Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1862-03-29
SATURDAY, MARCH 90, 1862
"Land-OGcs Business"

We publish in another column alcttcr from
the Surveyor General of Oregon TO the Orr
,gonian, on the condition of the Oregon Land
Offices, which will give our readers very
correct idea of the condition Of the Land Office
at this place.
The remarks of Mr. Pengra are not so ap-
plcable to the Office at Vancouver as the old
Office here, as the office at that place has been
recently established and will, no doubt, under
the direction and control of the very able and
efficient officers iii charge be conducted TO the
entire satisfaction of our people; and, having
fair start, they will be able to keep up with
the regular current business Of their Office
without clerical assistance, provided they are
properly sustained by the department.
The Olympia Office is in a very different
condition. A very large proportion of the do
nation claimants reside in this district, and for
some cause a very large amount Of work that
should have been done from day to day, has
been allowed to accumulate, until it is utterly
impossible for the present Register and Re-
ceiverto bring it up without clerical aid. We
have taken particular pains 10 investigate the
condition of the Office here, in order to deter
mine where the fault lay; and while we are
not disposed to Ie.icve that the immediate
predecessors Of the present incumbents failed
to discharge their duty faithfully, we are still
satisfied that the clamor raised by our people
against the Office is not without cause. We
confidently assert that it is not within the
power Of the present incumbents to remedy
the evil without clerical assistance. 1t is we'll
known that both our Register and Receiver
are GOOD business men, and perform as much
labor daily to keepup with the current business
as any two clerks at Washington City, and
the same may be said of the officers at Van
couver, and certainly the department Will not
require more than this. We are informed by
Mr.. Denny. the Register, that il would fire.
quently be impossible for him to keep up with
the current business Of his office but for the
voluntary assistance afforded him by Mr.
Cushman, the Receiver.
The implication Of incompe;eney involved
in the statement made By the Commissioner
TO Col NesIniih. we know Is no; applicable TO
the land Offices in this Territory. nor DO We
believe i, l. applicable to those of Oregon.
We doubt much whether inen ecad h. found
anywhere better qualified for tie Office they
hold than Mess. Denny. Cu-hmsn. Flsiel.-r
aud Brown. Mr.. denny Is : practical -rrv'.y-
or. and Possesses more than ordinary clerical
skill lnd from What We have r.en ID Mr.
f'leieher's correspondence with the osiivss
hare, We iesl Justified in claiming the saIue
peculiar qualification in regard To him
The department does M, seen to cornlsrp-
bend the great labor aad Responsibility d.
volsing upon our Registers and Recr:ver..
growing cut oi the doaaaion law. over AID
above the duties of land o.EeeTS in o.Aer d.
tricts, and il IN evident that til iuAgm.r, al
their ability to accomplish ,he current lu-i-
ness Of their ofice- Is based upoa H. knoul
e,iy. of The business of ii,o~- o.lic. l.icA IN
reality are siHeenIes il conpa.isaA ia ihose
oil Oregon and Washington. !, 81, .-4s ..lSo
70 misapprehend the reasons Of asking for