The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1873-12-04
Report Of the Commissioner Of the
Land Office.

The report Of the Commissioner of the General
Land Office shows that the number Of acres of
1873, was SD,4ss 1872. The amount Of public land
disposed of during the same period wab ID $50 616
acres The number of surveyors-General has been
increased since 1853 from ten to seventeen; the
number Of land offices from frty-three to ninety,
and the amount OF land annually disposed of from
100000 to 1900 COO In regard to the CD.
erations Of the Homestead law, the Commissioner
reports as follows:
The demand for lands by actual settlers under
the Homes esd law continues very large. During
thefscal year ending June 3d. 1878, 81 246 prelin-
luary entries were made. covering of 3,T52-
347.26 acres The number of final entries were
1854, being an increase in final entries of Ais
over the preceding fiscal year. This law, with
some sngnt amendments, would meet al the re-
qu1rements and necessities Of actual settlers, and
l again respectfully renew my recommendation
for complete consolidation of all statues rs
sp Getting settlement rights into general Home
stead law. bill for that purpose met with ia
vorable action from both Houses Of the last Con-
gress, but owing to slight amendment as to the
time when II should take effect, by the House. on
the last day of the session, in which the Senate
had not time to concur, it failed to become a law
ing the fiscal year ending June 81, 1878, amounted
10 1t, a09 II acres, and for Summaries, o acres
amounted to 16,976.21 The locations of agricul-
tural college scrip by assignees of the States to
v hich the same was issued reported during the
year cover an area of 653446.41. Since my last
nual report agricultural college scrip representing
24O,O0t acres has been issued to the States of Ar
which Congress authorized.
The records of the office show an aggregate con-
struction OF 27S miles of road distributed fol-
lows: In Michigan, 1856 mil ); Wisconsin, 80 miles ;
Iowa, 90 miles; Minnesota, 712 miles; Missouri 81
miles; Kansas, 464 miles; Arkansas, 24O miles ;
Territory 155 miles. Total, above, 2,278 miles
Portions of the roads included in the foregoing re-
port OF construction were actually completed prior
to the commencement of the last fiscal year. This
report will be understood referring partic-
ularly to the official record of construction and
the acceptance by the proper authorities, the evil
received office
since my last annual report, and consequently was
not included therein. During the previous year
the reports show constructed length of i.743
miles OF road, difference in favor Of the latter
year of 5S5 miles. The policy of extending aid to
railroad enterprise by national legislation having
been restricted by the caution of Congress during
the last few years, the aggregate of definite loca-
The reports show the definite location of 323 miles
during the fiscal year, of which 20 miles are of
the Northern Pacific Railroad, in the Territory of
The following act OF Congress was approved Feb
IS, 1873 III Stat, 1850:
AN ACT in relation to Mineral Lands
Be IL enacted by the Senate and House of ReDre
sentdtiues of the United States of Anerlcd in Con-
gress assembled, That within the States hereinafter
they are hereby excluded from the operations of
an act entitled AN act to promote The develop
ment OF Of the mining resources of the United
not apply 10 the mineral lands situated 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-
fore the passage of said act; and that any bona
fde entries Of such lands. within said States
since the passage thereof, may be patented with
out reference TO the provisions Of said act.
Previous to the date of said Mining act of 1872
lands containing deposits of iron ore were disposed
of for cash at private entry the same as agricul-
tural lands. The language of the Mining act
however. is so comprehensive to justify the be-
lief that 1t was the intention of Congress to in
einde iron ore among the mineral deposits to be
disposed of under It's provisions. Congress by
subsequent legis alton appears to have pac ed this
construction upon the act.