, 1877-12-05

,~~"~sJ s''~'i ~ -" '"ea s&Hs '"''e~s
THE INTERIOR.
nErnRr or SECRETARY RCnrRz.
An nlysttact of the operations Of the General
Land Office Ii su!,lnittcsi. The total number of
ncres Of land disposed Of during the ycar WA
4,si3,717.70: dfsposals for previous year, G.524,
.sa'.:N acres-a decrease Of 1,674,553.G6 acres.
TIC total exst receipts were $f,4S2, ,f01.G3.
The subject Of the extensive t1cprcdations
committed upon the timber on the public linda
is treated at length. On this subject tho scefe-
tary fsyk:
The rapfdity with which this country Il being
stripped Ut its forests must atartn cvery think
Ing man. It 1Ias hccn estimated bf good
authority that. II VIC 90 ot at the present rate.
tho supply Of timber In tic tinted States WILL
In less than twenty years, fall considerably
short Ut our home necessities. How DISASTROUS
~ the destruction OF the forests Of 4 country
Affects thc regularity of the water-supply In Lts
rsrcrs necessary for navigation, Increases tho
frequency Of trcshcts and inundatiuns, dries up
springs. at'I transforms fertile agricultural
districts thto barrcn wastes, fs matter Of uni-
yrrsal experience tho wurld over. 1t Is tic
hIgla:st time that We should turn otis earnest
attention tn this subject, which 40 seriously
concerns our national prosperity.
The tiovcshnen: tannot prevent the cutting
Of tt1nbcr On ia,,l owned by private citizens. It
Is onlY 10 b. hoped that rriyate owners Will
grow more careful u their tftnbtr a. It rises In
|. 1t car take determined, ,,and as Think. effect.
ual measures to arrsat the stealing OF timber
frum public lands on y large scale. which Is af-
waya attcEdcd Will, the most reckless waste !;
and 2. 1t tan psctcrre the forests still tn 1ts
possession by keeping them under It's control,
and bJ 20 regulating the cutting asd sale u!
timber on Its lanus ns " secure the renewal Ut
the forest by natural growth and the careful
preservation nt tic yo1lng timber.
To avert such evil results. would suggest
the following preventive ard remedial incas,Irca
All timber lan.!s still bclonxiug to the United
Statcs should hc withdrawn from the operation
OF the presumption at'l homestead laws, as we'll
aa tte lotatton OF the various kints Of Acrfp.
Timber lantls Ill for agricultural purposes
should be sold, II sold at nlI, only for cash, and
so graded In prtee III to 1nnkc the purchaser. nay
Tor the yaluc Of the timber oil the land. Thls
MILL he npt to make the settler careful and
A sufficient nntlGes Of Government Agents
should he provided fur tu protect the tlfntHr OIL
public lands frot depreciation, and to fnstltute
tu this en.l the necessary proceedings ayatust
tlenrcdato1s by seizures aud by criminal rs we'll
as civil action.
rHIvAra LAND cLAIMs.
The enactment Ot some law itrovtdinE more
speedy settlement of the prfsatc land claims in
Mexico by tfle treaty Of Gnadslupe litdatgo In
1Sis and the uatisden treaty Of 1853, Is tmpcra-
ttvely demanded.
SURVEYS.
On this subject the following recommends
i. rns consolidation Of oil tho Offices OF Sur.
reynrs-ficnesnl Into one, which shall be located
at Washington,
i. The abolition Of tho contract System.
i. 'rito apftofntmcnt OF a Surreyor.t;encta1 Of
the United States, who shall he authorized to
apro!nt III many assistants as may be required
to make tflc surveys a. fast as may bo deemed
necessary OF provided by law.
RAILWAYS.
4 macs Of facts and figures. compiled fE0m
tho nnnua! reports OF the companies, arc pre-
scntpt. Fur tie supervision Of Tue accounts OF
tho Union and Pacific Railroads., the Goycrn.
ruent Directors recommend that Special
bureau should be estahlis1lctf la thls depart
nlent. With this recommendation fully cn,..
cur. 4 competent and cncrQuttc officer in
charcc Of such bureau would enable the Dr.
partmcnt u net promptly and intclIiE gently,
gard to the great interests Of tho Government
lii tlesu railroads, and 10 furnish valuable
assistance to other Departments OF the Guycrt,
n1ent anu to Cougrcss i' matters relating
Thereto.
PATENTS.
During THO year ending June 80. 1877, l9.0l4
applications Tor patents wcru flied. Tho mum.
her Of patents Issued. including. reissues and
designs. was u, $50; the number nf caveats filed
waA 2.G5S: 1.093 patents were allowed but not
Issued, because the tlpal fec was nut Issued
lii applications for registration Of trade .narks
wstg received, V1s tIa.ih MARX T. were registered
~ laocls "ero Registered. Inc toln! receipts
of the office iron, d! sources & wSss $7li,kA.s3:
the total expenditures vsro $6o9. 9.o43.A. leaving
af excess OF S1o'rEi:H.
TENSIONS. , =, ,s,-
!, At the close OF Tue year ending June ~, ls77,
There were on Tug EtGa ol t,ls oaco 4.,sUl
o5a' aFy nvl1 "rn1 os t'vn Gvsd r.
widows increase; 015 original navy invaItds
U. nary Invalid increase; ~ nary .waaows'
Original; and navy widows increase Claims.
II that nutnher were added dursnt; the ycat
l0.ss2 original army invalid; ll.9li asmT ~:
ya1id fncrcaae: 6,"61 original nasy wtdoWA'; $50
army wi!ows' tncrcaso; :1l original navy In.
val!1; III navy Invalid Increase; W original
navy wtdows'; anu III navy "ldowh' tntseaae
clathss.
Seventeen hundred and seSehty.ono original
army insaihts, l5s original navy wldows', fous
army wt1"ws' aneFeaacr slx original navy tnva'
lAta, QtII oht OtlEln&I nafF HfuoH'a clalhlS were
takcn from the rclecte.l ales snd reopcned,
ina uH Hfalit4 tutHl nj Ill l.! Original