New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-12-05
SYNOPSIS OF THE REPORT OF TIE
sECRHTARY OF TNE INTERIOR.

sECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Nov. 30, 1861.
SIR: The report Of the operations OF this depart
ment during the fiscal year ending june ~, 1901
will exhibit diminished amount on business IN some
OF the most important bureaus 90 nected with the
department. This il attributable mainly 10 the lnsur
recion which has suddenly precipiiated the country
into civil war;
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
On Sept. 80, 1861, there 50, $50 595 % acres
Of the public lands which had been surveyed but not
pro, laimed for public sale. The lands surveyed and
offered at public sale previous to that time and then
subject to private entry amounted TO 7S,6o2,'33.o,
acres making an aggregate Of public lands surveyed
and ready for sale Of l3i,2lS, 33O.Sy acres.
During the fiscal year ending June 80 1861, ard
the rs quarter OF the current year, ending Sepem-
Der 30. 1861 81 $50 3d. acres have been disposed
Of. or this amount, 1,02l 1897 acres bave been
certified to the States OF Minnesota, Michigan, and
Louisiana, under railroad grants made by Congress;
606,Ogi.i7 acres have been certified 10 States a.
swamp lands 2lJ3 $40 acres have been located VITA
bounty land warrants, and ,@s ,00i.W acres have
been sold for cash, producing sF2J, 2g9 AZ.
Ii will be from thin statement that the pu6lc
lands have ceased substantially for tie present. at
least to be source Of revenue to the Government.
The liberal manner in which the acts Of Congress,
granting swamp and overlooked lands to the Staies,
have been construed and executed the grants OF large
quantities 10 aid in the construction Of railroads and
The quantity required TO locate bounty lard warrants
for military services have combined 10 reduce the
cash saes 10 an amount bat little more than sufficient
to meet the expenses Of our land system. The net
income from sales during the last fiscal year VIII
hardly reach the sum OF 500 ,OOO During the la.i
fiscal wear there were certified 10 the States for rail-
road nstruetion under the severn acts OF Congress
making grants Tor snch purposes: To Minnesota,
3Gs ST. 20 aeres 10 Michigan, CSC O6l4 acres; and
TO Louisiana, 20, 5C0.45 AGREE. The whole amount
certified 10 all the States urder sreh grants, is 49,,
4T.U acres.
The grants OF swamp and overaowed lands 10 the
States have absorbed large amount OF valuable
lands and have caused heavy drain upon the treas
ury The claims OF the several States cover az
aggregate Of 81. $50, 40 acres.
The United States have lso paid to the States, m
cash. under the indemnity act Of March 2 1870, on
account Of lands claimed swamp lands, and which
were sold by the United States subsequent 10 the
date Of the grant, $.7G, l26 81.
Certificates have been issued for location upon any
OF the public lands subject to entry to Indemnify tie
States for lands claimed as swamp lands but hich
had been located by bounty Lana warrsnte after the
date of the grant, amounting to a., J95.2 acre.
Additional claims are pending, yet undecided, for
cab, $IA2, AS, and for lands, 3Ol An acres.
The bounty land warrants and scrip issued under
different aots Of Congress previous To sept 81 1901,
embrace an aggregate OF I.7l7,L acres OF land.
or this amount there have been located; For revo-
lutionary services $500, 6l2 acres foI services in
the war with Great Britain, 4,SjO,l20 acres; for
Canadian volunteers, 72,75O acres; for services in
The Mexican war and other services, under the acts
Of lsi7 1850 1882 and 1885, in all 81 $3.50 acres;
leaving vet TO DC loo sted on warrants and scrip al
ready Issued, ,i5i,f20 acres.
Unless Congress shall authorize the issue Il ad-
ditional warrants, ,hs drain upon the public lands
will soon Cease
The propriety Of issuing bounty land warrants to
the volunteers who have been called into service 10
suppress the exiting iusurrecton, il already sub
lsfA A..
greer. warrant Tor l60 acres to each volunteer
engaged in the service would absorb over one humid.
red millions OF acres-a much larger amount than
has been issued under all previous laws. 1t is evil
dent that the issue OF such an amount Of warrants
would destroy all hope Of deriving any revenue
from the public lands, at least for many years. Ard
while such a measure wonld deprive the Govern.
ment Of all income from this source, it would afford
but little benefit TO the volunteers These warrants
are now sold in the market vt about ~ cents per
acre. An addition of the large amount necessary 10
supply the volunteers would necessarily reduce the
price of them to merely nominal sum.
The expense Of surveying private land Claims in
the territory acquired from Mexico, based upon
grants Of the Mexican Government, have heretofore
been paid by the United States. These surveys have
cost the Government large sums. The cost Of sur
veyiDg one claim amounted TO $780, another cost
the Government 81 400. The aggregate cost of sur
veying them has taken from the treasury a large
amount OF the public funds.
BY the Government in California ana New-Mcxico
have hitherto produced no revenue. All who chose
10 do 70 have been permitted 10 work them without
limitation.
The Territorial Governments of Colorado. Dako-
Iab and Nevada have been successfully orgauized
since the adjournment of the last Congress The
surveys Of the public lands in those Territories have
already been commenced, and the LANDS are now open
Tor settlement.
Congress, by an act passed May 20, 1860, author
zed the appointment by the President OF suitable
person persons who should, in conjunction with
persons 10 be appointed on behalf of the State OF
California. "run and mark the boundary lines be-
ween the Territories Of the United States and the
state OF California" Fiity-tive thousand dollars
Nas appropriated Tor the performance of the work.
sylvester M0wry was appointed Commissioner on
he part OF the United States, and the sum of $37
vi 10 was placed at his disposal for the prosecution
If the work.
Very soon after taking charge Of the Department,
asceriained that the whole sum which had been
Jared in the hands of the Commissioner had been
.po scd OF by him. and large amount OF drafts for
additional sums had been drawn upon the Depart
ncnt while no progress had been made la the work
eyond the fixing OF one OF three initial points VIZ
lie intersection OF the 35h parallel OF north latitude
With the Colombo River. The whole appropriation
nd been squaDdeIed, while the work bad been only
Under these clrcnnls tances i deemed
to I've my dufy 20 arrest the creation OF further |
iams Against the Government without authority OF
,w ard accordingly directed the suspension Of The
FORK and a discoDtnuaDce OF the services Of tne /
Commissioner. II is believed that the whole work |
ipht ave been completed for the sum appropriated
v Congress: but while only small rart Of the |
ork has been accomplished, the claims presented /
mount to nearly 10000 beyond he appropriation |
RENAME for Congess 10 determine whether fur
Ter appropriations fla lie Iphde for the continuance
lie WCyk,