Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-12-18

Dnriny the five quarters, ending
Sent. 30, 1857, there have been cold
for easn s,.a25!eUs is
During the came period there have
been located with military bounty o,
land warrants i,ool,uIo "''
And reported under swamp land
grant of 1850 3o"-,i'' OWE
The estimated quantity granted TO
the State of Alabama and the Ter.
ritory of Minnesota, by act OF
March last, for railroad purposes ,,c mn ,cr..
Making an aggregate of pubic ANUS
disposed of during the ave qnhr-
tiers, ending Goth SEPTEMBER 1917 y, ,cn o2c o,-.s
0r all the lands sold and located, it If estimated that
tbrss. fourths were taken for actual settlement.
Irnon comparison of the foregoing with the stairs
,;cs of the last annual report, it is found that the lands
sold and located during the five quarters, ending sep
trnber 80, 1857, fall short OF the quantity sold and To-
Gated during the period embraced Ill the last report by
NOR. than 6,00O,U00 acres,
And that the cash receipts have fallen oil In a siii'
larger proportion. This diminution is attributable TO
The withdrawal of the extensive bodies OF puolic
lands along the lines OF the railroads in The States and
Territory TO which grants Of lands were mace during
the last Congress-, and alsO to the sale OF large quah
titles OF land at ths reduced prices fixed by the era
duation act Ot the 18th August, lejl, ana 10 the iact
tina: the demand for new lands has BEEN III part "a
SIZE NY IL ClhlNcII o - hbN ~
tn. swamp, internal improvement, and other grants:
During and since the year 1851, grants OF land
have been made to ten States and one Ierrtory, I"
aid them in the construction oil MY rahroaus' u an
extent of S,647 miles. Amounting tpart estimatedl
to -, 247 1886 acres, o! which 2O,796.S75 acres were
granted By the last Congress.
These grants, 40 far us they remain unadjusted, re-
! csive the prompt attention OF The General Land Office,
! 70 far as the perquisites arc furnished by the author.
tics of the grantees, and involve an amour. OF otiiclal
! labor at least equal to the sale Of that quantity oil
land.
Under the acts of 1919 and 1850. granting the swamp
and overlooked lands 10 the States within which
they lie, there have been reported to the General
Land Office. 54,I74.2Sl acres
or which there have been approved ~ l33.1ol acres
And patented to the States..-...... 24,O6O'5go acres
BY the Sd act of March, 1857, the selections. OF swamp
lands, vera confined, with exceptions, and they are
now being rapidly approved and patented To the
States.
Under the acts of 1877. 1859, 1852 and 1855, grant
iny boun:y lands TO officers aud soldiers who have
been engaged in the military service OF the United
States, there have issued--...-... oO3,Oo- warrants
Embracing ooo9,o'o dcles'
OF 3ll,629 warrautS'
Have BEEN located, COVERING. $3.50 9o acres,
or land. There are yet outstanding. awaiting ioca'
tiOn. lol'too "aFia"'e'
Embracing 10 lOO, lSO acres,
The report shows the present condition OF the
/ grants TO the States Of Wisconsin and Iowa for i'm
provement of the Fox, Wisconsin and the Des MONIES
rivers.
The views of the Commissioner, touching the poll
| CIV of the government in the disposal OF the public
domain. favor the interests OF actual settlers, ana op.
pos. any policy that would allow a monopoly in The
hands of spectators. Upon THIS suQect ne USES lhs
following language:
The wisdom OF The presumption policy IL no longer
the subject of controversy. I'll esfaollsned by lhe
history of every neighborhood and settlement
Throughout the West. This is said in full view OF the
fact that many fraudulent presumption claims are es.
tabllshed by evasion and perjury, and that such Will
be the case even under the most diligent ADMINISTERS
ton OF this and the local offices; especially during
periods such as that through which we have recently
passed, when the spirit of speculation has possession
of the public mind. But this class Of cases, when
compared with the great body OF honest claims,
made by men living upon the lands, IA too inconsld-
cradle to weigh against our policy. The title 10 the
lands should pass Immediately from the government
| to the men VINO are to cultivate the soil. So far as II
may be avoided the Spectator should not be allowed
TO intervene.
With a view to uniformity and practicabili,y in the
system, important amendments of the pre- empiion
laws are recommended.
