Sacramento daily record-union., 1881-11-10
GENERAL NEWS.
LAST NIGHTS DISPATCHES TO THE RECORD
UNION.
DOMESTIC.
Government climber Lands Report of
the Commissioner OF the General Land

DJMEsfGC.
Government Timber lands : Report Oh
the Commissioner OF the General Land
Office.
WASHINGTON. November 9.h.-The Com.
missioner of the General Land Office, in his
ANIMAL report, makes the following interest.
inc comments on the subject of Government
timber lands: The existing provisions of the
law permitting citizens to fell and remove
timber on the public lands for mining and do
mestic purposes, as found in the Act of June
8, 1878, are, in my opinion, very detective.
The only lands on which cutting is author
lied are the mineral lands, which are to a
great extent underlined. and necessarily must
so remain. Second, large quantities of tim
Der are absolutely necessary for the develop
ment of the mines. Where said Act author
ICES the cutting thereon Of timber for other
purposes, the purchaser of mining claim has
as much, If not greater, need for the TIMBER
thereon as the agriculturist, and the trans
portation OF timber to the mines from dis
tance is very expensive. Third, the law fur
nishes no relief to such as reside at a
distance from such lands. The situa-
tion is practically this: The settlers
on lands devoid of timber need tim
Der for fuel and building, etc. Very fre-
quentlv they cannot got il except from the
public lands if they get it legally; still they
will take it, and when taken solely tor said
purposes it is under circumstances which
largely mitigate the technical legal offense.
While parties who steal the public timber
Tor speculation and profit deserve every pun
ishment, those who use il solely for home
purposes under such imperative necessities
as those mentioned should have their privi-
leges accurately and reasonably defined. L
deem the enactment of q law which will ac-
complish this end to be very desirable and IN
the public interest. :,
Commissioner Mcfarland says with regard
to private land claims in the Territories OF
Arizona and New Mexico and the State OF
Colorado 81 feel disinclined at this time to
recommend any specific plan for the adjust.
msnt of said claims, whether Commission
be appointed and the same provisions made
as BY the Act of March 3, 1851, for the set
Element Of like claims in California, or by a
law enacted requiring proceedings to be COM
menced directly in the Courts within a GER
tain time. and left TO the discretion of Con
gress. My present duty will be performed
when I shall have directed attention to the
pressing necessity for some legislation which
will be adequate to the speedy ascertainment
of Just what lands these claims embrace, and
to their final disposition within such period
as may be essential to Judicial proceedings.
Colorado is already fiourishipg State, daily
increasing lis population, its industries and
lis wealth. New Mexico and Arizona are
becoming easily accessible by reason
Of the construction of railroads,
aud the mineral resources of both
State and Territories are drawing to them
the wealth and enterprise Of large numbers
of our best citizens. 1t is manifest not only
that they are entitled TO such legislative re-
lief as shall secure title to their lands at the
earliest date compatible with de proceed
ings, but that il IS matter of interest to the
whole country. The longer Congress defers
sct;on in the premises the more complicated
and greater are the difficulties which must
ultimately be met and overcome.
Major r. Evans, special agent of the Treas
ury for the Pacific coast, left Washington
last night for San Francisco.
General shersdan's ANIMAL Report.
CHICAGO, November 9th-Gsneral Sheri-
dams annual report concerning the military
division Of Missouri says: To garrison this
entire district there are but IL, ,G76 officers and
men. Nearly all of Sitting Bulls friends
and adherents have surrendered, ard this
nucleus for mischief has been removed. The
condition of affairs in the Department Of Da-
kota has been favorable the past year. The
Northern Psciic will in November open up
the Fort Keogh grazing and agricultural
lands to settlers. In the Department of the
Platte no event of military Importance is re-
ported. The posts Of Sheridan and Hartsuff
haze been abandoned, having fulfilled the
purposes for which they were established.
The pest Of Fort Niobrara has been COM
pleted, and new post has been located upon
the new Ute reservation at the junction OF
Duchesne and Green rivers, in Utah. AL
though they have had plenty of time the
| Uncompshgre u ses, who were to move to
| this vicinity from the Department Of Mis-
souri,, have net arrived at the new Agency
appointed FOR them on ths east side of Green
river, not far distant from the new post
above mentioned, nor have the White
River Utss reached the Uintah res
ervation which the Pezca Commissioners
have selected for them.as thsir future home.
Hopes are, however, entertained that before
tbe first OF the rev year both the Uncou,-
pahgra and White River Utes viii rsaGh
their respective destinations without serious
troubie. Still some fears are entertained
that they may not go there, and tiis impress
sion has SO firmly settled itself in the mind
of the Commission that at the reqasst CT
Commissioner Russell the General of the
Army has directed that the White River
Utes be driven to the Unitah Agency. I am
afraid, however, that but little can be done
toward carrying cut this order before spring,
sad hope that better results will have been
obtained before that time. No one can form
any idea, except By personal examination,
Of the rough and broken country of the Gun
nison and White rivers, the old home of the
White River q tes, and shall hope fer peace
full solution and dsetlla of this complication
without the necessity for military operations.
The cattle, mining and agricultural interests
have greatly increased in this department..
]
Wyoming, and in that part of Idaho belong
ing to it. All along the base of The Big Horn
mountains, especially west of Fort McKin-
ney, beautiful farms have sprung up srd
fields of wheat, oats and barley, and hun
dreds OF thousands of cattle, are now to be
found, where only two or three years ago was
the land OF the Indians and the buffalo. The
department has been economically adminis-
tered. and the condition Of the service i'm
proved. At lis ensuing session Congress will
be requested TO make az appropriation for the
new post at the junction Ct the Duchesae
and Green rivers In regard to the Dspart-
n,ent OF Missouri, he ADVISES that If possible
the consent os the Mexican Governments be
obtained for our troops to cross and catch the
small band Of Victories Apache frsebooters,
who have been inadequately punished for
their murders. He recommends Congress
sioDat action to keep out intruiers from In.
dian TERRITORY, which has heretofore been
accomplished by the military The approach
log compilation of the Atchison read, the
Atlantic end Pacific and Southern Pacific,
has great eiViiizipg effect, and has cheap
eaed the army servics in that section. The
report clcs=s with commen 4ation and special
mention of some OF the officers.
Encouraging Business Outlook.
CHICAGO, November 9sh.-There is pros
pecs Of q very marked business revival on the
Pacific coast, as the result Of speculation st
the East ard the interior. The grain operat-
ors have been putting up the price OF wheat
mainly fer the benefit Of the Russian and
Caiifornia markets. Exports from the At
lantic ports last week were enly 1882 bar
rels of -four, as against 133, 707 barrels for the
corresponding week of last year, and 7S1, ,979
bushels of wheat, as against Q, 4i2 416 bushels
lust a year ago. But San Francisco received
the other day a consignment of 81 042, $50 in
Australian gold TO pay for shipments of Cali
fornia wheat to Europe. If the gold which
has heretofore been going to Europe shall be
consigned direct to San Francisco from Aus
tralia, the movement will be of the same ben
eft to the United States as q whole as if it
was carried by way cf England to New York
To the extent that California shall be sup
piled from Australia, the yield of the Amer
icsn mines will be permitted to coma east, in
stead of seeking the nearer markets of the
Pacific coast, as it would If it were needed
there.