The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-09

OUR NATIONAL DOMAIN.

OUR NATIONAL DOMAIN.
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Abstract OF the Annual Report OF the General
Land Once.
The present report and accompany documents give
full and very satisfactory statement of the extended
ratons under the land system of the United States
During the i've quarters ending Sept 30,
1857, there have been sold for cash $500 $50
During the same period there have beea
located with military bounty land
rants. 1881 ,o1o acres
And reported under swamp land grant
of1s5o $780,, 476
State Of Alabama and the Territory OF
Minnesota, by act Of March last, for
railroad purposes, s............. 51l60Oo acres,
Making aggregate of public lands dis
posed OF during the tive quarters, end
ing Goth September 1857, of Il l60 o36 acres
OF the lands sold and located il is estimated that three
fourths were taken for actual settlement.
Upon comparison OF the foregoing with the statistics OF
the last annual report, is found that the lands sold
80, 1857, fall short of the quantity sold and located
during the period embraced in the last report BY more
And that the cash receipts have fallen OFF in still larger
proportion This dmiuniton attributable TO the with
drawal Of the extensive bodies of public lands along the
lines OF the railroads in the States and Territory which
grants oands were made during the last Congress- and
also to the sale of large quantities Of land at the reduced
prices fixed by the graduation act Of the 4h August 1854
and to the fact that the demand for lands has
part satisfied by the States having lands for disposal
under the swamp internal Improvement, and other
| grants.
During the year 1850 grants land have been
made to ten states and Territory to aid them in the
construction of fifty railroads. of extent Of S647 miles.
Amounting part esmaed) to "a 24 335 acres, of which
%, 100, s5 acres granted by the last Congress
These grants far they remain unaduscd receive
the prompt attention of the General Land Office far AZ
the prerequisites furnished by the authorities the
grantees, and involve amount Of official labor at least
equal to the sale Of that quantity of land
Under the acts OF lsls and 1880 granting the swamp
and overlooked lands to the States within which they
lie, there have been reported to the General Land
OF which there have been approved 40, 1888 5s4 acres
And patented to the States " ... "a O6O 3es acres
BY the act Of 3D. March 1851 the selections Of swamp
lands were confined, with exceptions, and they
being rapidly approved and patented To the States.
Under the acts Of ls47 1850, 1852 and 1855 granting
bounty lands TO officers and soldiers who have been
gagged In the military service Of the United States, there
have issued 503os2 warrants,
Emoiaclhg..'.... 'o5osssiu acres
~ Whch oS e warrants
or land There are yet outstanding, awaiting loca-
!3i 400 warrants
The repor shows the prcssn, condition Of the grants 10
the States OF Wisconsin and Iowa for Improvement the
Fox, Wisconsin and the lies MONIES rivers.
The views of the Commissioner touching the policy Of
the government in the disposal OF the public domain favor
the interests OF actual settlers and oppose any policy that
Upon this subject ne nses the following ianruaae,
The wisdom OF the presumption policy Is no longer the
subject OF controversy 1t Is established by the history
! Of every Deighborhood and settlement throughout
the West This rs said In full view Of the fact that
many fraudulent preemption claims are cstab-
iished by evasion and perjury, and that such will be
the case under the most dilgent administration
Of this and the local offices; especially during periods
such as that through which we have recently passed
when the spirit speculation has possession OF the public
mind. But this chss OF cases, when compared with the
great body Of honest claims made by men living upon
the lands is too inconsiderablc weigh against po
Icy Tie title ~ the lands should pass Immediately from
the government to the men who 10 cultivate the soil
so far it may be avoided the Spectator should not be
allowed "a intervene.
With TO uniformity and practicability in the sys
tenn, important amendments OF the preemption laws
recommended.
The report shows activity In our surveying operations
during the five quarters ending 3oh September 1857 be-
yond that Of preceding period and that the quantity
Of lands liable 70 he disposed OF exceeds, by
many millions Of the surveyed lands Of any former
period.
The quantity of land surveyed and ready for market
ana not advertised public sale, exclusive OF lands
withdrawn ON account of railroad grants, embraces
OF this quantity there was surveyed
and returned, dHing the 1--WE quar-.
tcrs ending Sept 30, 1887 ..... % $3.50 l81 acres.
The Commissioners report presents a most gratifying
view Of the progress Of the surveying system The
Of laying OF, and subdvidng the public lands in tracts
suitable 10 farms and looking the great agricultural
teresis Of the country has been completed In some and
nearly 80 in others OF the states Of Michigan, Illinois Ar
kansas Missouri and louisiana II has advanced far south
Florida the protraced Indian hostlies that re-
gion would allow, and been extended far Iowa
and Wisconsin a viii soon place these In the category Of
States which the United States surveying machinery
will be withdrawn, and the archives turned over,
qurfd by law, 10 the State authorities Retiring from the
old sphere 81 operations, the Commissioner sketches tho
Tsorress 81 the system In the fields opened by law
Beginning with Minnesota, find the lines Of the public
surveys extended TO the a7th parallel Of north lat
tudc on the rnrihwcer shore OF Lake Superior and
along the Mississippi both sides.
In Kansas aud Nebraska the surveying webwork IL
sresdy extended over an area equal 10 300 miles
from north TO south by ls0 cast 10 west from the Ssth de-
gree north latitude 10 ~ degrees 30 minutes and from
the p5,h " e psth degree of longitude embracing
Indian reservations Indian trust and otner lands in that
Interesting and rich agricultural region
I'm the Pacific slope the surveys hse been pushed for
ward with extraordinary rapidity, upwards of $4,000
miles have been executed IN California At the expense Of
million of dollars. Linked in with these public surveys
what are known "frivate Land Claims" under
final combinations, IN some instances by decres~ of the
supreme Court Of the United states others by DEGREES q
the United states District Court Of the Board Of Land
COMMISSIONER where In the last two Glasses the decrecs
have become nnal by dismissal u appeals.
These claims, known as ranches from several
leagues in extent 70 single league Of 443o acres, with
other classes of titles such rural lands of less extent
AMI town lofs devoive upon the Office great labor and
sTonsibiy IN connection with the foreign titles the
elder land states which have occupied the attention OF the
courts o the country for third OF century, and lead 70
the deveopement Of there interesting principles Of juris
prudence which control IN the adjustment q these titles
Passing from California 70 Oregon we learn from The
port that the public lands and donations west of the
Cascades have been nearly completed, and n
authority OF law conferred Tor the surveys IN the int
fior Territory, the public surveyors, chain In hand will
pass over the Cascades and enter that comparatively I'M
explored region.
portop Of the tnion the surveys have reached nearly 10
The tpth parallel the boundary between the United states
aud the British Possessions Leaving the Pacific slope
the surveyors have entoed Utah surveyed the valley
~ the Jordan and Bear the extent u nearly
millions Of acres and IN the interior region OF New Mexico
surveys arc IN progress but are retarded by the Difficult
ties inserarable from Me ancient titles In that country
for the survey and sna adjustment u which the nierpo
sition ~ Congress Is invoked.
The report Is one q diversified details exhibiting great
energy and skill in the administration Of this important
branch Of the public service and full d interest 10 the