River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1889-12-05

W A~EANhION. Dec tk--lHt annual report VI
Secretary OF the Interior Noble deals extensive
IL with the question Of public lands The NUM-
her Of agricultural patents issued for the fiscal
year ending June 10, 1879. is 20. i4i. During the
first eleven months OF that year under the
former methods Of work there were assured of
said total 52.Gis patents. being a monthly aver
age OF asa, while during the month Of
June OF said year, under the new methods there
were issued 1853 patents most gratifying
increase over thu lormer management. The
following table shows the patents issued by tho
Land once during the year:
Agricultural, s0i4l...................I i.s9lll0
noal ial ---.-...-.....--...-.-. lIOso
Railroad OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ....... 425 0i6
State selectns under educational grnis $50
Indian and miscellaneous. .... .......... l693y0
Total. I2. 7sl 7l5
The final entries made during the year COW
cred BOSS. see acres; the original entries. s9s9.
lO9 acres, and the railroad and other selections.
45l4.570 acres. The total amount OF cash sales
amounted to Ss.S59.4i0. The number of final tn
tries disposed Of during the year reached soon
There remained pending in the ONCE ON the 3ltk
OF June lO.6is final entries of all classes; OF
original entries OF all classes then pending 353,
9S4. Railroad selections undisposed of, ~.
~. 25l. over 2I.u0OOJ acres OF railroad grants
have been suspended in pursuance of the policy
Of office to await legislation for forfeiture.
Eighty million acres Of land have been
claimed by States under.th swamp-land grants.
The lands so claimed are, for great part not
swamp lands and within the year 20lO,Os2 acres
were filed
The Secretary estimates that nearly $4,000
100 will be required for pension payments dur
ing the next fiscal year. and says:
1t Is recommended that a pension be granted
10 every soldier and sailor who did substantial
service during the in the army navy
and was hOnOrably discharged therefrOm. and
Ali. R4.
support, Is now, or may hereafter - dis
abled from procuring his subsisten" such
labor. There were on the rolls on 18th OF
June 4S9 - pensioners. The names -. Il s2I
pensioners were added and I.754 dropped
estored. making 53,675 pensioners added dur.
.ng the year. The names Of 1886 were dropped.
leaving the net increase 81 los. The amount
paid for pensions during the year wa 81, 215.
ll3 an increase OF - 4g925I over the previous
year. The amount granted to a widow on
count of each child Of the soldier should he in
creased and the pensions OF minor children ia
their own rights also recommend thai the law
be SO amended that when a widow is deprived
OF pension the title of such pension shall vest ia
any minor children OF the soldier"
The Secretary recommends that the Law re-
lating To disability be revised and that PEN
sions TO dishonorably discharged soldiers be
prohibited
The Secretary says the Indians should be
made self supporting, and that this can be done
only by educating their youth. The trust funds
held for Indians amount To So. 554 4J2. The work
Of the Indian Commission has been entire
ly successful. and result about
9O0OO acres OF land are added 10 the United
states. all oi which will be opened to settlers
al early day. a commission Is negotiating
with the Chippewa Indians OF Minnesota with
q view 10 locatng them upon much Of the
White Earth and Red Lake reservations as
may be required 10 make allotments in sever
atty ana extinguishing the Indian titles to all
other lands in the State.
The Secretary recommends that immediate
action be- taken relative to the debts Of the
Pacific railways, and presents table showing
that the principal Of bonds issued by the Gov
eminent in aid Of these roads and the interest
paid thereon amount 10 sl45, 10000, against
which credits of s36. ~ go, leaving the net
debt Sli0.;SS5.592. The balance due from the
Union Pacific is s5l.O0O00O. For security the
Government holds a second lien on the property
Of the company, except the unsubsidized por-
tion Of the road. II is plain that the company
can not pay except upon installments, aud the
Secretary makes no recommendations.
Thorough preparations have been made for
taking the eleventh census, which will be given
10 the public much earlie~ than usual and will
include inquiry in relation to the recorded
Indebtedness OF private corporations and indi-
iduals. and list Of the names, organizations
and length of service Of surviving soldiers. sail
Ors and marines and their widows.
Oklahoma is estimated To contain 5000 peo-
pie, aud it is recommended that Congress be
asked To pass law creating a territorial gov
eminent.
The total number OF applications received for
patents was 42Oi7, and Of patents granted, -,
gIl The receipts were e. 1851 and the ex-
penditures Ss99, 6s7.
In addition TO the topics considered above the
'eeretary speaks Of the work OF the geological
survey, the Government charitable institutions
and Yellowstone Park. and concludes with the
statement that the Maritime Canal Com
pany of Nicaragua has commenced work on its
charter.
NEEDS OF THE NAVY.
WASHiSGTOS. Dec. g. The report OF Sec
rotary OF the Navy Tracy gives the strength
Of the United States navy when all the ships
now authorized are completed, and excluding
all which will have been retired by that time at
eleven armored vessels. OF which only three
are designed for fighting at sea. and thirty
one unarmored vessels statement Is given
Of tlfc naval strength of the principal foreign
powers by which il Is shown that even when
the present building programme Is completed
the United States can not take rank a. a naval
power. The statement gives the powers and
number or vessels as follows: Great Britain,
81; France. 200: Russia. i6s; Germany. 1U5;
Holland. ~; spain. ~; Italy, 81; Turkey, 81.
China, -. Sweden and Norway. ~; Austria, SO.
The Secretary uses this statement to show the
defenseless condition OF our coast line of 1900
Z
twenty great cities.
The Secretary cOngratulates the country
upon the new cruisers built during the last
seven years. but insists that the work must
continue. TO stop now is TO abandon every
thing We have gained. The future navy, which
will require fifteen years In building should
consist Of twenty armored battle-ships, twenty
coast defense ships and sixty cruisers. OF the
latter thirty-One are now built or authorized,
and the remainder could wait till the battle
ships are constructed.
IF the country is 10 have a navy at ALL Il
should have one that is sufficient for the com
plete and ample protection OF the coast in time
OF war II we are to stop short of this We might
better stop where we are and abandon all claim
to influence and control upon the sea. The
country needs 4 navy that viii lexempt it from
war but the only navy that will accomplish
this is "a navy that can wage war"
Other recommendations for improvement OF
the navy are the creation OF a naval reserve
/ consisting of merchant vessels; trained re-
serve OF officers and seamen; construction OF
ships at Government navy yards after addi-
iional facilities have been added To improve
the yards the Secretary says considerable
sum may he obtained by sale of useless stores
on hand. The expenses for the department for
next year are estimated at 81, 500 259. The de
partnent recommends consolidation OF the
revenue marine and its own navy, the former
TO be taken bodily into the service, but main
tanned AT a separate cost