New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-12-13
DEPARTMENTAL. REPOR.Ts
The Patent Office,


The Patent Office.
BY synoptical statement furnished to the Interior
department by the Commissioner of Patents which
ifeats oi la'ters pertaining to that office IN to the
iin oi november, we are put in possession of the
Previous to the year 1853, the highest number of
patents Issued in any one year was I076, which was
IN 1S49. In 1853, the number was oniy 95s In 1a54
It increased to 1902, and in 1855 it was Augmented
to 2,O24. N' aug t"'n''"
From small beginnings the Patent Office bas grown
INTO proportions comparatively gigantic Half q cen
tury since the whole of the office did not
ceed $500 per annum which was all appropriated to
the payment of one clerk who transacted the whole
business OF the office. The income of the present
year viii be about $2000OO which will still be scarce
~ sufficient to deray the contingent expenses of the
once, with Its one hundred examiners, clerks and
other EMPLOYEES
Il we compare the present condition Of the office
WIN "hat It was few years since we shall find that
dufng the tour years previous to 1853 the average
annual number OF applications for patents was 522
"hle ior the tour years from 1858 inclusive such ay
thousand! ''1' - ''N'
, me number Of patents annually increased during
the former period averages 99O During the latter It
Will be about 35o For the current year the whole
huInoef OF applications made, the whole number Of
patents granted, and the whole amount of revenue
received will respectively be at least double to what
they were IN any one year prior to 1858.
me number Of applications for patents to this Office
IN 1900 was greater than those in the Office of any
other country on earth, having been 435, against
2,956 in Great Britain and 1885 in France For the
present year the number of applications will nroba-
bly, not fall short of five thousand.
IN pursuance of the design of Congress, measures
have been taken to procure cuttings and seeds from
every quarter of the world where any new product
can be found which is likely to prove useful in any
portion Of the United States Many new productions
OF great probable utility have thus been already intro
duced and others are being sought for wherever there
Srpnn ottn ~
vessel has been sent to South America to procure
fresh supply of cuttings of the sugar cane to furnish
our Southern planters with fresh stock to supply the
place OF that which is supposed to have become dete
lorated by being transferred to somewhat inconge
NAL climate
The benefits resulting from the appropriations al
ready made have doubtless been far more than to jus
tiy the expenditures incurred. Unless there be some
objections Of q political character the system is he
lieved to be founded in wisdom. II the appropria-
tons can be judicously applied and restrained within
proper limits they will prove eminently beneficial and
their continuance will be clearly expedient, unless
there are counterbalancing reasons resulting from
doubts as to the proprety of such undertaking by
the Federal Government.
Abstract of General Land Office Report.
The report of the General Land Office is of more
than usual length, covering period of five quarters.
ending 30th September, 1856, and giving various sub
ects OF its Jurisdiction and all the operations of the
land system, of the United STATES lands sold and dis.
posed of, during the period covered by the report
There was sold for cash l0062 l07.l9 acres of the
pnbllc lands: and located with military bounty land
warrants 1886 $40 acres selected and reported under
swamp grants 6036 S74.39: and appropriated By the
railroad grants of May, June and August, 1855 las
estmated) l3,755 $50 acres, making grand aggre-
gate Gncludlng other internal improvement selectons)
of l,llG,39G5S acres Of the public domain disposed
OF during the five quarters ending 3Oth September
lsj6. This is large increase over the quantity dis
posed OF during the five quarters preceding. While
the sales for cash have greatly fallen off, the disposal
OF Congressional grants locations of land warrants
has more than proportlonaby increased. The tables
accompanying the report showing the saes locations
swamp selections, etc.. are very full.
Lands to no considerable extent have been pro-
claimed and offered at public sale during the year
1885, the present policy OF the Office being to secure
them to the actual settlers under the pre-emption
laws rather than to favor speculation therein by pre-
cpitatng public sales of large quantities beyond the
means of settlers to purchase. With the view of max
ing this the permanent policy Of the Office the report
recommends slight modification of the pre- emption
laws. Other amendments, for the equitable adjust
ment of conflicting settlements upon unsurveyed
lands, are recommended.
The surveys during the year ending 3Oth Septem-
ber 1856, Of which plas have been returned and ap-
proved amount to lG,ST3 500 acres, of which 999I
SS4 acres on the Pacific coast. Extensive surveys
have been made which have not yet been repored Tie
surveys of 1856 and those reported in 1885, amount
to Al 445 acres, Of of which .573,354 acres are
i'll California. and the Territories of Oregon Washing
ton, Kansas, Nebraska and Utah.
Report Of Commissioner Of INDIAN Affairs.
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs Mr. George D.
hlanypenny, makes lengthy report of the condition
OF the various Indian tribes in the United States.
Where so many tribes are treated of, as may be
expected the accounts differ widely. While some of
the tribes give gratifying evidences of improvement
and civilization others continue in their pristine state
of savage ntlactableness. On the whole, however,
the report. when looked upon from a humanitarian
point OF view, is satisfactory.
SHOCKING RAILROAD ACCIDENT.-The New York
Tribune gives the following particulars of the boiler
explosion which took place on the Sd inst. on the
New York and Erie Railroad, about thirty miles from
Jersey City.
The locomotive attached to the milk-traiu, which
left jersey City at 81 o'clock, exploded Immediately
after leaving the station at Sufferns and was totally
wrecked. The boiler was thrown entirely across the
other track, and the smoke-pipe was blown nearly
300 feet.
G. w. Vance, the engineer of the train, was thrown
distance of 400 feet before he struck the ground.
One of his legs was torn off below the knee and one