Washington telegraph., 1852-12-29
From tie Washington Republic. |
Land Office Report.


bounty land warrants In addition, 5,2l9,-
1873 acres were reported under the swamp
land grant, and 3, ,025, 800 acres for internal
improvements; making an aggregate of l3,-
1875 acres. The excess over the sales
and locations of the previous year amounts
to 3,342, ,372 acres; and the Commissioner
remarks that the sales would probably have
been larger but for the extensive reserva-
tion for railroads in Mississippi, Alabama,
and Missouri The sales and locations in
the succeeding quarter, ending Both Sep
tember, were in the aggregate 4,131 ,253
acres, Of which 1887 116 acres were located
with bounty land warrants. The surveys of
the year cover 1922, 953 acres, more than
100000 of which have been advertised
for sale
Under the act of March last, the district
land officers receive the same per centage
for the location OF warrants as for cash sales;
and as the act was in part retrospective-ex
tending back to February 1S47-S110,S16
have been paid out of the Treasury. To
some extent the Government has been reim-
bursed by an excess over the maximum COM
pensation allowed to the district officers.
The Commissioner pays a high compli-
ment to the promptness, energy, and efh-
cheney with which the Surveyor General of
Iowa and Wisconsin, and the astronomers
associated with him conducted the survey of
the northern boundary of Iowa. A report
of the work is to be communicated to Con-
gress on an early day.
The report Of Dr. ID. ID. Owen on the
geology of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota,
is being printed and, with a separate vol
ume of maps, will shortly be ready for de-
livery. DIR. Owen proposes a geological
survey in Oregon and in the region of the
IfaucaIses Ieyres in Nebraska This is
regarded as the tertiary formation abound
ing with the fossil remains of extinct
species of animals each combining the dis
tinctive characteristics of several existing
races.
Messrs. Foster and Whitney's final report
on the geology of Lake Superior land dis
trlct is also promised.
The number of bounty warrants issued
under the act of 1917 is S3,13S, of which
1880 have been located; under the act of
1850 the number issued is 13S,69S, OF
which 46, 500 have been located and un
der the act OF 1852 l, III have been issued.
The aggregate quantity of land covered by
the various issues is q, 2,42S, 400 acres
Notwithstanding every precaution, frauds
are perpetrated and patents issued on fraud
ulent assignments The Commissioner re-
cOmnends that an act be passed authorizing
in all cases the issue of the patents to the
persons who rendered the services for which
the patents were granted, with the proviso
that the title shall enure to the benefit of
the parties contemplated by the acts of 1917
and lS50,t heir heirs assignees or devlsees.
lie further recommends that all the war
rants issuod to soldiers who served in the
war Of 1912 should be for 100 acres, with
out reference to the length of service.
In addition to those already mentioned,
warrants and scrip have been issued by the
division having charge of the Virginia mil |
itary and bounty lands under the war of
1872, amounting TO y ,766 acres.
In regard to the prescriptions Of settlers
on the Menomonee purchase, north of Fox
river Wisconsin, the Commissioner points |
out eases of hardship arising from the pro-
visions of the act of May, 1852 restricting
the presumption privilege to those settled |
upon lands which were surveyed prior to
such settlement The removal Of the re-
striction is recommended.
Another restriction, arising under the act |
Of August last, providing the pre-emption
rights shall not be attached to any section of
land reseserved to the United States, alter
nata to othor cact.onc crr,,+oJ 20 o,1, of tho |
States for the construction Of any canal,
railroad, or other public improvement, is al
50 adverted to, coupled with recommcnda-
ton that prescriptions shall be granted to all ,
such lands at an increased minimum
Of the 6,7lS,5S6 acres ceded by the
Chickasaws in Mississippi and Alabama,
| but 100000 acres remain undisposed Of
10 avoid the expense entailed upon the gov
ernment by the holding of these lands for
sale, as at present, their attachment to con-
tguous district is recommended.
The Maison Rouge case is noticed and a
general law is suggested to relieve settlers |
Who may be in like situation on other claims |
yet before the courts growing out of disputed
Spanish Or French titles
The Commissioner enters at length into |
narration OF the proceedings of the commits
\ SonerS appointed to ascertain and settle the
1 private land claims in California Two |
hundred and nlncty-eight cases were pend
ing before the board, according to their latest
statement.
i Legislation is advised for the purpose of
aeertalnlng and settling private land claims
I IN N oregon, growing out of our treaty with
VFeat Britain. Attention is also directed
"'he necessity oflegislation to authorize the
survey and sale of lands reserved for militia
y and other purposes, the object for which
uey We're originally set apart having been