The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1864-12-15

topics Of public interest pertaining to
his Department The quantity of pub
lie lands disposed of during the FIVE
quarters ending on the 30ih Of Septeu
her last, was 4,221,342 acres, of which
538,Gl4 acres were entered under tho
Homestead law. The remainder was To-
Gated with military land warrants. agri-
Ecultural scrip certified to States for Rail-
rol Ids, and sold for cash. The cash re-
cCived from sales and location fees was
Isl ,Ol0, 0,lIG. Tho income from sales
during the fiscal year ending June 80,
1864, was sG78,OO7 21 against sl36,077
% received during the preceding year.
The aggregate of acres surveyed during
the year has been equal to the quantity
disposed Of and there is open to settle
mcnt about 100000 acres of sur
veycd land.
TUE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The great enterprise of connecting
Tic Atlantic with the Pacific States by
railways and telegraph lines, has been
entered upon with vigor that gives as
surance Of success, notwithstanding the
EN- barrassments arising from the pre-
vailing high prices of materials and la
Lor.
The route OF the main line Of tho
road has been defnitely located for 100
miles westward from the initial point at
! Omaha City, Nebraska and a prelim-
mary location of the Pacific Railroad of
California has been made from Sacra-
mento eastward to the Great Bend of
Muckcr river, in Nevada.
Numerous discoveries of gold, silver
and cinnabar mines have been added to
the many heretofore known and the
country occupied by the Sierra Nevada
and Rocky Mountains, and the su5or IL
nate ranges, now teens with enterprising
labor, which is richly remunerative. 1t
is believed that the product of tho
mines of precious metals in that region
has during the year reached, if not ex-
ceeded, 500, 1000 900 in value.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.
1t was recommended in my last an
nual message that our Indian system bo
remodeled. Congress, ut its last session,
acting upon the recommendation, did
provide for recognizing the system in
California, and it is believed that under
the pro.ent organization the manage
ment OF the Indians there will be at
tended with reasonable success. Much
set remains to be done to provide for
the proper government Of the Indians in
other parts of the country, to render it
secure for the advancing settler, and to
provide for the welfare of the Indian.
The Secretary reiteratos his recommen.
dations, and to them the attention OF
Congress is invited.
PENSIONS.
The liberal provisions to invalid SOL
diers and sailors of the republic, and to
the widows, orphans and dependent
mothers of those who have fallen in bat
tie or died of disease contracted, or Of
wounds received in the service of their
country, have been diligently admins
tered. There have been added to the
pension rolls, during the year ending
5 the 30th day Of June last, the names OF
! l6 40 invalid soldiers, and of 27l dis
abled seamcn, making the present num-
t Der of army invalid pensioners 22,767,
and Of navy invalid pensioners 7l2.-
, OF widows, orphans and mothers, 22, 1893
have been placed on the army pension
rolls, and 2l3 on the navy rolls. The
prescat number of army pensioners of
this class is 5,433, and of navy PEN
I sionors 793. At the beginning of the
year, the number of revolutionary pen.
sioners was l ,43O. Only twelve of them
o we're soldiers, seven of whom have since
died, The remainder are those who un-
F der the law receive pensions because Of
. relationship to revolutionary soldiers.
i DuriuG the year ending the 30, h of juno,
1864, S4,5O4,6lG 90 has been paid to
pensioners Of all classes.
n DI,TRICT OF COLUMBIA.
y I cheerfully commend to your con
d tinued patronage the benevolent institu-
J. tions of the District of Columbia, which
= have hitherto been established or fos-
o tered by Congress, and respectfully re .
: fer, for Information concerning them
f and in relation to the Washington
rqpeduct, the capitol, and other matters
Of local interest, to the report of the
10 Secretary.
= AGRICULTURE.
ic The Agricultural Department, under
/ the supervision of its present energetic
d aud faithful head, is rapidly commend
he Jog itself to the great and vital interest
d, it was created to advance 1t is peeuli,