The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-12-04


the road has been built, and is now in daily
operation from Duluth, on Lake Superior,
westward to Bismarck, on the Missouri river
a distance OF $50 miles and from kalsma on
the north side Of the Columbia river, in the
Territory OF Washington, northward TO Tacoma.
on Commencement Bay Puget Sound die
lance of 105 miles. The cost OF the surveys
of the lines OF the road, including necessary
purchase OF right OF way. has been FL l08.-
s93. rs. The extent OF lines surveyed is 9 3Ss
miles and. in addition, 1850 miles OF river
recopnoissance. When the fsal locations
shall have been made, the number OF miles
suryeyed will be about 10000, and the cost
of the surveys Will aggregate about $780,
OOQ-equal 70 about S125 per p"ile. The in
debtedness OF the company il as follows
First-mortgage bonds dollar, s2s, 81 600
first-mortgage bonds (sterllng), r,2J0,000
bills payable, S702, 293 SO accounts payable,
S75. 6i2 20: bonds and scrip Issued TO fund
interest, 1858, 1914 total, s3l, 55s, $50. Sc.
The amount Of stock OF the Texas and Pa
cifc Railway Company authorized by law is
$50. 600 900 capital stock issued: scrip stock
for partial payments on account OF subscrp-
tions, 5000 900 full-pald stock 81 DOC, 900
total, 81 600, 600. The indebtedness Of the
company IL as follows: trst-mortgsge per
cent. gold construction bonds issued, s92l0.
600; frst-mortgage Immigrant Z per cent.
currency bonds issued, 1921, 600 floating
debt, 81, 207, 444.45 debt of the Southern Pa
cific Railroad Company to the State OF Texas
assumed by the Texas and Pacific Company
g, 204, 964.69; total, S22, 473. 4O9.69. The
company assets are as follows 800 miles OF
constructed and equipped road; l07 miles OF
partially constructed and equipped road $50
miles OF telegraph line. go. 7OS, 9S6.63; ac
counts collectablc. S73, 4Sl.T; supplies on
hand, Sl3S 800. IS; cash on hand, S97. l83-to-
tai, 81 ,018. 642.lS The road Will extend
from Shreveport, La, on Red river. TO San d.
ego, California, with branch from Marshall,
Texas, to Texarkana, there connecting with
the Cairo add Fulton railroad. and from Tex
arkana through Paris and sherman, connect
ing with the main line at Fort Worth.
During the fiscal year ending June 30
1874, public lands were disposed of as fol
lows;
Cash sales ......... ..............1 ,o4l ,345. 46
Military warrant locations. ........... 133,16000
Homestead entries 3,5lS,o6l 63
Timber culture entries ................ S03944. AZ
Agricultural college scrip locations ll29529e
Certified to railroads. 264 3l4 ~
Approved to State as swamp. ........... 2s2.l6I9l
Certified for wagon-roads. ............. 57,97l.ll
Certified for agricultural colleges..... ll4239.ls
Certified for common schools. .......... 69.s99.s4
Certified for universities. ............ 04,65t.o2
ments ~ .'''e 80, NV. ' 12i,oss 70
Sioux half breed scrip locations ........ 1000
Chippewa half-breed scrip locations Gee. u,67l.71
Total 8, $50, s72 %
a quantity less by 3,499, 1873 81 acres than that
disposed of the preceding year. The cash
receipts were 81 469, o3S. so, a sum less by
1898, 577 than that received the preceding
year. During the year 29, 1872, 110.43 acres
were surveyed, making, with the quantity
previously surveyed Gas, 1893. 052 acres and
leaving yet to be surveyed l, 1876, COS 348 acres.
1t is worthy of notice that the dminution in
the aggregate quantity of lands disposed OF
the last fiscal year, as compared with the year
before, is found chiefly in the amount certi-
fed to railroads 1924, 314.42 acres in the
year ending June 30, 1874, against 6, 0S3, 1868
acres in that ending June 30, 1878. Nearly
million acres were entered under the Timber
act which augurs well for the now treeless
prairies of the West. The entries under this
and the Homestead act exceed by over half a
million acres like entries during the preced
ing year. Such entries, being made for actual
use, are the surest criterion OF the progress
of the country.
The rapid destruction of timber in this
country, and especially that which is found
on the public lands is a source OF great solicit
tude to all persons who have given the sub
jet any consideration. If this destruction
progresses in the future as rapidly as in the
past, the timber lands of the government will
soon be denuded of everything that is valua-
bic. Effective legislation protecting these
lands from such wastes absolutely necessary,
and cannot longer be neglected without seri-
Gus injury to the public interests.
The recommendations OF the Commissioner
are, that pine and hr lands shall not be sub
ject to entry under the presumption and
homestead laws; that system of surveys be
devised by which the quantityIof pine and fir
timber on each smallest subdivision Of a sec
ton may be at least closely proximated
that an immediate exploration by experts of
the unsurveyed portion Of those States and
Territories known to contain pine and fir tim
Der be made, with a view of ascertaining the
Gii ,.fa ,ol.
the reports of such explorations be followed
by immediate surveys, appraisements. procla-
nations and sales, at not less than
the appraised value, and for cash
only. Under the laws now in force for
the disposition OF public lands it is difficult
If not impossible, to obtain more than the
minimum price (S1.25 per acre. for land.
however valuable. When timbered lands are
advertised for sale, private parties desiring
to purchase, make such arrangements and
combinations as to prevent competition
hence, the lands, if disposed of at all are
sold at the minimum when offered at public
sale, and, If not then sold, are immediately
entered at the minimum government price by
such parties. The most effectual means of
preventing these practices is, in my judgment,
to adopt the suggestions of the Commissioner
regarding the survey and appraisal of these
lands, and when they are offered at public or
private sale to make the appraised value their
minimum.
The Customs Bureau.
ANNUAL REPORT OF COMMISSIONERS JOHNSON