Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-12-19

give full and very satisfactory statement of the ex.
tended operations under the land system of the Uni.
ted States:
During the five quarters ending Sept.
80, 1857, there have been sold for cash.
for $4,22o,9Os IS, 5,sOO,55O
During the same period there have been
located with military bounty land war
rants, 1881 ,OlO
And reported under swamp land grant
of 1850, s,362,47
The estimated quantity granted to the
State Of Alabama, and the Territory of
Minnesota, by act of March last for
railroad purposes is, 5li6OO0
Making aggregate of public lands dis
posed of during the five quarters end.
ing Sept. 80, 1857, Of, 2l,l6OOS6
OF the lands sold and located, it is estimated that
three-iourths were taken for actual settlement Up
on comparison Of the foregoing with the statistics of
the last annual report it is found that the lands sold
and located during the five quarters ending Sept 60
1907, fall short of the quantity sold and located dur
ing the period embraced in the last report BY more
than 100000 of acres, and that the cash receipts
have fallen off in a still larger proportion This d
intuition is attributable TO the withdrawal of the ex-
tensve bodies Of public lands along the lines of the
railroads in the States aud Territory to which grants
of lands were made during the last Congress, and
also to the sale Of large quantities at the reduced
prices fixed by the graduation act of 4th August,
1854 and to the fact that the demand for new lands
ha- been in part satisfied by the States having lands
for disposal under the Swamp Internal Improvement
and other grants
During and since the year 1850 grants of land
have been made to ten States and one Territory, to
aid them in the construction Of fifty railroads. of
extent of S647 Understanding part estimated)
OF "a 24T 335 acres OF which 90 796 S75 acres were
granted by the last Congress. These grants, far
they remain unad justed receive the prompt at
ention of the General Land Office so far rs the pre-
requisites are furnished by the authorities of the
grantees, and involve an amount of official labor at
least equal to the sale Of that quantity of land.
Under the Acts of lS49 and 1850, granting the
swamp and overfowed lands to the Sta es within
which they lie, there have been reported to the Gen.
cral Land Office 54,174,2Sl acres, of which there
have been approved 40 l33, 564 acres, and patented
TO the States, 24,O6O 396 acres.
BY the Act of Sd March, 1857, the selections of
swamp lands confirmed with exceptions, and
they are now being rapidly approved and patented
TO the States.
Under the Acts of lsl7, 1850. 1862, ana sos,
granting bounty lands TO officers and soldiers, who
have been engaged in the milirar, service of the
United States, there have issued SOB 0S2 warrants
embracing 50 GS9, $40 acres of which 81 500 war;
rants have been located covering $50 900 acres
OF land There are yet outstanding. awaiting oca-
ton l3l ,453 warrants, embracing 10, 100 $50 acres
The report shows the present condition Of the
grant to the States of Wisconsin and Iowa. for i'm
provement Of the Fox, Wisconsin and Des Moines
River.
The views Of the Commissioner, touching the pol
icy of the Govcrnmcnt in the disposal of the public
domain favor the interests of the actual settlers and
oppose any policy that would allow monopoly in
the hands of Spectators. Upon this subject he
the following language:
The wisdom of the presumption policy is no longer
the subject of controversy-it is established by
the history of every neghborhOod and settlement
throughout the West. This is said in full view of
the fact that many fraudulent preemption claims are
established by evasion and perjury and that such
will be the case even under the most dgent admin.
israion of this and the local Offices especially dur
ing periods such that through which we have re.
Gently passed, where 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, is too nconsderable to weigh against
our policy. The title to the lands should pass i'm.
mcdiatcly from the Government to the men who are
to cultivate the soil.
So far as it may be avoided, the Spectator should
not be allowed to intervene.
With a view to uniformity and practcaby in
the system, important amendments of the preemp-
ton laws are recommended.
The report shows activity in our surveying op.
erations, during the five quarters ending Sept. 80,
1857, beyond that of any preceding period-aud
that the quantity of new lands liable IL be dis
surveyed lands of any former period.
The quantity Of land surveyed and
ready for market, and not advcr-
tised for public sale exclusive Of
lands Withdrawn on account of
railroad grants, embraces area
Of 57,442,S76 acres.
OF this quantity there was survey.
ed and returned during the five
quarters ending Both of Scptem-
ber 1857 22,s SS,4Gl acres.
The Commissioners Rep, PRESENTS most graz
fying view Of the progress Of the Surveying system.
The work of laying of and subdividing tho public
lands in tracts suitable to arma and looking to the
great agricultural interests OF the country has been
completed in some, and nearly so in Others of the
States of Michigan Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri and |
Louisiana. Ii has advanced far south in Florida
the protracted Indian hostilities in that region
would allow and been extended so far over Iowa and
Wisconsin as will soon place these in the category
of States, in which the United States surveying
chnery will be withdrawn and the archives turned .
over, as required by law, to the State authorities.
Retiring from the old sphere Of operations the Com
missioner sketches the progress of the system in the
new fields opened by law Beginning with Minnos.
oa, we find the lines of the public Surveys extended
to the 47th parallel of north latitude on the north.
western shore of Lake Superior and along the Mis-.
sissppi, on both sides
In Kansas and Nebraska the surviving web. work
is already extended over an area equal to some 800
miles, from north to SOUTH by 100 west from
the IS deg of north latitude to the AZ deg 80 min;
and from the % deg to the 9S deg Of west longitude
Indian reservations, Indian trust, and
other lands and that interesting and rich agricu.
ural region
On the Pacific Slope, the surveys have been push.
I'd with extraordinary rapidity; upwards of so, 900
niles have been executed in California the expense
II a million of dollars. Linked in with these pub
ic surveys are what are known as private Land
IIams." Under the final conirnations in some in.
tances by DEGREES of the Supreme Court Of the Uni,
ed Subscribers by the DEGREES of the United
states District Court, Of the Board of Land Com.
where, in the last two classes the DEGREES
ave become final by dismissal Of appeals. These
lams known ms "ranchos," from several leagues