The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1852-12-11
ITO DAILY DISPATCH
yAs. a CowARDIN, Proprietor.
HUGH r. PLEASANTS Editor.
LAND OFFICE REPORT.


fgcaI year rot less than i,S70,067 acres OF the
pubic domain wCre SOLD, OF which 3,20l ,3I4
acres were located with bounty land warrants.
IT. addition, 52I9,lSS acres were reported un-
i th swamp-land grant and 3,026 ,920 acres
for Internal Improvements; making an aggre-
gate Of l3rli5,l7J acres. the excess over the
sales aud locations Of the previous wear
amounts to 3.3l2 312 acres ani the Commits
soner remarks that the sales would probably
!1ye b en- Vet larger but for the extensive re-
se!yaUons Tor railroads in Mississippi, Alaba-
rla and Missouri. The sales aud locations in
lie succeeding quarter, ending 3Ojh Septem-
per, were IN the aggregate i,l3l ,2j3 acres, of
which 3S1 ,llG acres were located with boun.
" land warrants. The surveys of the year
ever ., ,J94 9J3 acres, more than 100000 Cf
y .;ch have been advertised for sale.
n!er the act Of March last, the district land
othcels receive the same per centage for the
location OF warrants us for cash sales and as
The Il I was IN part retrospective-e2teuding
h-ch 10 February, iS7-SIl0Sl6 have been
pajI out Of the Treasury. To some extent the
Government has been reimbursed by an ex-
cess over the maximum compensation allowed
10 the district officers.
The Commissioner pays high compliment
70 tie pfompiness, nergy, and efficiency with
vhigh the Sufyeyor General of Iowa and
Wisconsin, and the astronomers associa. ed
With Lln, sonducted the survey ofthe northern
boundary ot Iowa. report Of the work is
- be communicated 10 Congress at an early
day.
The report Of Dr.. D. ID. Owen on the geolo.
~ Of Wisconsin, iowo, and Minnesota, is be-
IT, prntc', and, with q separate volume OF
maps, will shortly he reedy for delivery. Dir
Oven proposes a geological survey in Oregon
ard in the region Of the MdardsiS Tcrres in
Nebraska. This is regarded az THE tertiary
lJrmajson ab0undng wi the fossil remains OF
eKtact species OF animals, each combining the
distinctive characteristics Of several existing
races.
MessTs Foster and Whitnay's final report on
the geology of the Lake Superior land district
Is also promised
he number Ct bounty warrants issued un.
Scr the act Of lS47 is S3,l3S, of which y $50
have tern located; under the act of 1890 the
number issued is l3S, ,69S, tof which 46 500 have
been lvcatedi and under the act of 1882, III
H1yc been ls5ued. The aggregate quantity
o! land covered By the various issues is a.
44S 400 acres. Notwithstanding every precau-
uon, ifauds are sometimes rerpetraled and
paents issued on fraudulent assignments. TIE
Commissioner recommends that m act be
pl'sed aullorisng in all cases the issue OF the
patents TO Inc persons who rendered the servi-
cas lor v hich tie patents we're granted with
the pfOvIsu that the tile shall euuTe to the be
neh OF the parties contemplated by the nets of
1917 and 1850, their heiIs, asSigntes or devi-
sees. He further recommends that all the
warrants issued TO soldiers who served in the
var q 1879 should be for l60 acres, without
reference TO the length ofservice.
In addition TO those already mentioned, war
rants and scrip have been issued by the division
having charge of the Vrginia military and
bounty lands under the " ar Of 1872 amounting
10 u 400 acres.
In regard to the pre-empton Of settlers on
the Menomonees purchase. north Of Fox river,
Wisconsin the Commissioner points out cases
OF hardship arising from The provisions Of TIE
act Of May, 1852, restricting the preempton
privilege TO those settled upon lands which
were surveyed prior to such settlement. The
removal of the restriction is recommended.
Another restriction, arising under the act OF
August last, providing that pre-emptiOn rights
SHALL not be att ched to any section OF land re-
served TO the United States, alternate to other
sections granted 10 any OF The States for the
construction of any canal, railroad, or other
public Improvement, Is also idyerted to, cOu
rled with recommendation that prescriptions
Shall be granted to all such lands at an in
creased min mum.
OF the 67lS $50 acres ceded by the Chicka-
sGwa in Mississippi and Alabama, but 100000
acres remain undisposed OF. To avoid the ex-
pense eniailed upon the Government by the
holding Of these lands for sale "a at present,
tnelr attachment to a contiguous district Is re
= mrcuded
I he Mnison Rouge case is noticed. aud
general law is suggested TO relieve settlers who
may be IL like situations on other claims yet
before the courts growing cut CT disputed Spa
nish OF French titles.
The Commiss soner enters at length into
narration Of the proceedings OF the COmmis-
sioner3 appointed TO ascertain and settle the
private land claims in California. Two hun
dted and ninety-eight cases were pending be-
fore the board, according TO thelr latest state
meat.
Legislation is advised for the purpose of as
cefraining and settling private land claims IN
Oregon, growing out of our treaty with Brl-
tain. Attention is also directed TO the necessl.
" Of legislation to aulhorise the survey and
sale Of lands reserved for military and other
purposes, the object for which they were orr
ginally set apart having been accomplished
Another matter on Which legislative action Is
desirable arises out of doubts concerning the
t',e Of !he United States to lands selected un-
der the act ct 4th September, 1871, for schools
and other similar purposes. The policy OF
granting lands for these purpose 10 enforced
agd the claims Of the District OF COLUMBIA 10
assistance Of this character are incidentally
presented.
Il necessity exists for regulating 10y act OF
Congress The survey Of the California lands
There and in Oregon land otlces should be
established. The proPriety OF extenHihg me
Uuited States land system INTO NebfasHa
ttiah. and New Mexico is submitted Tor con-
giJp,alion. The loss TO the Government by
the leasing system, applied TO The mineral
lands on The Upper Mississippi, IS edVerted 10
us a reason foT avoiding the system on the Pa-
e,Ec.
The subject oflend grants TO aid ia the c on
styucton of rail ! ays is discussed hy lhe Com
missioner, who urges the benefits ihnt will
accrue froa them bolh 10 tie particular states
aud 10 the General GOge!na@Gi. he SHOWS
tlrt in Iiliaoi, lands which had remained un-
SID for mary wears have been eagerly sought
III lhe ephanieJ mi.imum since the grant t9r
.he Mobile AMI Chicago Railroad. tie d"el!s
rsnscially On the expectancy Of making grants
10 states West Of lhe Mississippi, to Cslliof-
ria, und 10 the Territori.s Of Otah ana gre
gor. Ile coacci.es that i ms poNcy u ptt-
.,.i with n literal hand, "mGny now living
viii Gee tle wo,ers Ct the Atlantic and Pocihc