The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-12

Acres located with agricultural scrip. 400, $780, 81
Acres selected under agricultural col
iege grant,. .-....... SOY, 3bS.ll
Acres given to the states as swamp
lands. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 57l 1924
Acres given to the states for rail-
roads. 607 ,4l5.30
Acres taken under the homestead law leo, 534 80
4,5I3,73 46
The receipts from cash sales amounted to
S748, 427 Is. On September 80, l32, 2S5, 035
acres of surveyed public lands remained un-
disposed Of.
The attention Of congress is again invited
to the subject of organizing bureau of min
ing. All lands denominated mineral should
be brought into market and placed under the
guardianship OF private owners. Congress
has not legisated with view to securing an
income from the product OF precious metals
| from public domain. 1t is estimated that
two or three hundred thousand men are en-
gagged In mining operations on the public
lands without authority of law, who pay
nothing to the government for privilege or tor
the permanent possession of property worth,
in many instances, millions to toe claimant.
PENSIONS.
The act of Feb 81, 1865. made an annual
allowance of three hundred dollars for life to
each of five Survivors OF the army of the rev
olution Four of these aged and venerable
men lived To receive this token of the nations
gratitude. Two of them have since died -
William Hutchings, of Penobscot. Hancock
county, Maine, aged one hundred and one
years, and Samuel Cook, of Clarendon, Or
leans county, New York. aged ninety nine
years, are the only persons among the living
known to tue department, who participated
in the heroic struggle which achieved our ma
tional Independence.
The names of one thousand one hundred
and fifteen widows of revolutionary soldiers
are inscribed on the pension rolls.
Daring the fiscal year ending June 30, 1865,
the names OF fourteen thousand nine hun 1red
and sixty-twO army invalid pensioners were,
on original application added TO the roll, and
the number, 10 whom the pensions thereto
fore awarded was increased to three hundred
and sixty six. The whole number admitted
was fifsean thousand three hundred and
twentysight, requiring an annual payment
of one million Two hundred and twenty thou.
sand seven hundred and eignty-fgc dollars
and ninety cents u, 800 1Sj COY.
The aggregate number of claims OF widows
or other dependent relatives of soldiers of the
army Except the revolutionary ,aliowei dur
the same period, was twenty-tour thousand
six hundred ana ninety-thTee ana the num-
Der ui tensions OF this class which were III
creased during the same period was fourteen.
hundred and seven, and constituting an an
nnai charge or twr million i've hundred and
seventy tour Thousand one hundred and sew
entyrfIae dollars t>2, 574, l19l.
There was paid during the year to
army invalids revolutionary soldiers widows
and other dependent relatives including ar
reavages OF pensions and expenses properly
chargeable to the appropriation Tor revoiu.
tionary pensions, the sum of eight million
three hundred aud nineteen thousand Elk
hundred and seventv-two dollars aud fortv-
nine ceats S,3l9 GU 49.) The total mum
bss .; army pensioners on the rolls az the
close OF she veal ending June 30, 1855. wns
eixatv-fn four thousand one hundred aud thirty
requiring tar the payment thereof, exclusive
OF expenses, an annual appropriation of seven
miilion seven hundred aud ninety-two ,hous-
and seven huudr. d and seventy-two dollars
and itty-oue cents (S7,792,172 OIL
The number of navy Invalid pensions al
lowed on original applications during that
/ fiscal wear was two hundred and fifty ana
there we're seven navy iuvalids whose pen
siops we're increased. Tive hundred and six
! tv-six navy pensions were awarded to widows
or other dependent relatives of deceased Of
! ficers. sear;en or mariners. TIE aggregate
amount paid 10 naval pensioners OF all classes
was S205 $50 g. At the close of the fiscal
year there were on the navy pension rolls
eight hundred and thirty-nine invali1s, the
amount of whose pensions was Sol, SOD %,
and one thousand seyeuteen widows aud
other depondent relatives, requiring the sum
of SI699lS. The total number OF navy pen
sioners NJ that date was eighteen hundred
and fftv-six. whose annual Stipends amount
:, 500 G52 o. The total amount, therefore,
rsGuired for the payment of pensions Of all
rlasses adiudicated and allowed 10 TO tho
close # the last fiscal year, or conferred by
special act of congress, is,exciuslve q! exPen-
ses IS, 023 44543.
The navy pension md, which had accu-
mulated under the act of April ~, 1900, was
exhausted many years since: and congress.
by the act of July, Il, 1862, declared that all
moneys accruing, or which had already ac-
| orued, to the United States from the sale of
prizes should be, and remain forever, fund
| for the payment of pensions 70 the officers,
! seamen, aud marines, who might be entitled
| to receive the same. II the fund should be
insufficient for this purpose, the public faith
! was thereby pledged 20 make up the deiicien-
CT: If il should bs more than sufficient the
Surplus was to be applied for the making OF
further provision for the comfort of the Of
! ficers, seamen and marines. The amount of
this fund invested in gold bearing, registered
bonds of the United States is nine million
dollars. and there is subject to investment a
further sum of 81 1896, ia 81. The interest
of this fund exceeds by 100 per cent. the
amount required for the payment of naval
pensions authorized by existing laws.
INDIAN AFFAIRS.