Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1863-12-09
REPORT OF THE SEsRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR.

I
| ing document-which inel1de. synopeis o
the eports foom all the bureaus and other sub.
ordinate officers of his department. During the
las, fiscal year 3.sii ,si9 % acres Of land were
| disposed OF, as location for Bounty land war.
rants, for railroad purposas, &c.
The revenue from sale OF lands during the
last fiscal year amounted to 1896 U77.a5. which,
is S11 100 6S more than the previous year. The
report rec ommendf a change iE the act OF May
2Uth, 1862, "to secure homesteads to actnal set
tiers on the public domain by modifying II
sentative Of q person employed in the public
service to take the requisite preliminary steps
for the legal interception of his claim, and TINS
allow the benefits to accure 70 soldiers and
sailors Of The United States.
Our relations with the IndiSn tribes are re-
port. d in favorable condition as could be
expected, but it is recommended that suitable
locations be selected fer them, and that, under
the superin tendence Of suitable agents, they
be ipducted into the cultivation of the soil and
the rearing Of domestic animals. It is also
recommended That California be placed under
only one spperintend. mt Of Indian affairs in
stead OF under two, as at present
on the rolls on the jOth June last, was i3,e5g,
and OF the navy, f,l32 The payment OF the
former requires the sum o: &I,27, ,G4l s, and
the latter, x1ii ,G14 81 per annum.
Six hundred and two bounty land warrants
have bee issued during this year The whole
amount OF money expended for pensions to the
close Of the last fiscal year was %, ,6s, ,d60 81.
The whole number OF claims that will be
admitted during the present fiscal year are
PstImat' d 81 about 3,GOp.
The increase OF the navy pension fund from
the sale OF prizes amounts, at the present time
to probably one and q half million of dollars.
AS some question has been raised as to the
right OF widow or other person entitled to
1t 10 CIaIc, pension, on account OF the death
OF q soldier or sailor from wounds or sickness
contracted in the service, the Secretary ad-
vises Congress TO pass an act fixing some limi.
within VII Ich the death should occur, to sntitle
those claiming benz tits TO apply.
In regard to the Patent Office, 5,133 aeplica-
tons and Ell caveats were re ceiysd during the
year, and 3,SSs patents were iss ned, and fl ex-
tensions granted. The balance in the Treasury
to he credit of The Patent fund on Oct. /. 1892,
Was S4S, 1921, ana the receipts Of the Office to
Sept. 30, 1885, being Sl79.376.55, makes sentire
resources for the year s2s7 7a35.7G After de-
hand now Is S37,1s263
With regard 10 the Government Hospital for
the Insane, it is reported is one Of the most
beneficial of institutions, and it's benefits to
those injured. mentally or physically, in the
service cannot be properly estimated
The Columbia institute for the deaf and
dumb Is also reported as in an admirable con-
dilicn, but the buildings are net adequate to the
deraDd, ard Cong is therefore re com mend
ed to N maRe appropriation for the purchase of
additional land and the erection OF new build
1nPs aEd foT the INTRODUCTION of water into the
buildings.
The Secretary thinks the whole work upon
the east front of the Capitol will be completed
during The present seas on.
The work Oh the Washington Aqueduct has
progressed to completion, and the water has
bsf D let into the reser voirs.
In this connection the report says the walls
and banks of the distribu ling reservoir were
designed, by the engineer who projected the
aqu.duct, to be protected with broken stone
and contract was made and the work com.
menced on that plan: but it appeared so un-
substantial and insufficient for the purpose
that tie Secretary, influenced by the advice OF
eminent engineers, directed q thin dressing of
broken stone to be placed upon the interior
" ails for q foundation, and the ole to be
>facfd with solid stone-work Of about the same
thfcknts. as the contemplated riprap or broken
etone wall.
With regard to the agreement OF arbitration
enter, into by Secretary Usher's predecessor
and the claimants for damages for the diversion
Of the waters Of the Potomac, Secretary u. says
the report Of the arbitration adiudged in favor
Of the claimants, and the sums being So large.
he did not feel justified in applying existing ap-
mtring the whole question to Congress.
II appears from the report Of the engineer OF
the Wors that by the erection Of q tight dam
from the Maryland shore to Conn's Island,
wculd give the cities of Washington and
Georgetown daily supply of 6dOGAUlO gallon.
Of water. The Secretary cannot conceive how
prietors Of wafer rights at Great Falls, and it
is therefore recommended that 4 sum be an.
propriated to pay the expenses of the arbitre-
tion and that the estimates OF the cost Of dam
be diminished.
1t is recommended that the laws In regard to
the streets Of the city, be so modified as to
allow OF the curtailing the width Of the streets
and thus they could be more easily pa we'd, and
rendered more comfortable a Uniform system
Of sewerage throughout the city should be
organized, and commissioners on the part of
the Government and OF the city should be an.
pointed to carry out the law.
With regard to the recommendation OF the
Metropolitan Police Commissioners for an in.
crease Of the force and of their compensation.
the Secretary Of the Interior thinks both should
be increased, but not to the same extent "a
recommended by the Commissioners, and he
does not see the propriety of saddling the Gov.
eminent with the expense Of the force He
re recommends that the corporate authorities have
full control OF it.
Appropriations are recommend for the erec.
ton OF House Of Correction and Penitentiary
In the District and the land around the Wash
1ngton Aquednct are suggested as g suitable
place TOR the erection Of the Penitentiary.
I he report also refers to the efforts for the
suppression of the African sla We trade, and alao
to the work OF the Colonization Society, U In
recommended that as the negroes feel q reluc.
lance to leave this country that they be EN-.
ployed to work upon the Pacific railroad.
The establishment of q Bureau of National
Statistics at the Seat Of Government is recon.
mended, and further recommendations are
made relative to the extension Of the Pacific
Railroad.
REPORT OF THE POSTMASTER GEN.
Y