Mower County transcript., 1871-12-21

Mint at San Francisco, CAL. and the custom
house at Carlo, ILL.,, will be finished and ready
for use by the first day of July next. AT thai
time there will remain IN an unfinished condi-
ton the court house at Columbia, South Caro-
lima, and the custom house at New Orleans
tho custom house and post office al
Knoxville, Tenn; the Custom House and Post
Office at Portland, Oregon; tho Court House
and Post office at Independence, Iowa the
Treasury at Boston, and the Custom House
and Post-office at Omaha, Nebraska. The
prosecution of these works. four of which arr
of great Importance, in connection with public
buildings to be erected at Chicago, and the
erection Of Marine Hospitals at Pittsburg,
San Francisco and New York. will, In MY own
opinion, sufficiently occupy the Supervising
Architect of the Treasury and the force at his
command. I cannot; therefore, advise an ap-
priation for other public buildings until some
of those in process of construction shall have
been completed The points at which the
erection or repair of public buildings is most
needed are at Hartford, Indianapolis, Cincin-
natl and St. Louis.
Coast Surveys.
Under an act, passed at the last session of
Congress, ppropriating two hundred thousand
dollars for the purpose of more effectnally se-
curing life and property Oh the coasts of New
Jersey and Long Island. careful examination
Of the cost of the ife-saving stations has been
| NY oApoAAcuCou Ou.Cc16 VI Vic hoYcuuc
Service. In accordance with their reports,
proposals we're invited and accepted for the
erection of fourteen new houses on the coast
of New Jersey, and six upon the coast Of Long
Island. The operations of the coast surveys,
which are under the administration Of the
! department, have been prosecuted with the
usual energy, as will be seen from the brief
! report of progress made by the SuperintendS
ent, in advance of the usu | detailed reports,
With the maps annually submitted to Congress.
The survey of tbe Atlantic coast is now rap
idly approaching completion; That of the
Gulf coast is more than half finished, and the
! work on the Pacific coast is being pressed for
substantially conform to the appropriations
for the present year, and an increase is asked
for the item of extending the triangular sur
vey across the country to the Pacific Ocean,
great inter est having been manifested by the
authorities Of the states traversed in the
prosecution of the work.
Light House Board.
The business entrusted to the Light House
Board is one of tho most important branches
of the public service in the control of this de-
partment, and J am able to state that it is
conducted With fidelity, and with reference
solely to the maritime interests Of the country.
The estimates made by the Light House Board
exceed the expenditures for the present year,
but they appear to be necessary, and respect
fully recommend them to the consideration of
Congress.
Marine Hospitals.
Under the act of Congress approved July
80, 1870, DR.. John NJ. Woodworth has been
appointed superverising surgeon of the Marine
Hospital service. His administration is salts
factory to the department. The average num-
Der Of hospital patients for the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1871, was one thousand one
hundred and thirty-eight The total cost of
thn sarvioa for tho rat ~ oH fo,,
hundred and five thousand six hundred and
twenty-four dollars beng an average for each
patient of one dollar and nine cents per day :;
and for the latter year, four hundred and CITY,
three thousand eight ty-two dollars and forty
two cents, or an average of one dollar and four
cents per day. In the first named year the
hospital tax was one hundred and sixty eight
thousand one hundred and ninety. three dol
lars and seventy cents, and in the latter year
it amounted to two hundred and ninety three
thousand five hundred and two dollars and
fourteen cents. The supervising surgeon is
of the opinion that pavilion hospitals are
better adaptea to the successful treat
of brick and stone, while the expenses we're
only one-fourth as great In accordance with
his suggesti0n [ recommend an apprOpria-
ton of $50,000 for the purchase of land and
tho construction of pavilion hospital at Pitts
burg, Pa: The present hospital is situated in
as it can be sold for about $4,000, the gov
eminent will be fully reimbursed for the cost
of now hospital, while the comfort of tho
patients will be promoted. An estimate has
been made that the sum of $50, 1000 will be
sufficient for the construction of pavilion
hospital on Angel Island, in the Bay of San
Francisco, sufficient to accommodate one hun
dred and fifty patients, and also recommend
an appropriation Of that amount for that pur-
pose. I also respectfully renew the recon-
mendatiOn made heretofore for pavilion
hospital near the city of New York sufficient
for the accommodation of two hundred pa
tients.
