Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-01-01

fooIecA cnuiiS looS thcrc Wol0
Located with bounty land warrants 1,3S7,ll6 81
Located with other certificates 1860 's
Making total of 1,646,020 {"
There were reported under swamp land
grant : 2,4s5, 1888
Making aggregate for the quarter of 4,l3l,2 1858
During the past year % 900 letters were received and
answered 149l adjusted and reported to
the Comptroller Il SOB certificates Of land sales
bountyland warrant locations 93l8 declaratory state
ments $4,000 swamp land, internal improvement, ind
other selections posted about TO cash. bounty
land and other patents written recorded aud
mitted 1864 5l9 acres of swamp land and other selec
tons certified to the States and upwards Of 90 900
pages OF letters and accounts were recorded.
Among the accounts adjusted, above mentioned were
those Of the land officers, under the of I'D March,
1852 to make land warrants assgnable and for other
purposes" by which those officers entitled the
per centage for the location of since the
18th February, lS47, as for cash sales.
AS the law provides that all such fees for locations made
prior to its passage should be paid out of the Treasury
most Of the accounts therefor made this Office
from the of the several offices, and involved
great amount of careful labor and entire revision Of
all the accounts settled since lst January l847.
The whole amount thus paid out of the Treasury,
18th November, 1852, was $ll0,8l6 81.
This law, which act Of simple justice to the dis
rct land officers and only reasonable compensation for
faithful services limits the amount Of fees paid each
person from every to S. 500 per annum, and
after the passage of that law should be paid by the per-
who made those locations. The consequence has
been that in several instances the aggregate of fees paid
in for military locations exceeded the compen
saon of the land officers and the has gone into
the public treasury and therefore the Government that
extent has been reimbursed of the above
toned expenditure in the first instance.
The survey Of the northern boundary of Iowa has been
completed, required by the act of Sd March, 1S49
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
muncated at early day in the ensuing session Of Con-
gress
The promptness energy and efficiency with which this
work has been executed rebounds the credof the able
and efficient surveyor and astronomers charged
with it; and in fact to all the persons employed it.
The condition of the public lands in each State and
Territory will be found forth in table accompanying
this report in which the entire of each State
square miles and acres is given the quantity surveyed
and unsuryeyed the number Of offered for sale
the number of sold the embraced in de-
nations grants for schools universities ayums for the
deaf and dumb internal improvements, to individuals
and companies; for seats Of government and public
buildings for military services; reserved for saines
for the benefit of Indians for companies, individuals
and corporations the covered by confirmed private
claims; the amount Of swamp land granted the
raj States for railroad purposes and the total
sold and unapproprated Of offered and unoered lands
From the last column it will be perceived that there
large bodies Of land in all the States and Territories
extending from the 25th the 49h parallel Of north la
ttude and from the Atlantic to the Pacific including
every desirable variety Of soil and climate mineral and
timber and capable Of producing in the greatest album
dance not only the necessares but the luxures of life
and aforing the widest field for enterprsng industry
Under resolutions Of the Houses of Congress the
valuable report of Dr. ID. d. Owen, on the geology of
Wisconsin, Iowa. and Minnesota land incidentally Of the
"Mauyaises Terres in Nebraska is being printed
under direction of this Office The report is youminous
and will constitute with its index quarto of about $50
pages, with separate volume Of maps With an eve TO
economy in the execution Of so large edition has
been ordered it was concluded to adopt wood engravngs
for the illustrations which accompany the text and am
happy to state that, while the work itself reflects the
highest credit the scientific attachments of its author
the execution Of is in style likely do credit at home
and abroad to the artistic skill Of the country The mode
pursued has been very economical involving much less
expense than any other known to the Department The
work Of printing has progressed with unwearyng dill
gence, and is expected that thousand copies will be
ready for delivery shortly after the meeting of Congress
and subsequently the progress viii be the rate Of FIVE
hundred copies per week
In this connection beg leave to invite attention to
paper from DR. Owen, herewith submitted setting forth
the utility Of geological survey in Oregon and mani
Testing strong desire that special geological
be ordered in the region Of country in Nebraska
which lies hear the headwaers Of the Moreau White
and Cheyenne rivers, and in the region Of the Black
Hills denominated the "Mauyases Terres" This il
regarded the tertiary formation Astounding with the
fossil remains Of extinct species of animals each com
bning the distinctive characteristics OF several existing
races according TO the decisions Of comparative anatomy
9th chapter Of his report The field referred to seems
likely to be one Of peculiar interest TO the geological
world, in reference 10 which DR. Owen states that sit is
not too much to assert that the disclosures by the
opening OF the gypsum quares OF Montmarre France
that made first acquainted with those singular extinct
fossil races enombed in the Paris BASIN no discovery in
geology has dvuged such extraordinary and interesting
results IN paeontoogy He further remarks that ahere
IN the bad lands OF Nebraska do we anticipate the re-
moval Of the shroud OF oblivion that has 40 long con-
ceaed important events in the past history Of this earth
that must form deeply interesting chapter in ts peoo
gy With such prospects of enrchng the fields OF science
from further exploration Of this attractive region Won
will understand my anxiety for prosecuting those geo.
logical researches Reasons other than the foregoing
are also urged by DR.. Owen for this undertaking
Last year. when starting the public surveys In Oregon
the department yielded to the wishes of the late delegate
who urged, in compliance with the desire OF his const;t
ents geological reconnaissance some extent in tbe
oregon Territory and particularly the west Of the Cas-
cade mountains After much deberaon IL was deemed
consistent and proper TO devote such object what 70
manned OF an appropriation for similar explorations in
the west particularly as Dr. Owen had strenuousy re-
commended the measure, in continuation Of the 5eyaI
opments which viii be found in his report DR. Fvan.
his enterprsng assistant in explorations was A..
pointed TO thr service. He has persevered in The ~
with remarkable energy, after having crossed the pL
mountains at much personal hazard without other nro
lection than few occasional Indian guides fV |
Preliminary reports have been received from hin; 20
much interest but the means furnished we're long since
exhausted, and will not admit Of completing hs rsn,
and hence an item is submitted for the pnrnoss n az
estimates Of appropriations for the next fiscal yeo and
also TO the expense of a reconno;ssars - -
Mauvaises Terres," in Nebraska. " Wy
The final report Of Messrs. Foster and Wbtro, 80 a.
geology Of the Lake Superior land district ia H. 60
pcon o. which an appropriation made at the last