New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-11-25

q sum less by $g3S,577 than th2t received 'no Pi0'h
year During the year 29492 ITO ~ acres "ere
making with the quantity previously surveyed oA''''
oso leaving be surveyed acres
IL is worthy OF notice that the dninu0n IN inc az
gre gate quantity OF LANDS disposed OF le ias' h,d
YEAR as compared with the before Is found chleY
in the amount certified to railroad 32iSls45 ARES IN
the year ending uhe 80 1874 against to95oSG,o, aCre
IN that ending jane so loS NsaiIy ms WeI
were entered under the Timer act when auSuaS , MS
for the now treCeSS pEales OF tnc W. NV over hall
under this and the Homestead aet eAvecu oy yaar
million acres like entries during the preceding YOU,
Such entries. being made for actu use are 'o su0'
criterion Of Toe progress OF The country; . I'D
The rapid destruction OF timber IN TINS country, anu
especially that which Is found ON the ph1hc hhds 70
source Of great Socude TO al persons VINO mto nro
the subject any Consideration III ths ucst' tS 80
Gresses the future a, rapidly as ~ inc as,: r ~
Der lands OF the Government vii sooA DE- demurrer "a
every thing thai Is valuable EHccllVe cIiSlaon po
tec1g these Lands nom vase Is absolutely hcces
sary and longer be neglected without SERIOUS
injury to the pubic interests. ,,., .,o,
ppe and tr lands shall b. sdbi"ct to entry unuer
the Presumption aud Homes cad laws t4at 5, se'n a.
survey, be devised which the quanY Oh plue anu III
%, LIZ. cl,.ey anI,r1J IInat4I mai an Immediate
poraton by experts o. tnr ulsdrveyed portion OF thoe
States aud Territories known to contain plue anu III
Graphical ultiou o. such districts; TINT t1o reports OF
such explorations be followed bt immediate surveys
appraisemeuts rrocllmauons. and sales at not Itss
than the appraised aud for cash only Under the
laws now IOrce fOr the disposition OF pup IL idhds IL
Is difficult II Impossible, TO OBTAIN more than the
lnnmam price Si . per acrel IOr land however Valua
Die. When timbtIol lduds are auN IVt e"l' p'
waite parties, deslI!ng t. purchlSe maze such altnEe
mentS and combinations a. 10 prevent co1lp9uuVns
hence the lands. IL disposed OF at all are SPA at ne
minimum when offered at p"O.c sac, anu IL Hot 'non
sold are Immediately entered ~ the minimum NoNell
ment price by such plrlcs. I1e most a. ~
of preventing these pLelGes t. Ia NY JUG i i ~
adopt suggestion, VI lie CJnulisoIYhc leSaI lbR Tue
survey and appraisal or these lands, ana Wheh
they offered az puOic o. pydte Sdc " mdA: INC ap
praised value tHeir minimum.
fEe proprlety OF the Homestead act to
permit ctlz,n Indians 10 aE~l themselves % as rlo
visions has been discussed AMI strongly rec ommended
by the Commissioner vi the General LaudOlice It1lly
concur IN o,uIon expressed By tnai icer On TINS
subject, and my Tor nls are found al length IN
tAls n pogi, under lnt head "I "I!di~n Ah1lIS. L
would respectfully nmrnd 10 the favorable consider
OF CONGRESS TIE suggestions of the commissioner
requires claimants OF confirmed private laid claims 10
Jeirdy the OF tHe survey OF theiF claims; con-
cCrriuc TIE cJn>oid.tIOl ~ tne uONcSCai anu Pre-
enptons laws and concerning the ur-~at necessity OF
reUrsaDIzuS anu I"e.edN4AG thc ocioh lorce ol MS
office.
THE REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF PENSIONS.
