Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-01-05

Sept. 50, 1857, beyond that of any precedino period--and that the quantity of new lands now liable to be disposed of exceeds, by many mill lions of acres, the surveyed lands of any former period.
 Acres. he quantity of land surveyed and
 ready for market, and not adver-
 Used for public sale, exclusive of
 lands withdrawn on account of
 railroad grants, embraces an area
 of =. ............. 57,442,S76 Of this quantity there was surveyed
 and returned during the five quar-
 ters ending Both of September.
 1ooi ....... .................. 22, ,SS8, 461
 The commssoner's report presents gratifv- ing view of the progress of the surveying system. The work of laying off and subdividng the pubic lands Tn tracts suitable to farms and look Ing to the great agricultural interests of the country, has been completed in some, and nearly so in others, ot the State of Michigan, Illinois, Arkansas, Missouri and Louisiana. It has ad- vanced as far south in Florida as the protracted Indian hostllltes in that region would allow, and been extended so far over Iowa and Wis. consln as will soon place these in the category ot States, in which the United States surveying machinery will be withdrawn and the archives turned over, as required by law, to the State authorities. Retiring from the old sphere of operations, the commissioner sketches the pro- gross ot the system in the new fields opened by law Beginning with Minnesota. we find the lines of the public surveys extended to the 47th parallel of north latitude on the northwestern shore of Lake Superior, and along the Missis slppi, on both sides.
 In Kansas and Nebraska the surveying web work Is already extended over an area equal to 300 miles, from north to south, by 100 east to west, from the 3S deg. of north latitude to the 42 deg. 30 min; and from the 95 deg. to the 98 deg ot west longitude, embracing Indian reser- vatlons, Indian trust, and other lands, and that interesting and rich agricultural region
 On the Pacific slope the surveys have been pushed with extraordinary rapidty; upwards of oO,OOO miles have been executed in California at the expense of million of dollars Linked Tn with these public surveys are what are known as "private land caims.' Under the final con- firmalohs, in some instances by decrees of the supreme court of the United States-others by the decrees of the United States district court. or oi the board of land commissioners, where, in the last two classes, the decrees have become lnal by dismissal of appeals These claims, known as "ranchoS,'' from several leagues in cAtthL to d Slli9le section Ot f 43O acres with other classes of titles such as rural lands of less eXtett, and town lots, devolve upon the office great labor and responsibility in connection with the foreign titles in the older land States, which have occupied the attention of the courts of the country for a quarter of a century and lead to the development of those interesting principles l of jurisprudence which control in the adjust. ment of these titles
 Passing from California to Oregon, we learn from the report, that the public lands and dona- tos, west of the Cascades, have been nearly completed, and as soon authority of law Is conferred for the surveys in the interior territory the public surveyors, schan in hand, will pass over the Cascades and enter that comparativelv unexplored region.
 In Washington territory, the extreme north western portion of the Union, the surveys have reached nearly to the Ash parallel--the boun. dary between the United States and the British possessions. Leaving the Pacific slope. the sur veyors have entered Utah, surveyed in the val ley ot the Jordan and Bear rivers to the extent ot nearly two millions of acres; and in the inte- rlor region of New Mexico surveys are in pro- sreSs, but are retarded by the difficulties in- sepafabe from the ancient titles in that country for the survey and final adjustment of which the lnterpostlon of Congress is invoked.
 The report is one exhibiting great energy and skill in the administration of this important branch of the public service