The Revenue Marine Service
employs twenty-five steam vessels and eight sailing
vessels. In addition to these, there are two large
steamers upon the lakes not in commission, and two
schooners upon the coast condemned as not ct for
duty. OF the six large steamers upon the lakes, four
only are in commission, and, as the others are not
needed, have the honor to recommend that author
ity be given for their SALE During the last year,
four iron steamers have been built three of 25O and
Of $50 tons burden. UHder tho existing
appropriation of 0,0oO the department is about
to issue proposals. for four small iron propelers,
two for IL Pacific and two for the Atlantic coast.
needed to enable the department to carry
into effect the recommendation of the Commission
whose report was approved by the department, and
recommended by the commission, when fully adopt
ed, will effect reduction in the expenses of this
branch Of the service Of about $500, 900, or about
proposed coutempe the Use of vessels of less ton
mage and consequent reduction Of the number Of
men employed. The expenses Of the revenue ma
were sl251, ,9s452, against s., 1885, s93.31 for the
preceding year. The first quarter of the present
fiscal year shows reduction in the expenses of $685.,
2ol 40, as compared with the corresponding per
| cent. of the preceding year.
At the date of my last report, board of officers
in session, charged with tho duty of examining
officers then in active service. The report showed
that five captains, five first eutenants, nine second
ieutenants, and ten third ieutenants were not
qualhcd for duty. The persons found to De incom-
potent have been discharged, and their places have
been filed by promotion, and by the appointment Of
| additional officers after competent examination.
There are several officers in the service, who, on
account Of age, are unfit for duty To supply off,
in their places, and for the increase of the
ber of engineers by the substitution Of steam for
sailing vessels, additional appropriations are re-
CURED for the next fiscal year. This branch of pub
lie service is, upon the WHOLE in satisfactory con-
| dition.
The Mint.
During the third session of tho Forty-frst Con-
gresc, bill was submitted to Congress for the
ganiZatiOn Of a mint bureau. The bill passed the
Senate but failed in the House of Representatives.
though as am informed not from any objection
to the principles upon which it was framed. 1 ear
nestly recommend the passage OF similar bill at the
present session of Congress. All the mint and assay
Offices are nominally in charge of the Treasury De-
partent, but there s not by authority Of law, any
person in the Department who by virtue of his Of
flee, is supposed to be informed upon the subject,
and no one on whom the Secretary Of the Treasury
can officially rely for information advice in the
| management of this important branch of public
business.
1t is estimated that the interest of the commerce
If the country is fifteen times great exter-
nal commerce but tho statistics arc not trustworthy
or complete and respectfully recommend that pro.
visions be made for obtaining such returns as will
show fully the trade of the country upon those
| rivers canals, lakes and railroads.
Alaska Seal Fisheries.
The report Of Mr.. Charles Bryant, special agent,
who has charge Of the fur seal fisheries at the st.
Paul and st. George Islands, shows that tho busi-
Company with substantial uniformity to the terms
of the contract. Mr.. Bryant suggests an appropra-
ton for tho construction Of . house upon each Of
the islands for the accommodation of the agents Of
the government, who at present are dependent upon
the company for board and shelter; and, although
am not aware that any evil has resulted from
| the arrangement, it is manifest that 1t ought
not to be continued. It is estimated that an
appropriation of S. 900 will be sufficient for suit
able building Oh each island. The agents charged
with the management Of tho seal fishery having been
detailed from the custom service, l respectfully
recommend that authority be given for the appoint
nlent of two agents and assistant agents, and that
suitable appropriations be made for their salaries
and expenses. The necessity of two agents at each
island is apparent. The agents will desire to return
to the states as often as once in two years, and,
moreover, 1t is wise for the Government to have not
less than four persons in its employ connected with
the of the people and the business of the island
MIR Bryant also makes suggestions to further pro-
vision for the care Of the nativcs which appear to
me to deserve consideration.
! Salaries Of Bureau Officers.
| I again call tho attention of Congress to the i'm
portance of increasing tho salaries of the Bureau
officers and heads of divisions in the Treasury De-
partmcnt. At present there is great inequality and
injustice existing. The First Comptroller receives
salary of $5 600 year, while the Second Comptroller
and other Bureau officers whose duties arc hardly
less important, only receive s3,OOn. The Solicitor