The statistics 1uIHisIed Dy tbs report OF the Commits
soner Pensions indicate that the IN tximum number
OF pensioners the bounty OF the Government has
probably reached. TINS conjecture is based upon
the fact Of decrease during tie last fiscal year. Of
2170 names IN the roll Of pensioners whereas, during
seven fiscal years INN, datty preceding the roll
was steadily Increased al al dVeFagr annual rate OF
900 names On tlr 9)h OF jane 1873. the names OF
2s All pensioners Ncre Dune upon the roll, ana during
1Gc ensuu year 10 a9j names we're added thereto. aud
23G 2l names on the r' June 1S74. whose annual
pensions ac.re.alc the sum Of S252jiC7l 10. OF this
humber lO2 ~ were army Ilvahis and 1856 army
widows and dependent relatives total OF 2d99I3
navy widows a., tJ,ai OF 1886 navy pensioners and
1850 survivors, and jj4 widows OF tJe var or lo2;
total ?2912 pensions o. te war OF 1872 in all 2d2
Tbe net cccrcase du IA, year in the number the
rolls 2l7o, a. before stated "ne tie net decrease ~
the annual aSres.;e p'i meat j. ohy - Sio rs rms
seemingly inadequate amount is explained BY the fact
that many pcusi Us have "een increased during The
year pursuant 10 recent iegs'dlIOn DuflnS ihe last
bscal year exam ned ard allowed 303j army
pensiOn-lains, OF when 5o5 we're Tor nvdd pensi'n
BOC3 FOR increased pension ldvds 3Ol for pension
TO widows depend- nj relatives, &c, 9J2 Tor increased
pension widows g.. and 80 Tor ItsortOn 734 navy
pcnsion-caiinso OF which 100 were lOf lnvald pension
t26 for pension L. hSads ~ Tor pension 10
sion to Widows g., and - restoration AMI 1884
claims for pension Of Survivors aud widows Of soldiers
{n the war 1872 Of winch So Tor the latter class
making total OF s21l aims auJadicated at an agsre
gate annual rate ofS-,9-G9-6.
The following amounts were paid on account of
pensions dur!ng sand year - army invalid Slo-
6J3367 s.: u army WIDOWS aud Gependeut relatives,
WIDOWS g. S,C75n Ca 10 Survivors Of the Mar of 1872
20 80. ,a,',S tt3l amount Including Tho cI
peLses o. >oufse lrniS ~ fjJ195tJ &c. walch is an
cedug year lie Commissioner Is OF opinion that the
disbursements Invalid pensioners Will, for the earrent
fiscal year differ hte III amount from those OF the last
year bit anucTates considerable reduction IN the
payments to wia0ws and minor children At the close
OF the year there were on ne GHaduScl 6l6GJ pension
claims. Of which nomber -'I4 "ere FOR IN valid pension
1890 of survivors aud WIDOWS OF soldiers OF the War OF
1872 This actual increase during the year, of
Gil3 pending OR unadiuicaeD claims; but, In order
TO reconcile an apI-it.t Discrepancy between these
figures and those gwen IN the last annual report OF the
Department an explanation Is necessary During sew
eral wears ~ 81 many applications for pension which
had beeu placed GA the flies or rejected and abandoned
missioner OF Pensions 10 THIS Department among the
number Of penoiug claims, but II has been deemed
Droper 10 regard now ana hereafter such claims
belonging 10 rejected class for 1t is believed that
very OF them VIII ever be called up for prosecution.
These claims are omitted III the present
port and the n-Lrrs above given t6l56O accurately
state tne % t nnr fbre re ro "a ore
on the rolls the names or 410 WILLOWS or soldiers
in The Revolutionary war; and of 1867 widows
and children q soldiers who served in subsequent
the Revolution excepting that OF 1912 and prior 10 the
Daring inc lat fiscal We 234 bounty-land warrants
s eu for 5000 acres. being l6s2O less than the
number Of acres issued preceding year. There
are now upon tie Of the Office about OoOOO
suspend claims fCs 9ountyland OF which number only
$50 were prosecuted during year The Commissioner
states that. us Judgment the existence of large
numb, SUI pended Gains for bOuntyand teuds TO
for tie purpose Of securing the Allowance of claims
winch are Inadmissb bic upon the evidence fled The
force YEAR, a suticent period WITHIN which
h WHO are emitted thereto SHOULD nave awaited tDen-
sMes Of It's provisions. There Is no existing legal mi
4lop during winch proof In support OF snch claims
DuSt Oe Med and hence II cannot be said that claim
Tor bountyand is rejected unless the record evidence Is
ineonIroyeruoly adverse 10 ts admission IL may
20 h.e additional testimony at any tune ana
nave the Claim reopened. These claims are
having been suggested 10 express their exact condition
therefore recommend that py aPpropE9te egslaton'
acts OF Congress granting Donnty land shall remain IN
injustice ~ those who may have just ana equitable
clsms, and would render Impossible thOse fraudulent
practices which under existing laws difficult OF
estimated tha s5oOoooO will be required for the
pension service duruR tho fiscal year ending June 80
isTe II also appears that the pensions Of
1851 minor children, whose names the
roll, will shortly The Commissioners report
shove that Of TINS number, the pensions OF S5l2 pre
during the present calendar year 1921 will expire in
1875; 1889 IN 1876 B3Oe 1871; 1881 ia
1873; aud the Remainder, 2O1l2 VIII terminate soon
afterwaTd These Facts ana considerations Justify the
opiDi0n thai tue n sIimum annual eXpcDd tme pen
fiOps has been reach edsud that there vii be
DualIy increasing dimluutlOn therein.
CONDITION or THE UNION CENTRAL AND KANSAS
PACIFIC RAILWAYS. r....r.