The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1857-12-17
EXECUTIVE REPORTS.
Report of the Secretary of the Interi


Secretary Thompsons report opens with an
EXHIBIT of the operations OF the Land Bureau
A historical sketch is given of the methods BY
which the public domain was originally acquir-
ed, and then follows schedule Of the organiza-
ton Of the surveying system. The whole sur-
face of public domain s stated at l, 450, 900 900
acses, of which 57,442, $40 acres have never
| been offered for sale, and $4,000, 900 acres
wese subject to entry at private sale on the 3Oth
! September last. The number of acres thus far
| solj is &c ',862,464 acres leaving undisposed
OF, ,086, 1877 1886 acres. Last year, q, 889, 46l
&C .es of public lands were surveyed and report
| ed 5,300,5 acres were sold for cash ;
| 7,j8l,0l0 were located with military warrants ;
ana the railroad grants under the act ofMarch,
were 5,ll6,000 acres. The sum received on
ca III sales was $4,225,90e, falling eff of
| 1892, l45, with corresponding falling off in
tn location of lands with warrants of more
th n 20 per cent.
Che Bureau of Pensions return satisfactory
re sort. Up to June, 1867, total of SCI IA 620
in money, and large donations of land, had been
pad to Revolutionary soldiers or their widows.
d ring the past year, Al ,483 warrants for boun-
ty land have been issued, requiring to satisfy
th in 1852, l60 acres. of public land. The num-
b,t Of warrants issued under all the Bounty
l. I'D acts Of Congress from the Revolutionary
I ft,AO
| 6r,,904, 942 acres of land. Frauds upon the
P. l!sion Office are numerous. and an extension
OF she statutory limit of two years is recon-
needed, to remedy this evil. The report states,
| in Getail, the condition of the public buildings
| at the capital, and then considers the subject
| of District Attorneys fees, concluding this
branch with recommendation of an increase
OF be attorneys salaries on an equitable basis.
| Taowagon road works have been commenced on
tie routes from Fort Kearney to Honey Lake, in
California, from Ell Paso to Fort Yuma, at the
opth of the ella; and from the Platte River
t4the Running Water. The Mexican Bounda.
r, Commission having concluded its labors, its
APPS and journals have been turned over to
L 9 Department
The Patent Office reports, that from Jan. l
t. Sept. 80, 1857, 1905 applications for patents
ere received, 800 caveats were filed, 2,066
p tents were issued, and 2,287 applications
= ere rejected. The receipts of this Bureau for
rec quarters of the year have been Sl6l, 4l5
.penditures, Sl63, 942; excess of ex penditures
! 1926. Of the expenditures, $27,939 were
E,ade up of fees restored to applicants after the
examination of their cases. The Secretary
gestures this practice, and urges the necessity
Of making the Bureau self sustaining. The
1ght of appeal to District Judge is also cen
sursd, and repeal of the law which authorizes
|
The report concludes with strong endorse
mept of the utility of the Agricultural Division
of NE Department.
Report Of the Postmaster General.
Postmaster General Browns Report is very
I yG,umnous. Mr.. Brown states that since be
entered upon the Administration of the Depart
ment, he has ventured on no new theories, nor
] attempted any innovations on well-tried sys
tea. He calls particular attention to the fac,
that while but 8,l46 Post Offices were es
tablished in the twenty years from 1927 to l847
he number established in ten years, from l847
I f. 1867, was ll,444-being an increase oil
=, 1913 in Just one-half of the former period
During the last fiscal year, l,725 Offices have
been established, and 7O4 discontinued, being
. net increase of l or. The number of Post
nasters appointed during the year was $3.50
Of which 1867 were to fill vacancies occasioned
b. designations. The total number of Posi-
Offices in the United States at this time ID
J 2s,l48, of which 368 are of the class denomina
ted Presidential, the incumbents being subject
t. appointment by the President and Senate
, Qp the 3O.h of June last, 1888 mail routes
we're in operation, with an aggregate length
o.. 242,60l miles; of which 22,530 miles were
{ pr railroad, l5,245 by steamboats,, and AZ, 1925
i, b. coach. The total annual transportation o.
sils was "a, 900 067 miles, costing Sc, 622, GAG
The cost of transportation was relatively 81
lH flows: By railroad, ten cents and five mills
f Per mile; by steamboat, twenty two cents
lie by coach, seven cents and four mills
{ n,e. The length of railroad routes has beer
creased 2,207 miles, and the length of stea m
/ oat routes is increased by 294 miles. The
, I lumber of mail contractors Is 6,576. The
age coaches are going more and more on
lt { fashion; during the year, the length OF coach