala
on the first six months of the year.
Pensioners under the act Of June z, 1852, 49,
066; on the roll, 1923 received payments; IN SIX
months, 1895. :.
H. PENSIONERS unQeE the ACT uIy ~ AOoOJ
dictionary widows and orphans of certain voun-
teers and miGtia troops who died in service since
1918, plumber 5,163, of whom 97S remain on the
rolls. l..,.i Il
The act of the 18th ofJulY, 1888, gave i've years
pension to revolutionary widows who marrleh be-
fore the Isl of January, 1904. 1l4OO were enroll
| ed; 1872 only have been paid in six months.
Under the act of the I'd of February, 1s4S, for
life or wid0Rhood, 5000 were enrolled, and un,
der the act oF2Sth of JUly, lS4e, which extended
the period of marriage to the year 1900, $40 were
enrolled On the rollsunder both acts, $3.50 pen .
sioners, of whom 4,209 were paid during the first
and second, quarters OF tie years.
The act ofthe 2lst of July, 1913, for the WI
dows and orphans Of those killed in battle, or who
persisted by disease in the Mexican var, enrolled
i,l22, while the number pensioned was 1850.
The whole number the rolls, under Invalid
acts, were 1886, an increase of 621, compared
with the the last annual reporti 4,2S2 were pala
in the first six months Of the year.
There are now on TIE rolls 726 invalids. entitled
to navy pensions, who receive annually $40
There are also 5I4 widows, who annually receive
So, 49O, and AZ orphans, who receive So 3s:
The expenditure on account OF peoslons since
the last report is about 81 800 900, embracing ma
ny claims allowed before the close OF the last but
paid within the present year.
More stringent measures are called LOT 10 pre-
vent fraud in procuring pensions. In some parts
of the country the business has been reduced 10
system, and bodies Of men have contederated Tor
the purpose ofcanying into effect their neierlous
schemes, by means artful as 10 render detection
almost impossible.
Irbe cost of printing the sixth census was SI7S,
so5. Lppncot & Co., now propose to publish
10 90 copies ofthe statistics Cf the seventh census
in two folio volumns OIL 900 pages each, on fine
type aud paper, well bound with Russia oackS' ior
the aggregate sum of $40 500, being less than one
third Of the amount paid for the publication oil the
six tn census.
The progress of the extension of the Patent or
fee, and the great Importance OF the bureau are
referred 10, and, to show the increase oil the
business it is stated that in 1899 the whole number
of models in the Office was 1903; in the beginning
of 1851 they had increased to 172 and now reach
nearly $4,000. Various suggestions for the benefit
| of the business are made.
| Niucn space is devoted to the Mexican boundary
survey, and the causes which, a few months ago,
led to its suspension. The progress of the exien-
sion of the Capitol is also detailed and the proprI-
ETY. of an appropriation by Congress OF sum suth
cient to erect and furnish suitable houses for the
accommodation of the Vice President of the United
States and the members of the Cabinet, strongly
urged upon Congress. Ii is estimated that 1t would
require the expenditure Of about 100000 inclu-
| ding the purchase of the necessary ground In
| making this Recommendation, the Secretary says:
"The cost of house rent, provisions, fuel and in
ldeed of all the neceSsaTeS of life in Washington,
has risen to such degree as to require the most
rigid economy to enable the members OF the Cabinet
and the Vice President live within their incomes.
AS far as my observation has extended, feT, if any
of them have been able to do SO. This evil Is IN
creasing every year, and ifneasures are not adopt
ed to arrest it. the day is not far distant when men
of moderate means butin all respects fitted to serve
the public in high and responsible places, will be
deferred from accepting them by the heavy pecu-
mary loss to which they must inevitably be sub
ieCteI. -n
The Secretary concludes by calling the particular
attention of Congress to the affairs ofthe District of
Columbia, and hopes the necessary appropriations
| will be made without delay to commence the work
of introducing an ample supply ofpure water into
Georgetown and Washington. The erection ofone
OF more permanent bridges across the Potomac, a.
dapted not only for ordinary travel, but for the pas
sage Of railway lrains is also urged and the neces
saTy appropriation recommended. A grant by Cor
gress Of portion ofthe public landsn aid public
schools in the District of Columbia, recommended
by the Commissioner of Public Lands, the Secreta-
ny says, commands his cordial appreciation.