Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1873-12-12

1,loo,OJI acres IMAM was disposed OF
the preceding year. Of the amount
disposed Of 1,G26,366 acres were sold
for cash; 2l4,9t0 acres were located
with military Land Warrants; 793, G12
acres We're taken for honesteads; G53,
446 acres were located with agricultur-
al college scrip; 5,0S3,536 acres were
certified by railroads; S65,756 acres
were granted to wagon roads; 253,54S
acres appropriated to States as swamp
lands;e 1851 acres were certified by
agricultural colleges, common schools,
universities and scminaries; 100, IT'S
acres We're appropriated to States for
internal Improvements, and /, 422 acres
were located with Indian scrip. Their
cash receipts during the same time
were %, 400,515 so, being s190,415 so
in excess of the receipts for the previ-
year, During the year 20,4SS, I32
acres of public land we're surveyed,
an increase in the amount surveyed
the previous year of 1887 1872 acres,
which, added to the area previously
surveyed, aggregates 6l6,554, S95
acres wliiea have been surveyed, leav-
ing 1,21S,4t3,5O5 acres of public lands
still unsurveyed. The increased and
steadily increasing facilities for reach
ing our nnoccnpied public domain and
for the transportation of surplus pro-
ducts enlarges the available field for
desirable homestead locations, thus
stimulating. settlement and extending
year by year in a gradually increasing
ratio the area of occupation and cult
vation. The expressed desire of the
representatives of large colony of
the citizens of Russia to emigrate to
this country, as is understood, with
the consent of their government, if
certain concession can be made to en-
able them to settle in a compact colo
ny, is of great interest, as going to
show the light in which our institu-
tons are regarded by an Industrious,
intelligent and wealthy people, desir-
ous of enjoying civil and religious
liberty. The acquisition of SO large
an immigration Of citizens of supe-
rior class would without doubt be of
such substantial benefit to the country
that invite attention to the sugges-
tons of the Secretary of the Interior
in their behalf.
PENSIONS.
There was paid during the last fiscal
year for pensions, including the ex-
penses of disbursement, 800, 1856, 289
62, baing an amount less by $3.50, 59S
than was expended for the same pur-
pose the preceding year. Although
this state of expenditure would indi-
cate material reduction in the
amount, compared with the preceding
year, it is believed that the changes
in the pension laws at the last session
of Congress will absorb that amount
during the current year. AT the close
of the last fiscal year there were on
the pension rolls 99,S04 invalid mill
tary pensioners, and 132,0SS widows
and orphans and dependent widows of
deceased soldiers, making total of
that class of 211, S92; IS, 266 survivors
of the war of 1872, and 5,O53 widows
Of the soldiers of that war pensioned
under the act of Congress of February
l4th,. 1871, making a total of that
LaassS Of 23,319; 4,430 invalid navy
and 1870 widows and or
shans and dependent relatives of de-
ceased officers and sailors and marines
md Of the navy pensioners $500,
making a grand total of pensioners of I
Ill classes of 238,411, showing net !
Increase during the last fiscal year of !;
',2lS. The names of 1,645 pensioners
we're added to the rolls, and 10,o23 !
lames were dropped for various causes.
The system adopted of the detection
Il frauds against the Government in +
he matters of pensions, has been pro- :,
Lnctive of satisfactory results; but
egislation is needed to provide if pos )
IDLE against the preparation of such h
rauds in the future.
EDUCATION. :
The evidently increasing interest in r.
he cause Of education is most en- Z
feature in the general pro- S
Tess of the country, and the Bureau il
t Education is earnest in it's efforts i
9 give a proper direction to new ap-
'!icants, and increased facilities are
s:ng offered to aid the educators of
he country in their great work. a
THE ADMISSION or COLORADO. l
would recommend for your favor T
bic consideration the passage of an :
ct for the admittance of Colorado asj :
State i'll the Union. 1t possesses all II
he elements of 2 prosperous agricul a
ural and mineral community, and T LII
elieye has a population to Justify ba
UGH admission. In this connection IL
-ould also recommend the encourage =
lent OF a canal for the purpose of IT. &c
lgation, from the eastern slope of the W
.ocky Mountains TO the Missouri r,
vcr. AS rule | am opposed to the
onating Of public lands for internal
improvements owned and controlled
y private corporations, but, in this !.
lstance, ] would make IN exception. b
etween the Missouri river and the b
ocky mountains there is an area Of q,
ublic land Of from three to five hun :,
red miles in width, perfectly value -
,ss for occupation of man, for the q
ant of sufficient rain to secure the a:
rowth Of any products. An irriga- III
ng canal would make productive M
cit as wide as, the supply of water !,
'uld be made to spread over and :,
cross this entire country. anil wo,,I1 u