The report shows All activity in our surveying ope
ratinns during the five quarters ending 30,h Septem.
her, 1857, beyond that Of any preceding period, and
that the quantity Of new lands now liable TO be dis.
posed Of exceeds, by many millions OF acres, the sur.
vey-d lands of any former period.
The quantity Of land surveyed and ready for mar.
ket, and not advertised for pub C sale. exclusive OF
lauds withdrawn on account OF rail road grants, en-
braces An area 81 ,442.876 acres.
Of this quantity there was surveyed
and returned, during the five quar-
tiers ending September 81, 1871. PISS .16l acres.
The Commissioners report presents n most graft.
fyiDg view OF tbs progress OF the surveying system.
The work of laying of, and subdividing the public
lands, in tracts suitable 10 farms, and Looking to the
great agricultural interests Of the country, has been
completed in some, and nearly 50 in others ot the
States OF Michigan, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri and
Louisiana. 1t has advanced as Tar South in Florida
as the protracted Indian hOstilities III that region
- H.. - IL.- -,-nlM ~ fnr nSyar IAIa
and Wisconsin Us will soon place these in the cateso-
~ Of States in which the United States surveying
machinery will be Withdrawn, aud the archives turn.
I'd aver, As repaired by law. 20 the State authorities.
Retiring from me old sphere Of operations, The Com
nissioller ,ke;ches the progress Of the system In the
new fields opened by law. Beginning with Minneso.
! Ia, We find the lines ut the public surveys extended
TO the i7,h parallel Of north latitude, on the North
western shore of Lake Superior, and along the Mis-
sisslppi on both sides.
In kans.a aud Nebraska the surveying web.work
ia already extended over an area equal to some 3OO
miles from north 10 south by l00 east tn west, from
the :S.h degree of north latitude 10 AZ degrees 81
minutes, and from the 95:h 10 the 9Sth degree Of wet
longitude. embracing luGian reservations, Indian
trust and other lands in that interesting aud rich az
ricultural region,
On the Pacific slope the gu, veye have been pushed
forward with extraordinary rapidity; upwards Of
81, 100 miles have been executed in California, at tbs
expense OF n million of dollars. Linked in with
thess public surveys are what are known as "PriYate
Lsud Claims" under final combinations, in some in
stances, by DEGREES Of the Supreme Court OF the
United States; others by DEGREES OF the United States
District Court, Or Of The Board of Land Commits
sioneis. where, in the last two classer, the DEGREES
have become final by dismissal of appeals.
These claims, known as ranches" from several
leagues in extent TO Il single league of $50 acres,
with other classes of titles, such rs rural lands OF less
extent aud town lots, devolve upon the otfice great
labor and responsibility in connection with the foreign
titles i'm the elder land States, which have occupied
,ha uffantipr nf thu apurta pf fht nDnntry tor n tnrG
of a century, and lead 20 the development of these
interesting principles Of Jurisprudence which contro!
in the adjustment, Of thesn titles.
Passing from California To Oregon, we learn from
the report that the public lands aud donations West
of the Cascades have been nearly completed, and AZ
soon az authority of law is conferred for the surveys
In the interior Territory, the public surveyors, chain
in hand, will pass over the Cascades and enter thai
comparatively uuexplnred region
In Washington Territory, the extreme North West.
ern portion of the Union, the surveys have reached
nearly to The 10Th parallel, the boundary between The
United States aud the British possessions. Leaving
the Pacific slope, the surveyors have entered Utah,
surveyed in the valley Of til. jordan and Bear rivers
10 the extent of nearly two millions Of acres, and in
the interior region of New Mexico surveys are in
progress, but are retarded by the difficulties insepara.
BILE from the ancient titles in that country, for the
survey and final adjustment of which the interposi
ton of Congress is invoked.
The report is one of diversified details, exhibiting
gr.at energy and skill in the administration Of This
important branch of the public service, aud is full OF
interest TO the whole country.
RECENTDEATHS.-fIon Whitmel Stalings. for
many Years a member oil the North Carolina Lcgis.
la,ure. and subsequently of the Executive Council,
died las, week at his residence in Gates county, y.
G. Mills Roberts, Esq, one of the Vice Presidents of
the Ssaboari Agricultural Society, and a man of
great. influence and worth, died recently in the came
county.
NICARAGUA EMIGRANTS.
New ORLEANS. Dec. l2.-Wnlker will receive nm
additional force Of one thousand men, which will leave
here ,hi. week, under The command of Gen. Henning
sen. Walker stock IL up tonight.