Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-01-23

missioner, it appears that $500 miles
of new road have been completed IN
Wisconsin during the present year,
making the aggregate Of miles now in
operation 1928 40, inclusive OF 107 ~
miles Of marrow gauge track. The ulal
number OF miles of road operated by
the companies reporting to the conf
missioner is 4.765 03. The cost of these
ads and their equipments, as repIe-
scented by capital stock and outstanding
bonds, is $205, 185, S0GS8, and the ret
earnings are reported at S12. 69l .0U6 oe,
being an average Of G2 per
cent. on the assumed cost. The
total number OF passengers carried on
all the lines was 1886, 68S, and the
freight carried amounted to 7,997,309
tons. The number of personal casual
ties in Wisconsin was 1873, as against
1876 the previous year. On the entire
lines of these roads, in all the states,
there were 2S4 casualties. The num-
Der OF passengers killed were two,
either Of them in this state, and the
lumber injured was eight. 1t seems
number of passengers carried only ten
were injured; and this fact reflects the
highest credit not only upon the care
md vigilance of the managers and SUI
perintendents, but also upon the skill
and fidelity of the thousands of me
chanics and workmen in the shops and
along the line, and upon the conductors
and engineers, and their assistants,
who run the trains.
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
During the past year, two important
delegate conventions have been held,
one at Quincy and the other at Louis
vile, to consider the important subjects
connected with the improvement of the
navigation of the Mississippi river and
lis tributaries. 1t is Of vital importance
to the northwest that these natural
highways should be protected from I'M
necessary distractions, and their capac.l
ity increased to the utmost attainable'
limit. TO accomplish this, 1t is neccs-
aary that some comprehensive general
system of improvement should be de-
vised and then pressed upon the atten-
ton of congress, to the exclusion OF
local clamor or prejudice. The con-
ventions referred TO were attended by
practical men, interested in tho matter
under consideration, and their conclu-
sions and recomm endations should be
not without influence with congress and
the people, in arresting the pernicious
practices which have hitherto obtained
1t has become quite the habit recent
ly to refer to the improvement of the
Fox and Wisconsin rivers in any but
complimentary and assuring terms.
Nevertheless, the work progresses and
we'll be completed. Despite all claims
and assertions to the contrary, the ex-
periments by government engineers in
charge, have demonstrated that it is
practicable so to guide and control TIM
waters of the Wisconsin that they shall
dredge navigable channel from Port
age to the Mississippi. The United,
States has undertaken this work; the
Chief of Engineers has been instructed
by congress to prepare and submit final
plans and estimates, and under his di-
geS,og s0ard Of b nas r %aaf
which will soon beS published. Con.
gress should be urged by this legislature
and by the people, to go on with the
work more vigorously than ever before,
by placing money enough at the dis
posal of the engineer in charge to com.
pete it without deley.
PUBLIC LANDS.
The report of the Commissioners of
Public Lands for the last year has been
prepared with exceptional care. All
the books have been carefully reviewed,
and tabulations made showing the ex-
act condition of the trust funds and tbs
public lands.
The number OF acres OF land held by
the stnte september 30,lS7S. was
Increase by forfeiture during tho
year. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. c,05l.Ss
Increase by error III former reports y, 900. ~
Increase nom school land Indemnity 81, OS90@
1,627, SIG D.
Decrease by sales luriug the year. ~, S27 u
Held by the state September so, 1879 i,57i,6S9 81
The total expense Of securing the 81
0S9.09 acres OF indemnity school lands
was $677S7, Of which $4,000 was paid
rs fees to tho registers and receivers OF
United States land offices.
Encouraged by the success of the
methods adopted in the prosecution OF
the claim for indemnity for deficiencies
IN school lands, l determined, with the
advice and cooperation of the commits
sioners Of the public lands, to adopt
similar methods i'll presenting tine clainl
81 the state for deficiencies in swamp
hnds. These methods were, in brie
to obtain accurate information in re-
gard to the extent and merits of the
claim, and then present 1t, and the evi.
dence to sustain it, in such plain and
concise manner that others may under.
stand it. The preliminary work, now
about complete, has required much ex-
ira labor from the clerks in tho land
department, which it is due to them to
say has been most cheelfully rendered.