The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-12-06
sis,ls7 IS

/ SAcstSs 80
/ EXPENDITURE,
Expenditures aud liabilities for
| all purposes from Gath March 90,
to Sept. 80, 1886. Si7,sa0 ~
Stock on hand Sept. 30, 1885, l,los N
Sls,434 10
Excess OF expenditure and liabil
lies during this period Sooo24
SWAMI AND OVERLOOKED LANDS.
| la obedience to the Act oil the last GEN
era Assembly, approved January 25th, 80,
authorizing the Governor to provide FOR the
selection Of the swamp and overlooked land
| granted to the Stale, BY the Act Of Congress
| 2sth o. September, 1850 immediately at
Tor the adjournment addressed letters TO
the Judges of the counties in which these
lands had not been selected, urging them
| "a cause il 70 be one at the earliest practi.
| cable moment, aud their lists should be re-
turned TO me, forthwith.
As the State had granted the lands TO the
counties in which they lie respectively, |
thought that the counties should incur the
expense of making the selections and re-
turns.
Some OF the Judges replied that there
| we're no swamp or overlooked lands in their
counties; some that there were no compe-
tent surveyors within their jurisdiction whom
they could employ to DO the work; some
| that they we're not familiar with the duty or
| the ferns to be observed, and that they must
receive specific instructions; whilst others
| utterly refused TO take any action ia the
premises.
Under these circumstances | employed
competent persons to proceed TO these coun-
| ties, \ it'll view TO stimulate the JUICES to
enter upon their work, and to give to each
copy OF all the necessary forms and in.
structions. By these means the swamp and
| overtlowed lands have been selected 10 ali
| II the organized counties OF the State, with
the exception. perhaps, of Grundy, which
has been organized within the past few
weeks. The swamp lands within the un-
| organized counties can be easily selected
| from the plats in the Office of the Surveyor
| General,
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
| In pursuance of the A ct of the last Gen
| eral Assembly, authorizing geological sur
vey OF the State, appointed Professor Jas.
Hall, OF Albany, New York, State Geolo-
gist, and in conjunction with Mr. Hall, APP
| pointed Professor J. D. Whitney, Of Mass,
State Chem 81.
| These gentlemen prosecuted their survey
during portion Of the years IS and 90,
| and 10 their report, which will be shortly
transmitted 10 you. refer you for an ac-
count of their explorations and the results.
| The high rank among scientific men en-
| joytd by each OF these gentlemen gives am
| pie assurance that the Survey Will be thor.
ough, practicable aud creditable to the
| State.
The appropriation for tbs past two years
was wholly inadequate, and at least double
the amount will be required for the two sue
ceeding years,
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
Complete sets Of standard weights and
measures have been received from the Fed
eral Government, and at the suggestion Of
Professor Baehe, superintendent Of weights
| and measures, | have caused TO be erected
a small building in the State house yard .or
their safe keeping.
The building was erected upon a plan
| furnished BY Dir. Bache, is nearly fire proof
and cost about Sl,700.
The standards are qaite expensive, Of
| very difficult adjustment, and are peculiarly
liable TO injury thought il unwise TO re-
ceive and store them 10 a warehouse where
| they would be liable 10 destruction by fire
or dampness, when the government WIS
| ready to furnish competent person to adj
jHst them for use without expense TO the
State. 1t sill be well 10 place these stan
Iards in the custody OF some officer ofstate, |
Unti suci, investigation is made and re- /
port submitted, il is recommended that all I
arri IN no Of 10 N,
ton with the bes Munes Improvement and
tae Des Mvines River lands be suspended /
transmit herewith, the biennial report
Of the Des MoHes River Improvement and
Navigation Cerpauy, aud the accompany
ing papers.
STATE UNIVERSITY.
Il would seem that with population in
the State of half million Of souls, aad
university fund of nearly two hundred thou
sand dollars, the time had arrived for thor
ough and efficient organization Of this in
sttution. such an organization, however,
| cannot be Perfected and maintained without
the proper accommodations for officers and
students. ltitis the design of the Gene i
raj Assembly u surrender the capitol build
ings at Iowa City, for university purposes,
provision should be made to that effect at
an early day. IF such is not the intention,
then | submit that il would be desirable to
speedily furniss the necessary accomnoda-
tons elsewhere or in some other manner.
STATE CAPITOL.
In compliance with the Act OF 18th oil
January, 1855, entitled ian act to relocate
the seat o. government" appointed com
missioners for that purpose and they have
discharged their duty The site selected for
the future capitol IL on gentle swell Of
land about three quarters Of mile east of
Fort des Moines, and the east side of the
river Ii commands good prospect and
seems to be well adapted to the purpose for
which il has been selected.
REVISION OF scPouL Laws.
In compliance with the provisions Of the
Act OF July IA h, 1856, Hon. Horace Mann.
OF Ohio; Hon Amos Dean, President OF
the State University, and F. E. Bisseli, ESQ
of Dubuque, were appointed commissioners
20 revise the School Laws of the State.
The Commissioners are engaged in the dis
charge Of their duties, and will be able 10
az their report before you in very few
lays,
REGISTRY Law.
most every person residing in any OF
the imperative necessity TOR some law TO
protect the purity Of Ballot Box. That grof Q
rauds ure PerpeTated at every exctins
lection, by the voting and double voting Of
unquaifie persons, ls not to be denied To
remeiy this great aud constantly increasing
evil, the pass gp Of registry law is respec'.
fully recommended. Such laws have been
in operation ii several States from period
!1nQ anterior to The adoption ofthe Federa
Constitution, and have fully answered their
design.
COUNTY INDEBTEDNESS.
The Constitution Wisely provides that the
State shall not in any manner Greats q debt
exceeding one hundfej thousand dollars
Tn trainers Of that instrument did not i'm
agine that there was as great necessity to
prohibit the counties from creating Iargn
public debts, for the reason th5t the history
u the country did not then present the case
Il county becoming a large stock holder
in priya corporations.
Wlhin the past few years, however,
80 great has been the anxiety to pro.
cure the construction Of works OF internal