Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1890-12-06
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT..

Report Of Secretary NobiO-The Amonnt a
Public Lands Yot 60 he Patented -India1
Affairs and Other Matters III Public
Interest
WASHINGTON Dec. 1.-The annual report
Of Secretary OF the Interior Noble was made
public last night. 1t n voluminous Gu
ment OF Us pages of printed matter and
deals at length with public land maiters.
Indian AFFAIR.", the patent ONCE pensions
the census bureau. the geological survey.
the bureaus OF railroad and education. the
various District OF Columbia institutions,
the Territories. the National parks and the
Nicaragua canal
The vacant public landa. exclusive OF
Alaska, extend over Se6,2le,soi acres. while
Alaska has D6o, S7s,b00 acres unentereo
OF the vacant lands Kansas has only
7S5. 79l and Missouri 1l5i.l6s acres.
Mon tana has the largest body. 81, .62T
acres, while Oklahoma, including the public
land strip has 69i.69A The eecr tary de-
tends the llberality Of the Government In
regard to lis lands The patents OF the year
ended juno 10 were 1i7.2i7. covering 7,So6,Sw
acres. The railroads received patents Tor
s6s ,ss2 Is acres, g. 1888 81 less than In 1889 The
total rec ,ipts from public lands were S7.l7O.-
$40 81. In regard to railroad lands he recon-
mends the strict enforcement Of the act OF
Sept, mber 20. Considerable space IL de-
voted TO Mexican land grants and surveys
Of public lands.
Indian affairs are treated from the stand
point exlstant prior TO the present Messiah
craze, and the report 10 consequently rose
ate. He declares that far toO much land
10 hold for Indian occupancy. there being
200. 900 red men In the country. while lls. 0oO..
900 acres are reserved for them-over $50
at res each.
The Patent ONE has received 20. 40 applt-
cations and granted 1857 patents The re.
celpts OF the office were 81. 81, 208 II and the
expenditures Sl,Usl, l7a66 Legislation In re-
gard to patents 10 asked Tor and substan-
tial Increases 10 the forces with better sal.
aries are called for.
over the vast sum-over 500 600 O00-pai0
out In pensions the past year. which no
says has gone Into commerce and relieved
hundreds OF thousands OF persons as well 40
transferring the treasures accumulated
back to the people when needed He de-
lends the great pension roll and gives ito
figures a. follows:
Army invalid pensioners. ..B09. 800
Army widows. minor children and dc.
pendent relatives. .....................1OSAo 80
Navy invalid pensioners. :..........: b,zIS
Navy willows, minor children and do
pendent relatives. 1ssoo
Survivors Of the war Of 1872. ........... llo
Widows OF soldiers of the war Of 1872. 500
Survivors of the Mexican war.......... T,i60
Widows Of soldiers Of the Mexican war 6,76S
Total. .ss7 ,ss1
At this writing October IS. 1897 there ara
claims pending. s92.2 2l. OF these there have
been received under the act Of June "a, 1890,
4S5,272 The average annual value OF each
pension at the close Of the fiscal year was
$1Ss.9s.
The Secretary gives long list Of all those
who may secure pensions under the present
laws In twenty classes. He states that the
present appropriation OF S97,G 81. 76l 10 inade-
Quate, but does not give the figure OF the
probable deficit except e say that the esti.
mate for 1s92 is about Sl33, 10000
The Census Bureau work 10 taken up and
the supervisors und enum-rators defended
from various charges made against them.
Tables are given showing the Advancement
OF the census work to be very good and the
population OF the United States, recently
published. IL also given again. In conclu-
sion of this topic Mr.. Noble declares shas1hoi
great body Of the people are satisfied with
the work done.
The Bureau OF Education has made during
the year ten publications and has received
70 per cent more letters and sent out IL per
sent more than In the previous year Good
words are given TO the work OF ex-Commie-
sioner Dawson. Ths movement Is repor ed
rs especially strong In the south. moro
liberal allowance for the printing fund OF
the bureau IL recommended. The library
has received 5000 volumes and 10
600 pamphlets In the year. There
are enrolled In the public schools OF
the Nation 12.2sl,2 $50 pupils There has been
q decrease in the enrolment In the North
ern States aud an increase In the south aud
West The number Of teachers 10 l2l,9H
males and 800 females The males have
been steadily decreasing. The public school
revenues amount TO $ls2, l2l 200 and the exc
penditures $I1.l296OO 10 educate . child
costs las cents per school day on an aver
age.
Abstracts are made of the reports Of the
Governors of the Territories. several OF
which have been admitted to statehood
In the year, and Endorsements are given TO
the recommendation OF the executives, eS-
pecially In regard to Arizona. Utah and
New Mexico The Mormon question alsors-
oeives due attention.