The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-03-18

Secretary Of the Department Of tho Interior, Hon. Jacob Thomp
SOD, W Me stae m mississippi rs clerical lofes consists o Ve ohel
lar clerks aud 10 is supervision and management arc committed tic
following branches ~ tho public service:
list ne Flaae Lands Tho chief Of his bureau IS called the Com
missioner or the General Land Office. The land Bureau Is charged
with The survey, management and sale Of tie public domain, and the
issuing Of titles therefor, whether derived from conarnnHOns Of grants
made by former governments By sales, donations, Of grants for scbouls,
military bounhes, or public improvements, and likewise the revision
Of Virginia military bounty land claims, and the issuing of scrip
present Commissioner il Hon. r. a. Hendricks. OF Indiana. Us prfn
cpaI officers are a recorder, chief clerk, principal clerk Of surveys,
besides a draughtsman, assistant draughtsInaa, and some 100 clerks
Of various grades.
"a. Pcqacas-rho present head Of this bureau is George O.
Whiting, OF Virginia The commissioner Is charged with the exaini
uaton and adjudication OF all claims arising under the various and
numerous laws passed by Congress granting bounty land or pensions
for the military or nayalserylcc5 IN the revolutionary and subsequent
wars IN which Tho United States have been engaged. lie has one
chief clerk, o. Cole, esqD and a permanent corps consisting Of some
Cd. Iafiqns-C Commissioner Of Indian An,irs, Charles E Mis-, OF
Georgetown, ID g R9i : provided with a Chief clerk and about aneen
other subordinate clerks.
4th. Patent 0Gee,-To this bureau Is committed the execution and
performance Of all 'acts and things touching and respecting the grant
Ing and issuing Of pateut3 FOR new and uscfal discoveries, inycnuons,
and improvements the collection Of statistics relating to agriculture;
the collection and distribution Of seeds, plants, and cuttings. 1t has a
chicf clcrk-wbo IS by law the acting Commissioner Of Patents in
The absence Of the Commissoner-tweve principal, and twelve as
distant examiners Of patents, some dozen subordinate permanent
clerks, besides q considerable number Of temporary employees. Hon.
cerE. - + = |A's"u' Il 'lH"S 9"'S"7 V3a7 V"o
Besides these four principal branches Of this new executive depart.
nent, the organic act OF 1919 transferred to IL from the Treasury De
partmcpt the supervision Of the accounts Of the United States mirshas
aud attorneys, and The clerks Of tho United States courts, the manage.
mont otthe lead and other mines Of the United states, and the alairs
ofthc pcnitentary Of the United states in the District uf Columbia; and
from the state Department the duty OF taking and returning tie con
suses ofthe United states, and Of supervising and directing the acts OF
HE Commissioner OF Public Buildings. The hospital for the insane OF
the army and navy and Of The District Of Columbia is also under the
management Of this department; in addition 10 which, by laws re-
Gently passed, the Secretary Of the Interior IA charged with the con
strrcuou Of the three wagon roads leading 10 tho Pacific coast
The department requn e. an additional building Tor It's accOmlnodn
lion, and the erection Of one has been repeatedly recommended during
tho last few years for that purpose, At present the Pension ONCE Is
provided with rooms IN what's known as "Winler's Builing,' wlic
lilo other branches Of the department, including the seorcaryis Office,
arc AL crowded into the Patent Once building, tho whole of which
viii be required a. an carly day for the use Of the Patent once, for
which It was originally intended.