The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-07
THE PUBLIC DOM AIN.
The Annual Report OF the Commissioner OF
Public Lands.

GENERAL LAND OFFICE Nov. 20, 1852.
sa-I have the honor to submit the following report
Of the operations Of this Office during the past year. with
such to be proper for further carrying
out the system of dsposing Of the public domain =
within tina. period we're surveyed, scres... 522 ass
Mssn r.. sst ssea year there were Ssc
Located with bounty land warrants 320l 3l4
with other certificates. 1852
Making total of......................4 ,s7o,o67
In addition, there reported under swamp
land grant, acres. :.......... 5Z!yiss
Making an aggregate Of 1a1I5l75
Being an increase in the amount Of lands sold and
located with land warrants, the previous year,
Of $50, 220 acres.
The whole amount thus sold aud located reported un.
der the swamp land grant al seesed for internal i'm
provements railroads &c. that Of the last year
by 1912 372 acres and the files would doubt have
been much heavier bat for tn xensive reservations for
railroads in Mississippi, Al i. ma, and Missouri.
For the quarter ending alth geptember 1862,
1cslss we're w,h sS Sonnty land
with other certifcate' ............. loois
There were reported under mp land grant. 24s5,133
Making an aggregate for q quarter Off,. 41al 253
During the past year 25eo letters received and
answered 491 accounts adjusted and reported to
the Comptroller 81 sos Gcates of land sales 2o226
bounty land warrant Location, 931S declarstory state
ments, $1,000 swamp land eternal improvement and
other selections posted about 10000 cash. bounty
land and other patents written recorded and trans
mitted 1864 of swamp land and other selections
certified to the States and upwards Of 900 pages
OF letters and accounts recorded.
Among the accounts adjusted above mentioned,
those Of the Land Officers under the act of March
a. 1852, TO make land warrants asgnable, and for
other purposes by which those officers entitled to
the per centage the ocatisn Of warrants since
the lItn Of February, ls47, as for cash sales
As the Law provides that all such fees for locations
made prior to It's passage should be paid out of the
this Office from the returns Of the several officers aud
involved great amount Of careful labor and entire
iss7 VIC A''''A'' S''''' ''''' ''' JANUARY
The whole amount thus poid of the Treasury TO the
18th November. 1852, was $l10S16 oil.
This law, which act Of simple justice to the
District Land Officers and only reasonable compcusa
ton for faithful services limits the amounts Of fees paid
to each person from every to 50 500 per annum
and requires that those for the locations of land
made after the passage Of that law should be paid by the
persons who made hofe locations The consequence has
BEEN that In several instances the aggregate Of fees paid
IN for military locations exceeded the maximum
pensaion OF the Land Officers and the has gone
into the Treasury and therefore, the government to
that extent hat been reimbursed account OF the above
mentioned expenditures In the first instance
The survey Of the northern boundary OF Iowa has
been completed, as required by the act of Sd March,
lS49, the monuments have all been erected and full
report OF the whole work with maps Of the boundary
showing the topography of the country, will be specially
at an early day in the ensuing session Of
Congress.
The promptncss, energy and efficiency with which this
work has been executed rebounds the credit OF the
able and efficient surveyor General and Astronomer
charged with It, and in fact to all the persons employed
on IL.
The condition Of the pubic lands in each stste snd
Territory will be found set for In table E accompany
ing this report in which the enre area Of each state in
square miles and acres is given quantity surveyed
end unsuryeyed-thc number OF offered for sale
the number Of sodthe amount braced Ia dons-
tone grants for schools universities asyluuis the
deaf and dumb internal improvements TO individuals
and compsnies-for seats OF government and public
buildjrgs-fu military services reserved for salines--
for the benefit Of Indians for individuals and
corporations; the covered by confirmed private
caims the amount OF swamp lands granted to the
States for railroad purposes end the total uusod
and unappropiiated OF offered and unoffcred lants.
From the last column 1t will be perceived that there
large bodies of land in all the states and Territories
extending from the Goth the 49h parallel OF north
ln,ituds, and from the Atlantic 20 the Pacific pcudiog
every desirable variety Of soi and climate, minSal and
timber aud capable OF producing in the greatest album
dance not only the sares but the luxures Of life
and aording the widest field for enterprsng industry