New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-12-09
DEPARTMENT or TIE INIFRIUh'
W1smSoToN, Dec. 5, 1904. J

For tie wear ending june 20 lstl. 80 U3
For the year ending June So 1862. l25Ois 80
For the year ending June 80 1863. 1907 %
For the year ending June 80. lst4 .....: 67sW' -
The depressing influences of civil war have been eel
during the last three years but the results for that ls
closed demonstrate revival Of the annual demand for
the public lands particularly oT settlement ana cu''a
ton. 49,. 80. IL,
During the year ending June 80, 1854 public lands
have been disposed Of as follows; 1890 m
Acres sold for cash. 45s ~
Acres located with agricultural scrip. 244lo =
Acres certified 10 State for railroads so, eO :!
Acres taken under the Homestead law i'Zei's- OIL
Acres disposed Of during the year 5@el 600 %
During the quarter ending september ~
1864 the aggregate quantity taken Tor Inc ono 49,. On
same purpose VAS sos'4'O''V
>v,,,,s..o.,of.......i-22i-319 ~
The cssh receipts for sales homestead and location
fees for the same five Quarters. were slOl9 40 a.
The aggregate quantity of public lands surveyed but
not disposed o. Saj on on Ie S tb a2cTs Saany
fer several years past The amount surveyed annually
las been about equal to that disposed o. annuaDy.
Nineteen States have accepted the provisions Of the
acts donating ands "for the bonet oi Agriculture and
The mechanic arts" and have received land and and
scripts amounting TO 4,950co0 acres.
The jurisdiction conferred on this department ny the
Act of Congress of March 1851 for the definite location
Of confirmed private land claims in California was taken
fom by an act approve ed june a. lso 9u nay n s
recently restored under the act approved Ju! J. i"i'
The quantity Of land embraced IN al the coihiWati0ns
to the present date is 430694 acres; OF when
ed What remains 10 he done, in re important W9rk
of sovering The private from The pubic lands IN mat
State will be prosecuted with diligence ana touEA' 10
completion as rapidly as possible.
Vnder The acts Of Congress Of July T. lS62, and July
9 1864 making grants Of land 10 ed Tie construction
Of railroad and telegraph lines TO the Pachc coast the
initial point OF the main ne Of railroad from The Ms
touri river westward has been fixed NJ Omaha,
Nebraska and the definite location Of the road Tor
one hundred miles west rom that point has been
approyo cd by the President The route Of tie Pacific
railroad Of California has teen selected, and
map of the preliminary location thereof rom saera-
1pento eastward to the great bend OF the rrckee NV
er in Neyeda has been filed in This department. The
lands along these for twenty-five miles, on both
aides, have been withdrawn from marker, pursuant to
tle requirements OF the act OF le02.
In the administration Of the laws regulating The
grants Of swamp lands TO the states. and authorizing
fhe allowance OF Indemnity in certain cases. where
swamp lands have beep sold by the United States.
liberal construction has been adopted and generous
policy pursued No alteration oi these laws is demand
ed by principles Of justice. An extension o INC hdeia
lty Of the time now prescribed ny Jaw ior seecuhg
swamp lands, would, in my opinion be preJudlcia 10
1ie interests Of the United States.
The claim of the Missionary Society Of the Methodist
Episcopal church 10 land at tie daes Of the Columbia
river in Oregon based upon the first section Of the act
Of Congress approved August a. ls4s' having been
brought before this department upon appeal on the 9th
0f April last requested the advice Of the Attorney
General OF the United States touching the law arising
upon the facts disclosed by The papers in the case On
tfe 9th of May had the honor 10 receive his reply
stating that in his opinion. the question presented
b purey Incntivc I ocer In derreoce to- his
opinion the department declined making decision in
fiat and similar then before IT, Proceedings IN
al such under that act have been suspended IN
tie General Land Office and in the subordinate Offices
IL Oregon go
respectfully refer the annual report Of the Commits
eiOner Of the General Land Once.
During the past year additional discoveries Of
precious metals particularly Of silver have been made
n tho region fanking on the eastward the extended
mountain ranges Of the Sierra Nevada. vast belt OF
some one or two hsndred miles III width, and eight or
nine hundred in length embracing portions OF Idaho
Nevada, and Arizona, is rich IN silver ore Owing 70
the remote locality Of these mines, and the difficulty OF
transportation thereto, but little machinery wen adapt
ed to the rapid and economical reduction Of the various
ores has been introduced In that portion Of Nevada
through which the Pacific railroad VIII pass many rich
veins have been found and is estimated by persons
familiar with the subject that il the mines opened
there were supplied with the proper machinery they
would yield ten millions Of dollars per month. in the
same region vast beds of salt have also been found
which from its value in the process OF separating the
silver in the ores has given fresh impulse 10 mining
When We reflect that the region OF country IN which
deposits of the precious metals abound includes large
portions Of three States and six Territories, and that
The richest veins OF heretofore discovered yet
but slightly developed while new discoveries are con-
stany made II viii be perceived that the annual pro-
duet Of the mines in the United States must soon reach
magnitude without precedent III the history OF mining
operations.
The wealth Embedded in the rocks Of that extensive
region is actually ine1haustibe, and il will furnish in
future years. indirectly principal part Of our means
Of iQpidang the debt contracted by the Government
for the overthrow of the great Rebellion. AS a meas.
nre tending TO accelerate the reduction OF these vast
mineral deposits into available wealth and 10 strength
en- the public credit by authentic publication of our
vast resources Irespeetuly recommend that provision
be made for the appointment Of experienced and skfu
miner6logists 70 make scientific examination OF the
principal mining localities, and of the mineral regions
generally. and to report the results. Their reports
should be printed and widely circulated. An appro-
priation would be required for these purposes
Much interest has been manifested in favor Of the
establishment Of a bureau Of mines and minerals 10
which the administration Of oil details in respect to this
important subject should be committed. am satisfied
that such legislation will, before many years DO found
necessary, lift has not already become 30
The attention Of Congress has frequently been called
"a the nportancc OF securing an income to the national
treasury from the products of the mines and plaeers
BY the laws of Spain and Mexico and according 10 the
principles generally accepted in civilized countries the
property In these precious deposits is vested IN the
government exercising sovereignty and jurisdiction
the soil.
The first annual report from this department con.
tanned number of suggestions relating to the protec
Non Of this property and 70 securing revenue from
the annual products Since that time the same subject
has been frequently mentioned in the annual reports Of
this department. but Congress has taken legisa
tive action. Sound policy dictates the propriety Of
levying revenue tai upon those who are engaged III
gathering individual wealth from this national property
The Bureau OF Internal Revenue, recently established
IN the Department Of the Treasury. furnishes ready
snd suitable fundamentally for collecting it, The re.
euirement Of moderate license fee from each nerson
engaged In placer mining upon the public domah and
reasonable tax upon the products OF all mines which
might be graduated according the cost Of production
would be Just to the Government and sasfsctory the
mining interest
whcnit 10 considered that nominal fax Of one per
csnum upon the present product of tie mines would
yield larger income than ia derived from the sales
Of the public lands. with expense OF collecting il
comparatively small and that the prospective venue
from this source is 40 great the npocy Of granting the
mines and mineral lands In fee without consde ration
Dnsf be apparent TO all II should however be borne
n mind that the business Of developing the mineral re-
..xfst Il T.