Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-24

which the public domain was originally acquired,
and then follows a schedule of the organization
of the surveying system. The whole surface of
public domain is stated at 1,450, 0O0, 900 acres, Of
which 81, 442,6 go acres have never been offered
for sale, and O,OO0, 600 acres were subject to en-
try at private sale on the 3Oth of September last.
The number of acres thus far sold is 363, 1892 64
acres; leaving uudisposed Of, 1,0S6, 137 $50 acres.
Last year, 22,SS9,4 61 acres of public lands were
surveyed and reported; $500, $50 acres were sold
for cash; 1881 ,O1O we're located with military
warrants ,an6 the railroad grants under The actof
March, were 5,Il6,OO0 acres. The sum received
on cash sales was S4,225 1898, a falling off of s5,-
, Ellis, with a corresponding falling off in the
location of lands with warrants of more than
twenty per cent. There are eighty three organ
ized Land Distriets-but none for New Mexico
or Utah. A commission for the settlement Of
Spanish and Mexican claims in New Mexico is
recommended; a geological survey Of the same
Territory is also urged. No change is suggested
in the laws applicable to the working Of the De-
partment. In regard to Indian affairs, the Re-
port is explicit. The Indian tribes within our
limits now number 325 900 souls. The Indian
bu4Sd : pHttihS iOilu SAoESs y iluuce the say
ages to take up with fixed habitations-without
which little can be done towards ameIiorating
their condition. A plan, recommended by the
Secretary, suggests the gathering of the Indians
Oh smaller reservations to be divided into farms
and distributed among the individuals of the
tribes, without the power ofsele or t~rasfer, with
central farms for the instruction OF the children,
4 and a Supp1v of i'm r1aD-nntr Of arriauI+rra for oil
The tribes which have advanced in civilization
/ whose prospects are gratifying.are those in the
tkeTISuperiEtendeney-the Choctays, Cher5-
KEGS aid Greeks, with the Seminoles in the ter
ritory west of Arkansas. The establishment of q,
District Court fvr this SuperintendeHcy is recon-
mended, to heal disputes among the people. In
Washington and Oregon the sa sages remain bel
!iseEent. 1t is recommended that the expenses
oil delegation from these tribes to She Federal
capitol be paid by the government, in order that
they may have sn opportunity to be set right.
Indian trust funds have been Invested in State
Stocks to the amount of 81 ,4Sl ,476.
The Bureau Of Pensions return a satisfactory
report. Up to June, 1851, a total of SCI ,SI4,7lO
in money, and large donations oflands, had been
paid to Revolutionary soldiers, or their widows.
During the past year II ,4sS warrants for bounty
land have been issued, requiring to satisfy them
j,"j2-l60 acres of land. The numberof warrants
issued under all the Bounty Land acts af Con-
gross from the Revolutionary War to the present
time is 81, 250-requiring O,I04, 9i2 acres OF
land. Frauds upon the Pc sion Once are nu-
merous, an extension of the statutory Emit OF
two years is recommended TO remedy this evil.
The Report states, in detail, the condition Of the
public buildings at the CapiotI, aud then consid-
ers the subject of District Attorneys f;es, con-
c!n,iiagt this branch with 4 Recommendation of an
increase of the attorneys salaries on an equitable
basis. The wagon-road works have been COM
meneed on the routes from Fort Kearney to Ho-
ncy Lake,in California, from Fl Pasoto Fort Yu-
u ma, at the mouth of the ella, and FROM the Platte
River to the Running Water. The Mexican
u Boundary Commission having concluded its Ia
lors, its maps and journals have teen turned
oter 10 the Department.
The "atcut Oiiee reports that from Jan. l to
Sept 80, 1851, 4,egjapp!ications for patents were
received. SO caveats were fled, ZOOS patent!
were issued, and 2,tS7 applications were rejected
The receipts es Ills bureau for three quarters o
= the year have been SIGl rs; expenditures, 1888,
& gi.: excess Of expendit urgs, 81 $50. OF the ex-
p4nd;tgres, S27 .9:g we're maicu up of fees restored
Il ;oapIiicantS after the examination of their ca.
! ses. The Secretary eersures this practice, and
IS urscsthe necessity Of making the bureau self
sustaining The right Of appeal tn a Distrie
Judge i also ceusuTvd, aud a repeal CT the laT
4 which authorizes t Practice is earnestly urged
il Tszref4rt esn~Juss- On strong saiorse'
fment Of The utility of The Agricultural Diyisi6-
IF the Department..