Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-12-05
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
Report of the Land Office Commits.
SiOner.

The report of the Commissioner of the General
Land Office shows that the number of acres of
land surveyed during the year ending June 80,
1873, was &c, ass, 1872 The amount of public land
disposed of during the same period was 49, $780,
sos acres. The number OF Surveyors General has
been increased since 1868 from ten to seventeen !;
the number of land offices from fifty-three to
ninety, and the amount of land annually disposed
of from 100000 to 100000 acres. In regard to
the operations of the Homestead law, the COM
mlssl oner reports as follows:
The demand for lands by actual settlers under
the Homestead law continues very large. During
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1873 g., 246 pre-
nmlnary entries were made, covering an erea of
were 1884, being an increase in final entries of
4, l15 over the preceding fiscal year. This law,
with some slight amendments, would meet all
the requirements and necessities of actual set
TIERS, and again respectfully renew my recon-
mendatlon for complete consolidation of all
statutes respecting settlement rights into gen.
eral Homestead law A bill for that purpose
met with favorable action from both
Houses of the last Congress, but owing
to slight amendment as to the time when it
of the session in which the Senate had not time
to concur, it failed to become law. The seec-
uons Certified for common schools during the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1873, amounted to 76,-
g09 II acres, and for seminaries $40 acres
The selections certified for agricultural COL
leges amounted to 15,976.21. The locations of
agricultural college scrip by assignees of the
states TO which the same was issued reported dur
ing the year cover an area of 653, 44641. Since
my last annual report, agricultural college scrip
representing 100000 acres has been issued to the
States of Arkansas and +. orida. This exhausts
the amount which Congress authorized.
The records of the office show an aggregate con-
structlon OF 2,21S miles of road, distributed as
follows; In Michigan, 1856 miles; Wisconsin, SO
miles Iowa, 80 miles; Minnesota, 7i2 miles; Mis-
souri,, 81 miles; Kansas, 464 miles; Arkansas 24O
miles; California, DO miles: Colorado, 245 miles;
Indian Territory 1855 miles. Total. as above, 2 278
miles. Portions of the roads included in the fore
gong report Of construction were actually COM
pleted prior to the commencement OF the last fiscal
year. This report will be understood az referring
more particularly the official record of construc,
t1on and to the acceptance by the proper authori-
Ties, the evidence of which has been received at
THIS once since my last annual report, and conse
quently was not included therein. During the
previous year the reports show a constructed
length OF 1918 miles of road, difference in favor
of the latter year of 535 miles. he policy of ex-
tending aid to railroad enterprise by national
Legislation having been restricted by the caution
OF Congress during the last few years, the aggre-
gate OF definite location of new roads is not as
great as In former years. The reports show the
definite location of 323 miles during the fiscal
year, OF which 100 miles Of the Northern Pa
cif Ti Railroad, in the Territory of Dakota
n The following act Of Congress was approved
Feb. IS, 1873 az Stat, 1867:
AN Act in relation to mineral lands.
Be 1t enacted By the Senate and House Of Repre-
sentdtaUes Of the United States Of america, in
Congress assembled, That within the States here
matter named. deposits of iron or coal be, and
they are hereby excluded from the operations of
Ola oCo Oliuticu All dCI W prOluOtc The u0V0lOp-
ment of the mining resources of the United
States" approved May 10, 1872 and said act shall
not apply TO the mineral lands situate and being
within the States of Michigan, Wisconsin and
Minnesota, and that said lands are hereby de-
clared free and open to exploration and purchase
according to the legal subdivisions thereof as be-
IoIe the passage OF said act, and that any bona
fde entries of such land, within said States since
the passage thereof, may be patented without ref
erence to the provisions or said act.
Previous to the date of said Mining act of 1872,
lands oItaining deposits of iron ore were dis
posed OF for cash at private entry the same as
agricultural lands. The language of the Mining
act, however, is so comprehensive as to Justify
the belief that the intention of Congress to
include iron ore among the mineral deposits to be
disposed of under its provisions. Congress by
subsequent legislation appears to have placed
this construction upon the act