The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-11-19
WASHINGTON
Annual Exhibits Returned by the Heads
fDePartments-Inter Statistics
and IAaiS Srmatiou.


The report OF the Hon. James 8. wilson,
Commissioners of the General Land once. WIN
equal in interest the report OF 1867. In ADDITION
to the usual official TOPICS 1t will embrace
variety of valuable information, all arranged
under thiIty-siX general heads embracing the
SOIL climate, territorial on6guration, industrial
and commercial facilities, social progress, and
present status OF the different States aud Terri
tories. Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois, In Witch
the Government title to the soil has been prae.
tcslly extinguished By private appropriation
nnoer tne iand laws. are grouped together in
single article, soowing, as the result Of our
oene6cent lsnd policy, their growth into q
poWsriu. ana intelligent civilization. The fol-
'w .Ig are some OF the items from the report:-
BY the census of 1860, 1t is shown that in that
year our whole number of educational estab
lishments was 1l30O6, with 1874 teachers,
giving instruction 10 6,4l7S90 pupils, their
annual income being $3s, ,9e0, ,4S2. In the absence
of later general statistics, the latest reports of
educational movements in some OF our young
Western cities are cited as Illustrations OF edu
cauonal progress during the current decade.
The Grand totals Of these grants, amounting to
nearly $4,000 600 acres are greater than the
united area of New Hampshire, Massachu-
sets, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York.
New Jersey, and Delaware. Bounty land grants
military. reservations, State aud Territorial
boundaries, receive appropriate notice. The
geological survey of Nebraska, under special
statute, is reviewed In detail, and the continue
tion OF the geological survey OF the Rocky
Mountain regions subsequently ordered by
Congress under the superintendeuce of
capable geologist is noticed, with several i'm
portant practical results. 1t is ascertained
that the country tor 200 miles west of Omaha
is very fertile, and that beyond that point it is
available for grazing. The presence of coal
s po. clearly in Sren. in localities large too Ss
abound. Extensive forests OF pine timber were
frequently, met with, giving ground for an
character of the parks OF Colorado receives
passing notice. The Commissioner urges the
Importance OF geological explorations Of the
public domain, and suggests that a public
ments for the accommodation OF scien-
tihc memorials Ispresenting each State
and Territory. The reclamation Of in
undated lands by practical processes kno wn
to modern science Is the subject of an
interesting paper called for by the wants of
different portious of the country. The amelio-
growing, and other processes, q problem whose
| importance is daily becoming more pressing. is
discussed, with the expectation that practical
| measures may be speedily adopted to render
| these wides pread acres capable OF supporting
vegetable and animal lie on AN extended scale.
| The mining legislation of Congress is
,nhOrOuEhiX considered attention having
| of the mining districts growing out
of conflicting constructions of the law. The
report closes with review OF the area of public
| lands at different periods Of our history, now
amounting to nearly 5000, 600 square miles, or
nearly 2 000, 000, 600 acres. The territorial limits
| of the republic are given, its chorographc fea.
lures and geographical relations, and the
| changes on the Eastern Continent cons piring to
| throw into ourshands the sceptre of the worlds
commerce. An extensive correspondence with
State, municipal, and commercial authorities
has been condensed, so as to present some in.
tree esON' culture adds special I'''IG practical
value to the report. The report further sho VS.
that there has been disposed of for cash, for
| homesteads aud under the several land grants
over 100000 acres Of the public domain, of
which large share is for actual settlement
| The total cash receipts exceed $1,000 600. The
| lands disposed of for actual settlement add
about 23,600 farms to the productive resources
of the country. OF these $500 are within the
limits of the Southern public land States. The
grants for Pacific Railroads. military wagon
roads, ard other iailroads approximate 1876, 000,-
| 000 acres. The total area OF public domain
numbers at 1.s00, 900 acres. Total disposed
Of 400, 100000. Leaving undisposed of, 1,40O-
100000 acres. The annual earnings of the
American people are 6stim ated at 81 500, 900 900,
and their domestic trade at nearly Sc 000 000 600
year. The report also contains tables sho "
ing the lands sold and disposed Of for settle
ment during the first and second halves OF the
fiscal year, the area @ OF the sever several lSnd States
thus far been disposed OF, etc. The geological
history OF the valley of the Mississippi river aud
| Wyoming Territory, and the theory and results
OF the railroad policy, are fully shown, with the
unifying effects upon our nationality, and con-
siderstions are presented in regard to the can
didacy of the Republic for full share OF the
Asiatic trade.
West Point Military Academy.
General schriver, Inspector-General of the
Army, has submitted his annual report on West
Point. He says that the Academy was never in
better or more promising condition. The num-
bsI of cadets is 224; the number authorized by
law when the Southern States are all admitted,
is 200. He cutters at length into the question of
increasing the number of cadets, and con-
cludes by saying that 400 can just as
well be educated there as 294. He strongly
recommends an increase to that num-
Der. The only additional expense wall
be for the board of students, there being
teachers, books, and apparatus enough. He re-
marks that the necessity for an increased num-
ber of specially educated officers is admitted by
all who have given attention to the subject. He
asks that Congress be requested to take action
in the premises The whole number OF grad duates
to this time is 2273; the number who entered
but did not remain 10 graduate, 2447. The total
cost of the Academy to date is S. 236,37l. THIS
includes the cost OF grounds, buildings books,
work, instruments, apparatus as well as the
pay of teachers aud the board of teachers and
cadets. General SchriVer combats the notion
that the Academy cutlvates arstocracy and Is
tinctured with dsloyalty, and under this last
head he says that of the whole number o
living graduates in and out OF the service
at the beginning OF the war more than three
fourths remained loyal. OF the whole mum Del
of graduates in and out of the service. born in OF
appointed in the Soul b, one. half remained loyal
OF the graduates belonging to the States that
actually seeded 10 ore than one-fourth remained
loyal. OF the graduates who served against tbs
Rebellion, more than one-third were wouudel 4
and one in ave were killed in battle. He says
in conclusion, that the Board OF Visitors recon
mend the Academy to ask tor S66, 900 this yeal
for repairs and Improvements, aud that thu
Superintendent be raised to the rank and pay o
Brigader- General.
Pensions and Pensioners.