Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1865-12-22
Watrbman & State JournaI.
MONTPELIER, DECEMBER % 1865.
EVENINGS WITH THE DOCUMENTS.
BY RIP. WALTON

! sions, patents, Indian affairs, the census, the
Pacific railroad, and many local things in the
district Of Columbia. The report Of course
presents little that is particularly interesting
to this section OF the country, and our notes
therefore will be brief.
Public ldnds.-4, ,5l3 1888 acres we're dis
posed Of the past fscal year but Of this
quantity only 557,2l2 acres we're sold, bring
ing S748, 420 The remainder went as follows:
On military warrants, 34S $50 acres.
On agricultural college scrip, 46O,l3O :"
Located under az. col. grant, 80s, 1858 "
Set off to laud states as swamp
land, 57l,429
Grants for railroads, 6O7,4l5 d"
Under the homestead act, l,l6O,532 "
Surveyed during the year, 4.l6l,77s acres.
Surveyed land undis posed Of Sept. 80, 1865,
1872 2s5. .o35 acres.
The mineral lands present important ques-
tions, and especially those bearing precious
metals. 1t is estimated that between two and
three hundred thousand persons are now
working mines on these lands, who pay moth
ing to the government. The Secretary rec
ommends that all valuable timber lands,
and all mineral lands except those bearing
the precious metals, be brought into the mar
ket as soon as possible. He leaves the more
valuable mineral lands to the wisdom Of
Congress" That body will find many troubles
in thfa "A kabI IL
interest Of the gold region is to invite people
there, and any scheme that would give the
government any advantage at the expense Of
the miners will be sharply contested.
Pension o6ics.-But two soldiers of the
Revolution are now living-william Hutch
ings Of Penobscot, Maine, aged one hundred
and one years, and Samuel Cook Of Claren-
don, N. Y, aged ninety-nine years. OF wid-
ows Of revolutionary soldiers r~"sioned the
number etiI nving is Ills. OF these only
four were married before the close Of the mil
itary service of their husbands.
During the last fiscal year the names OF
1892 army invalid pensioners were added
to the rolls, and the pay Of S66 previously
pensioned was increased, making 1929 cases,
Involving the annual payment of 81 ,220,7S
80. The claims of widows ond other depen-
dent relatives of soldiers Of the army Except
Revolutionary allowed during the year we're
| 24,693, with Ia cases of increased pension,
involving the annual payment of s2,574,l79.
The total sum paid for pensions and expenses
was ss,3l9.672 40. The total number Of
army pensioners on the rolls 1854, 80 ,requir-
/ ing nearly eight millions year. About 500
additions we're made to the naval pension list
during the year 1t is unnecessary to say
that Commissioned Barrett's corps has been
very industrious.
Pensions n Ptrmont-We have thus Civ
en- items Ct general character touching PEN
sions from the report Of the Secretary OF the
Interior. We now add details as to Vermont,
from the report OF Commissioner Barrett, to
whom we are indebted far copy.
The applications admitted from Vermont
for the year ending June 80, 1865, were
No YEARLY amt
lnvalids, 365 s29 493 80
Invalids for increased pay, 10 s24 90
Widows, children, &c, 473 40 248 90
for increased pay, 90
Total. cases, $50 s79,57l go
The payments for the same time in Ver-
mont were;
/ Invalids, S57556 80
Revolutionary Widows ll,26l 63
Widows, children, &c. l05,s35 "a
Total, Sl74,754 AZ
The number of Vermont pensioners on the
rolls aud the yearly amount, June 80, 1865.
were as follows:
No Yea'ly amt.
Invalids, Ola S6S,Ol2 90
Revolutionary widows 10 5,l0l IA
widows, children, &c. 9l6 80 24o 90
Total, 1909 Sl66,359 IA
Either there is not a naval pensioner resi-
deut On the state, or, if there is, the payment
is not made in the state. We think there
were "A few aoma wears AGO.