Ellsworth American., 1875-12-16
Vol. XXI. Whole No. 1000. No. 50,

10 every Inhabited part of our territory.
Next TO the free school the post office il
the great educator of the people, and it may
Wen receive the support of the general
government The subsidy of $50 900 per
annum given to vessels of the United States
Tor carrying the mails between New York
ana Kio DE Janerio having ceased on the
30th of September last we are without di
rect mail facilities with the South Ameri-
can states. This is greatly to be regretted
| ana DO not hesitate to recommend the
| authorization of renewal of that contract.
and also that the service may be increased
| frem monthly to semi-monthly trips. The
commercial advantages to be gained by n
| direct line OF steamers to the South Amer
lcan states will far outweigh the expense
OF service. By act of Congress approved
March Sd. 1879, almost all matter, whether
properly mail matter or not, may be sent
any distance through the mails in packa-
ges not exceeding four pounds in weight
for the sum of lG cents per pound. 81 far
as the transmission of mail matter goes
this would seem entirely proper, but ,uy-
gest that the law be SO amended as to ex-
cluue iEOm the mails merchandise of all
description and limit this transportation to
all articles enumerated and which NAV be
clasSed as mail matter proper.
The discovery of gold In the Black Hills.
| portion OF the Sioux reservation, has had
the elect TO induce large emigration of
miners To that point. Thus far the effort
70 protect the treaty has been successful
but the next year will certainly witness
large Increase of such emigratious. The
negotiations for the relnquishment of the
gold fields having failed it will be necessa-
ry for Congress to adopt some measures TO
relieve the embarrassment growing ont of
the causes named. The Secretary of th.
Interior suggests that the supplies now ap
proprlated for the sustenance OF that peo-
pie being no longer obligatory under the
treaty OF 1868. but simply gratuity may
De issued or withheld ut his direction. The
condition Of the Indian territory to which
have referred in several OF my former an
huai messages remains practically un-
changed. The Secretary Of the Interior
has taken measures to obtain full report
of the condition of that territory and will
make it the subject OF n special report al
an early day. 1t may then be necessary
TO make some further recommendations in
regard To lesIs slatlOn for othe government
of that territory.
THE PATENT OFFICE.
The steady growth and increase of the
business OF the patent Office indicates in some
me'isur" the progress Of the Industrial activity
oi the country. The receipts Of the Office are
IN excess of its expenditures, and the Office
generally l. IN 4 prosperous and satisfactory
0O''"''''''
IiiE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
Tho report Of the general land Office shows
that over tJpbDl Icr,'s less disposed of during
WI tH'' curing iA'l wear More than one-halt
,h ,''iN w. A>i va III amos h'Hposrd OF under
.|', | ''''',' =" a'i anu A~Il'ui'ufI lA"'. u"
in the l,r;t>-huppcr >cotiryr and th,. dr,ufh.
Mm'h prev a"-d-' extensively IN som" the from
t'r 'iAt'~ anu territories during that time ~ 10
Il''""F'S' hhd drte entries BY actual settlers.
| u" ra>h Cre"!P'> were less by $500, ,,}32 -
''''I' ''I tH- lHr preceding year. TIA" entire
~. ''H'H ara "i th' Puhllr domain Is 6Nh,2ti.-
~ wfI>' "i "hi'h -"'0'',"3l acres were sur
1.N'H h"''Ii& ihr past wear, leaving ll1i,il-
~ "''>' 't'J uh>utN'H'd
~" I'f"'t "i thr commissioner present
"''n' '"''I' 'l'h& suggestion III regard to the
'''i ~. "' .t'" disposition "i thr pubhcd
"'" am i''''ill"I' 81 tlt tNl sung laws, the
aft".H. "'P''I tdH'' ol "hlrH should insure Tor
'"''' '"s '''''u CONSIDERATION "t congress.
r.<.t,<.
ne huInhrr oi pensioners still continues to
decrease the highest number having been
reached Iurth2 the year ending January 1873.
iuTlhS th' last year l,''I names were added
lls
showing net decrease Of li2p. But while the
number oi pensioners has decreased the annual
amount due On the pension rolls, has increased
Sf''J{I3. I'm, Is caused by the greatly IN
creased average rate ofp"n>inns which by the ljb
ClH ClH l'S'>!ALioh oil congress ms increased from
F'.l2 IN iN'3' to slo,;@ IN $50 To each invalid
1'r,"h' an average increase Of Ia per cent ia
Ih' , tnLe' years during the year ending Junr
- 80 thrrc was pad ON account ofpen>lou-
,, inr'I'lhE me cApeh'e oi disbursement s29GN;;-
M ltF4.-
'y'ulh. srir. he reduction in the amount
y cNp,hdl'urt was pro"le"d by d"crease IN
amount III Hrrear,And the due on allowed claims
''iv pn pensions, the ratr of which was lncr"as-
n i'F 'h' legislation oi thc preceding session
OF t"hErr>s. At thr close oi the last fiscal
year There ""rc on the pension rolls 234,N2l