Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-11-28
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR
Indian AGairs-Pubtlc Buildings and
Grounds.

wee as favorable. The policy of the Govern
me mt has for its main object the restraint and
elevation of the wild tribes of the frontier
through firm and kind treatment. The Score
tary states what
THK PEACE POLICY
was intended originally TO accomplish. Salts
factory progress towards the accomplishment og
the ends sought to be obtsined by this polio,
mas already been made, fully justitying tho
hope that 1t Will eventually achieve the end h.
view. 1t seems to be unvarying result o.
payments in money that the indians are in
verse condition in every respect than If they
received payment in goods and supplies and Il
appears in many cases that those receiving the
mott money are in the worst condition. The
recommendation of the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs that such payments be hereafter in
goods and supplies, even II il be found nece..
sary TO modify the treaties TO enable the change
TO be made, meets with my unqualified sp-
proval. In this connection, 1 desire TO refer
particularly to certain moneys due the Prairie
band of PottawattOmies, as well as certain sums
which are expected soon to be to the credit Of
Inc hansas Indians, which under existing treaty
supulatio ns and laws are required to be paid to
said bands of Indians respectively. I shall
therefore, present to the proper committees OF
each House OF Congress during the present SEES
zion bills providing that the sums of money here
referred to be invested in Government bonds
and placed to the credit of said Indians respec-
lively, for the purpose of their civilization.
INDIAN RAIDS.
1t is believed that many Indians, who are sub
sisted by the government, persist upon making
boring tribes, and then retreat to the refuge of
the reservations, where they can secure their
spoils, and be fed and recupersted for fresh out
RACES. 1t will be found to be a measure OF
mercy TO all if such Indians can be punished as
they deserve. The Secretary says the Sioux
nation is almost completely surrounded by
tribes that are really friendly to the government
and at the same time bitterly hostile to the
Sioux. If these friendly tribes could be sup
piled with improved firearms and ammunition
the present supremacy of the Sioux Indians
might, IN few lie dpErrONpi with hut
little aid from the army. The eXperince which
the ModOc difficulty has furnished the Indian
office will, il is believed, enable that Office t.
take measures calculated TO prevent the recur
renee of like difficulties under similar circum-
stances.
THE LAWLEss CONDITION OF TIE INDIAN TER
RITORY,
the growing insecurity OF life and property,
and the manifest indispOsitOn of tribes there
resident to accept voluntarily any improved
form of government, whereby existing difficult
ties might be avoided, is fully commented on.
| trust the necessary legislation NAV be oh
tanned TO at least provide for the organization
OF court, or courts therein under the iuTis
dlction. so ar as the appointment of the Judi
cial officers Is concerned, of the federal govern
ment.
The Secretary invites the attention of Con
greSs to a request from
COLONY OF NENNONITRs,
now and for several gen ratiOns residing in
southern Russia, near the shores of the Black
Sea and the Sea of AZov, for a modification OF
existing land laws in certain particulars to en-
able them to settle upon our public domain in
compact colony. The entire area they will
probably require will be about 100000 acres.
The Secretary notices the business of the Land,
Pension, and Education Bureau, railways, geo.
logical surveys, the census, and other subjects
coming within the range of his department.
District Affairs.
In reference to District affairs the report has
the following
EXTENSION OF CAPITOL GROUNDS
The. Secretary, after stating what has been
done in the way Of extending the Capitol
grounds, says: This addition TO the grounds sur
rounding the Capitol will bring them into greater
harm ny with the noble proportions OF thai
building than has hitherto been the case and
when they shall have been properly laid out and
ornamented, they will form an appropriate set
ting for the national Capitol.
PNEUMATIC TUBE.
The first attempt TO lay the tube was unsuc-
cessiul, OWING to various causes. The contractor,
however, is now making another endeavOr to
construct such tube as will accomplish tbt
purposes intended, and informs me that the
tube will, probably, be completed before the Isl
OF January next His present operations are
conducted at his own expense, SO that no further
appropriation by Congress will be necessary t,
its completion.
INSANE ASYLUM.
During the year ending June 50, 1873, there
were under tire atment at the Government Hos
pltal for the Insane 762 patients, OF whom 413
were from the army and navy, and 573 were
ales. Two hundred and one patients were ad-
mtted during SAID year, Ct were discharged as
The recoveTies were IS per cent of the dis
charges intending, and 46 per cent. excluding
deaths. During the same period As patients
died, leaving under treatment at the close OF
said year $40 patients, of whom 46S were males
SiXty-nine of those treated during said wear
were private or psy-patients. 3,3iS persons, OF
whom GA were native-born, have been treated
in the hospital since ii was opened. The gen
eral health of the hospital has been very good
In addition to the regular expenditures for the
support of the hospital, there has been expended
the sup of S37 SEQ in the erection or an eyten-
sion OF the wards for the excited class OF pa-
uents, and $1,000 for heating boiers The
noatd OF visitors submit the estimates for the
year ending June 30, 1875, aggregatiDg S226, 1855.
DEAF AND DUMB INSTITUTION.
On the LIST inst. there were los pupils in the
Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb,
81 OF whom were received since July LIST, 1872
VI these 60 have been in the collegiate depart-
ment, representing seventeen states and the
Dlsirlct OF Columbia, and 4S in the primary de-
partment. The health of the institution was
excellent, not one death having occurred dur
ing the year. Estimates are submitted by the
board of trustees for the ensuing fiscal wear
amounting to Sl03,500.
COLUMBIA HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN
during the last fiscal year 2s5 women re
GSiyed treatment at the Columbia Hospital for
Women and Lying-in Asylum. OF these, 2,I35
were received during the year, and 1 ,92i were
out door patients. Twelve hundred and seven
teen were restored to health, 542 relieved, IOI
discharged as ineuTabie, 9 died, the results are
not known In 296 cases, and III remained under
treatment OF the whole number treated tOI
were foreign born. The hospital has been re
modelled, an additional story and a number OF
private rooms added. The estimates for the
next hscal year amount to S3i, 600,
NEW JAIL.
AFTER referring to the progress made on the
new jail the secretary says The supervising
architect expresses the opinion that the corniee
should be of stone, and the roof covering of
slate. and states that in order to accomplish
these ends and insure a subst initial fire. proof
building, AN additional appropriation Of sl60, 900
viii necessary. The supervising architect in
vites attention to the fact that the building,
when completed, will be suitable, not only for
the ordinary purposes of a JAIL but, also, for
those OF penitentary; and, as the grounds sur
rounding 1t are of ample capacity, he strongly
recommends that the necessary authority be
obtained from Congress for its use as q peniten-
tiary as well as a jail. He states that the add-
tionsl expense would be comparatively small,
as 1t would involve little more than the cost of
the necessary workshops, and the materials
necessary for the construction of Q wall to en-
close the grounds, which could be entirely
erected by the labor Of the convicts- He Is OF
the opinion that, if these suggestions we're
adopted, q large saving in the expense of the
Jail to the governme Mt would be made, and
that, in time, the use of convict labor would
constitute source of revenue to the District of
Columbia. He also suggests the Importance Of