, 1858-12-17

Total No. Of surveyed in DE Territory Iq0seS
of this, $4,000 acres are prairie lands, excIu-
sive Of the Nisqually and Vancouver plains
BY the Register Of the Land Office am in
formed that the number Of pre-emption claims
on surveyed lands taken since February lst,
1855, is one hundred and twelve previous to
that date forty-nine had been taken. These are
exclusive Of some fifteen hundred claims taken
under the Donation Law. There are, however,
great number Of prescriptions on surveyed
lands, which cannot be definitely determined
until the surveys arc completed, and the plats
returned to his Office p.'ld 3.
Complaint has been made by settlers Of the
non-issuing Of patents for land claims taken un.
der and by virtue of the Act Of Sept eth,
1850. Sec. z Of that act after stating the time
within which notice Of the commencement of
settlement and cultivation must be made, has the
following words: "and at any tine alter the ex-
piration Of four years from the date Of such set.
tement, whether made under tlie laws Of the
late provisional government or not shall prove,
in ike manner, by two disintcrcstcd witnesses,
the fact of continual residence and cultivation
required by the fourth section of this Act: and
upon such proof being made, the Suryeyor.Gen
eral, or other officer, appointed by law for that
purpose, shall issue certificates, under such
rules and regulations as may be prescribed by
the Commissioner Of the General Land Office, set
ting forth the facts in the case, and specifying the
land to which the parties are entitled. And the
said Surveyor General shall return the proof so
taken to the Office Of the Commissioner Of the
General Land Office, and if the said Conmis-
sioner shall find no valid objection thereto pa.
tents shall issue for the land according to The
certificates aforesaid, upon the surrender there
Of" 1t will be seen by ths wording Of the stat
ute that tho law renders il optional with the
claimant, whether he will make final proof or
not-the words being, sat any time aiter the
expiration Of four years" &c. In order 10 avoid
confusion in the issuing OF patents, and to pre-
vent any conflict in the bouEday lines under
them, it becomes necessary, as am informed,
not only for each but for all claimants under this
law in q certain township, in order to se:rrs
their patents, to have their claims surveyed, and
SO connected with the Government surveys, that
the Land Office can obtain an accurate dcscrip-
ton Of the same and take proper action there
upon. The failure Of one to take this step may
delay all in that township. In q matter Of 50
much moment TO the future welfare Of the Ter.
ritory, suggest for your consideration the pro
priety Of asking for an amendment to the law,
making It compulsory upon the claimant, within
reasonable period, to have his claim regularly
surveyed, and plot Of tho same returned to the
proper office.
In this connection will add that just COM
by the Military authorities in 1857, prhibiting
settlement in that portion Of the Territory cast
Of the Cascade Mountains, as an Infringement Of
the rights and privileges guaranteed by the Dona-
| ton Law. This order, am informed, has been
practically rcscindcd. Congress, at its last scs-
sion, extended the land surveys over that section
Of tbs Territory. Estimates have been made for
the same, and as soon as appropriations are made
and the state Of the country will permit the
work will be put under contract fenf
The extended nature Of our settlements, from
the 49th parallel on the north 10 the Columbia
on the south, and from the Pacific on the west
| to the Rocky Mountains on the east, demand the
creation of several new land officers. There
should be at least three additional Land Districts
organized, ,--one for tho lower part Of Puget
Sound; one for the Columbia River; and, in
view Of the surveys Of the interior, one for that
section Of the Territory. Your attention Is es-
pecially called to this matter. ai ,i47
The 4th section Of the Actof July 18th, 1854,
(amendatory - the Donation AcD provides that
there shall be reserved to each Of the Terrific
ries Of Washington and Oregon two townships
Of land Of thirty-sx sections each TO be selected
in legal subdivisions for University purposes,
under the direction Of the Legislatures Of said
Territories respectfully" 0.z4 ls
By the Act of the Legislative Assembly
passed January 3lst, 1855, the Supcrintcndents
Of Common Schools Of the variJus Counties
i were constituted a Board Of Commissioners 10 Sc
lcct and locate these lands. They have not yet,
as am informed, taken any action on the sub
ject 10 matter Of so great moment to our ed
ucational welfare, and in view Of the rapidity
with which the better lands have been taken
up and probably will continue 10 be during the
coming year, recommend some speedy Gction
on your part 70 enable the Territory TO avail IT,
self Of this muniiicent provision.
By tho Quarter-master General, am uniformed
that the nambcr Of arms at present on hand, be.
longing to the Territory, Is as follows:
Rifles |: ti:f: 194
Muskets I: $50
Small arms, (damageD :l: 80
Carbincs ::
lIowitzcrs, (cOmplcte); ): 9
Sabres ;. 80: -: 10
In the general charge Of these arms, for clean.
ing, repairing, and keeping them in good order,
small Indebtedness has been incurred by the
Quartcr-master General, as will appear by his
report for the payment Of which, recommend
that an Appropriation be made.
Since the last annual Message, four lighthouses
have been completed, and are now in full opera
tion,-one at Cape Fattcry-one at New Dungi-
neSS-one at Shoalwatcr D1y--and one at
Smiths Island, in the Straits Of Fuca.. There
is an appropriation for one ut Red BluiE on
Whidby's Island, which will be erected in the
coming spring. lnaddilion to these, the incrcas-
ing settlement in the valley Of the lower Che
halls demands that light should be erected at
Grey's Harbor, and that the channel and bar
should be surveyed and buoyed out 1t would
also materially facilitate the navigation Of the
upper part Of the Sound to have light, either
upon Sandy Point or the northern end Of Wash