The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-12-20

be bad and i any valid confirmed claims exist whct
have moi been, or cannot be located, because of The
ysgueness OF the calls, OF that the land has been previous
" disposed oil provision could be made for locating else
where like quaniiiy o public laHd, subject TO private
entry, IN satisfaction thereof Unceasng application am
diligence have enabled The gentlemen in charge OF this
branch o the olce To Keep the business OF Il nearly ~
10 date ibe compexy oi the questions
involved and The onsrous character Of the duties.
When the action Of this Office shall be required on the
claims 10 Calllolna. Oregon, New Mexico, Utah, and
the Territory OF Washington, &c. the business OF this
bureau will be much onerous, consequent on It's
great increase The report OF lst July last from The Cali
fonia commissioners. accompanied by statement oi the
27th June las, from their secretary, shows that there
were al that lime before The board or decision as pei
docket Sl2 cases
The number then decided and all confirmed ~
The number not then decided TAO "
The number on which the evidence was then
=. closed and ready ior hearing -
The number in which evidence
taken, up 10 that date, was 27o p"
The number in which evidence was taken. st .
but not closed, as per register Of Wit
and that in case. which then decided, was tie
record perfected and that in tour the transcripts
required BY law were Transmitted 10 the Attorney Gene
raj and IN such transcripts had been filed with
The clerk OF The district court for the northern district OF
California !.
The l4th section OF the act OF Congess OF March
s3l to ascertain and settle the private land claims IN The
Slate OF California declares that the provisions OF that
act shall not extend any town lot farm LOT, pas
tare lot held under grant from any corporation or town
TO which lands may have been granted tor The establish
mcnt OF town by tie Spanish or Mexican government,
or the lawful authorities thereof TO any city, town,
o. village lot which Guy town. or village existed on lhe
7h day OF July, 1876; but the claim for the same shall
he presented by The corporate authorities OF the sai
town; or where the land which the SAID city. town.
Or village was originally granted 10 an individual, 'he
claim shall be presented by the OF such Indi
yldua and the fact OF the existence OF The said city,
town. village the said 7h Of july eighteen hundred
and iotysix being duly proved shall be prima aete
Gpnc n a n
under whom the said lol-hoders claim and where any
city, town. village shall be in existence at the time Of
passing this ac the claim for the land embraced within
the limits Of the may be made by the corporate
thory OF the SAID city, town, or village"
Under this provision, eleven claims have been fled TO
wit:
No 237, Sonora; No 2s0 San Francisco; No 2ss
San Jose No. Az, Los Angeles; No. $40, Santa Bar
barai No. 5sa, San Diego; No 633, Sacramento; No
639, Sonora No ia, Monterey; No 1873, San LUIS
Oblspo; No. 1913, Sacramento.
THIS last report does furnish data by which TO
certain the aggregate Of land covered By the claims
confirmed aud those rejected.
In view OF the great amount Of business before these
commissioners, aod the mass OF clerical labor required
to bring the records down 10 the Isl July last and 10
keep pace with The future disposition OF The cases those
commissioners, villa your approhaton were authorized
employ the necessary extra temporary force for tha
purpose, the work 10 be done on the most economical
terms either by the piece or otherwise.
The surveys have been prosecuted in this State as
rapidly as The condition OF the private land claims &c
would permit, as will appeer from the able and lucid re-
propIiely OF having those claims located fast they
approved by the commissioner, that the land claimed
as private property may be severed lfom he pubic do.
main and The latter be surveyed and prepared Tor market
r. COURSE heretofore determined upon is most JUDI
g lecause if any OF The claims thus located shall
ter be declared invalid, the cost OF extending the
! OF the public surveys through them will be trihiDg,
whie the contrary policy would have tendency TO IN
duce expense, litigation, and delay
The office OF the surveyor general of California has
been fully organized, under the art Of 81 March last
all the necessary instructions, with the seal OF office,
having been prepared and transmitted Some incongru
tiles found TO exist between the provisions OF this
ac, and The general appropriation law OF the date
in relation 10 the prce per mile for certain surveys.
These reconcIIed a. far as possible, the two laws
on this subject being regarded ia uri mafrrd and so
construed Those rates are all considered by tie sur.
veyor general too low IN view OF the high price of
living and the dhiculties IN executing the work op ac
count OF the peculiar Typographical features OF the conn
Try and the delay aud uncertainty incident TO the loca
lion OF the Spanish aod Mexican titles
Under the bi,h section OF the above. mentioned act
authorizing the division of the State into two three
land Districts II deemed indspensatly necessary 10
establish two, at least in view OF the extent OF the sell
Elements from north 10 south, and that was done; the
boundary between them being the nearest surveyed par
alc TO The seth degree OF north latitude The Office for
aor,hern distc, located al Bencia and that for
the southern at Los Angeios and in view OF The fact
that the usual allowances OF ices, Nc 10 hose offcers,
were prohibited BY that law, except IN pre- eppiion
and that the OF their offices would absorb about The
whole amoun, Of their compensation i was found IN
dspensaby necessary 10 allow them the they should
actually pay for office rent, in addition 10 their salaries,
upon lie production OF evidence that such amount
reasonable and accordance with the ordinary charges
for rent the towns in which their Offices are located.
The allowance thus made in these from necessity,
should, however, IN my opinion, be extended 10 all The
district land officers and bey should be required 10
hold their offices safe and buildings, that the
valuable archives belonging thereto may be preserved
against all risk
The report OF the surveyor general of Oregon and
Washington Territories has not received. but is
pecled in nc be uncaied shortly after, the
Commencement OF the session Of Congress Nearly Two
millions OF acres these Territories have been survey
ed and the pa,s returned TO this ohce and II is believed
tha, all the At the disposal OF the surveyor gene
raj have been udcously applied 10 the surveys IN that
district seal provided and sent 10 that officer
required by the act oi 81 March last and full ouc
lions under the OF i4th February last also trans
mrted The notifications made by this act OF the pro-
visions OF the law Of 9Th September, 1850, cannot fail
10 have a beneficial effect IN the settlement OF tha,
Territory. The extension of time TO Ist December, 1855,
10 which persons enigraing TO and settling 10 those
Territories shall be entitled 10 donation, will no doubt
lnduce many 10 seek homes that region, especially in
OF the glowing accounts we have oil the richness
OF the soil salubry and mdness OF the climate and
the valuable lumber and minerals found there. No
sales have yet been reported as having been made
in that region owing mos, probably, to the fact iha,
the former surveyor general did not enter into bond
receiver till shortly before his successor was APP
pointed. The law, you are aware limits the sales
10 actual settlers, who wish 10 secure Zee simple
title to their homes before the completion Of the four
ears continued occupancy required 70 entie ihem to
the land settled upon DONATION. This provision Is u
dcious in virtue Of all settlement claims will be adj
us,ed n process OF Adjustment before the lands
thrown open 10 general entry. and conflicts will tie AVOID
ed Further legislation woud tn be required in
iaon the second proviso the r section OF the act
OF 18th August. I5ts 30 establish tbs territorial govern.