Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1854-12-06


cash, (partly estiniated) 1884, 10000 g.
Located with bounty land war
rants sss, 10000 t"
Reported under swamp land
grant 1,496,962,57 I"
Making an aggregate Of 4,779,82s,57 :"
Frssa this it appears that the sales of the first
year exceeded those for the preceding by $685.
239,86 acres and that the sales for the last quar-
ter We're more than double those for the same
quarter in the last year, though the aggregate
amount of land disposed Of was not 80 great, for
the reason that the grants for bounty lands.
swamps, &c, had mostly been disposed Of
The clerks in the Office have been actively and
diligently employed, judging from the amount Of
work reported--about 40, 900 patents having been
written, over 1000 accounts adjusted, 28l, ,244
tracts posted or entered and, with the other busi-
ness Of the office, filing about 26s folio volumes
This, however, does not eonvcy full idea Of the
duties discharged, many Of them being exceedingly
intricate and complicated, In this respect, how
ever, full credit is given to the employees in the
| office, all OF whom receive high commcndaton for
their exertions and services
The statement of the condition of the bounty
land business shows that under the act of l847,
S6,676 warrants have been issued embracing H.
995,s8 acres; of which n, ,535 warrants have
been located, covering ll,734 080 acres, and eay-
ing 9,l41 outstanding and calling for 1921 800
acres.
Under the act of 1852, 1874, ,595 warrants have
been issued, embracing H. 8Sl $50 acres l4I ISL
OF these warrants have been located including
100 acres and 43, Ala are outstanding cali
ing for 2,77l 400 acres
Under the act of 1850, 1858 warrants have
been issued, embracing 666, 800 acres; 6,7O5 of
these warrants have been located covering 39I $40
acres, and 1888 are outstanding, calling for 274,
$50 acres
The aggregate of warrants issued, under these
several laws, is 2S2,809 embracing 26,543, TGO
acres; and of these, 225,42l have been located,
covering 22,235,sS0 acres, leaving 57,3SS out
standing, which call for 4,3o7, $3.50 acres.
The grant of 100000 acres made to the States
by the act OF 4th September, ls4l, has bee1 near
ly closed, except on the Pacific.
The grant for the Central Railroad in Illinois
has been adjusted; that for the Hannibal and st.
Josephs road, in Missouri, is nearly completed;
and that for the Southwestern road, In the same
State, is in process of adjustment. Nothing has
yet been done towards adjusting the grants for
railroads in Arkansas, their routes not having been
fixed by the Legislature of that State with whom,
alone, the power is vested by law for that purpose
The grant for the Sault st. Marie canal, in Mich
igan, il is expected win be adjusted by the CON-
mencement of the session Of Congress. An lands
Withdrawn for contemplated railroads, In anticipa-
ton Of grants, amounting to about thirty-one mil
The interference of the swamp land grant with
the prompt discharge Of the current duties Of the
Office, s stated, with recommendation that pat
ents issue for oil sales and locations and, where
they conflict with the claim of the States, that au-
thority be given to pay over the purchase money
for such lands to the several States or permit other
locations, satisfactory proof that the land Is of
the character granted by the swamp land act
The recommendation, in previous report, for
further legislation in relation to the Virginia revo-
lutionary bounty land claims, is revoked in view
OF the liberal construction given TO the act of 1852
in the Attorney Generals opinion and instructions
Of the Secretary, under which all meritorious claims
can be allowed. The imperfect condition Of part
Of the records in this division, made prior to 1885,
is noticed, with suggestions as to the remedy;
and the suggestion is made, that the small,
detached, and intersttiL tracts remaining TO
the government In the Virginia military district In
Ohio be granted 10 that State for school purposes
The reason given for this recommendation Is, that
the survey and sale Of these lands, amounting only
TO about 900 acres would probably cost the gov
ernment more than would be realized from them
The suggestion Is also made, that the privilege Of
purchasing these lands, at fixed price, be given
TO the owners OF adjoining tracts TO avoid the con-
fcts and litigation that would probably grow out
Of an attempt 10 retrace ancient boundaries.
The increase of business under the graduation
law, and the reduction Of the compensation TO the
referred TO, with recommendation that the same
allowance per annum as heretofore be made 70 those
officers without reference to the graduation within
the present maximum OF 81, 500 per annum ; fur.
ther allowance for clerk hire, where the fees mate
rally exceed that sum- and also for office rent that
the government may require the district Offices TO
be kept in safe and secure buildings
One hundred and forty-two certificates for dona-
ton claims in Oregon have been received very few
which. lOWeyqr war apcp niod tba ~,
OF survey required by the instructions. These are
suspended but patents viii be issued for others as
soon as practicable.
The surveyors general Of Kansas and Nebraska,
New Mexico, and Washington Territories, have re-
paired to the fields of their respective duties with
fun Instructions for their guidance and direction,
copies OF which are appended to the report
The land officers for Washington and Oregon
have also repaired to their land districts, with all
necessary instructions, records, FORMS &c. Those
for Kansas and Nebraska were not appointed. AZ
there was nothing further to do till the surveys
had been made.
Special attention Is requested to the able and
lucid reports Of the Surveyors General-a brief
synopsis OF each Of which is given, showing the
condition Of the surveys in each State and Terri.
tory the progress made therein, with the prospect
OF closing some Of them at an early day.
Inc defects In the law graduating and reducing
the price OF the public lands are pointed out with
the suggestion, II IL be determined TO ingra this
principle permanently on the land system, to ex-
tend the right TO enter at the reduced prices TO all
or TO limit II to pre-emptors The frauds practised
under that law are stated, with synopsis of the
instructions that have been issued to prevent those
frauds as far as practicable Il is shown that apse Of
time the basis Of the graduation law is no criterion
by which 10 determine the value Of lands that from
eight 10 twelve millions OF acres have been annually
| brought into market while the demand has ranged
from one to four millions that our people, being
social m their habits, naturally congregate in set
| Elements, for mutual aid and convenience; that
! hence the lands ordinarily entered embraced fair