Los Angeles herald., 1892-12-05
NOBLE Goes ON RECORD.
Secretary Of the Interiors
Annual Report.
He Boasts Of the Amount of
Work Accomplished.
A Review of the Reports of the
Several Bureaus.
A Great Volume of Business Disposed
of by the Pension Ofice-various
Suggestions and Recon-
mendations.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec. 4.-The an
nual report OF Secretary Noble says the
work accomplished during the admins.
tration is shown to greatly exceed any
like preceding periods in the history oi
the department.
THE LAND OFFICE.
In the general land Office June 80,
1888, were pending $50, 1858 final entries,
and the accumulation was steadily in
creasing. These have all been disposed
OF. During the present administration
398, 128 agricultural patents have been
issued, against 162, ,754 in the preceding
four years, representing an excess in
acreage of 1868, $40 acres.
During the past year six forest re-
serves have been created by presidential
proclamation, making an area of 3 3,252,-
260 acres. The policy will be further
carried into effect. The public parks in
the United States, under the control OF
the interior department, except this
J Hot Springs reservation in Arkansas,
are under guard OF special details from
the army, and are we'll protected and
rapidly gaining in natural beauty and
| attractiveness.
The boundary line between the states
OF North and South Dakota has been
surveyed from the eastern end OF the
line to the Missouri river, and the re-
mainder OF the line will be completed
| before the close of the present surveying
| season. The line is marked by monu-
ments of quartzite and will remain one
OF the most conspicuous marks of the
land office.
THE INDIAN BUREAU.
Educational work among the Indians
has been greatly incre ased and improved
in efficiency. An increase of over Is per
cent in attendance is noted. New In
dian reservation boarding schools were
established during the present admin
ietration, and more are IN progress and
will be opened soon.
Under the policy Of Indian allotmente,
negotiations with IA tribes during the
present administration, resulted in the
opening up for public settlement of
nearly 26.0O0, coo acres of land. Other
negotiations which are pending will
when ratified, add 100000 acres more.
Allotments of land in seyeralty to In
dians were made in very large numbers !;
and 59O0 to whom patents were Issued
Oy the operation OF the lewa have be-
come citizens OF lhe United States. A
very important agreement was pegoti-
ated in December, 1891, whereby the
| Cherokee nation cedes its rights to the
| Cherokee outlet for the sum of SIS, 597,-
| 1862. The ratification of the agree
ment by congress will open to settle
ment about 100000 acres of land,
which is very fertile and valuable for
agricultural purposes.
THE ELEVENTH CENSUS.
The taking of the census in 1890 was
recognized at the beginning as most
important and difficult task, but it has
been accomplished. The census publ
cations are received with favorable en-
dorsement throughout the civilized ma
tions, and the work stands an acknowl-
edged success and great scientific
achievement. A macs Of statistics is
now in process of completion, and much
of it is already in the hands of the
printer. With the exception of small
amount of work On vita statistics and
population and statistics On manufacto-
ries and agriculture all the regular work
! Of the eleventh census is about COM
pleted. The farm mortgage report will
be completed in about IL months.
PATENT OFFICE.
There has been no marked change in
the business methods of the patent
Office. The number OF applications for
patents during the year was As ,945. The
total number awaiting action July |,
| 1900 Q1iT. hor nf te
granted, 23,626; total receipts,
$1,26S, ,724.35; expenditures, $1,114,.
1874 %; amount in treasury to the credit
of the patent Office now, S4, 102, AL.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
The secretary states that the work OF
the geological survey has been carried
on with great efficiency. The report
states that it has been determined by
triangulation that the summit of Mt.
St. Elias has an altitude of Is, 100 feet
above the sea, making it the highest
point on tie continent, unless certain
unmeasured volcanoes in Mexico should
prove to be higher. This great land
mark lies just little on our side of the
boundary between Alaska and British
America, and will bear the United States
flag.
PENSION BUSINESS.
The volume of business handled and
disposed of by the pension Office during
the past year is shown to be enormous.
On June 80, 1892, 626,O6S pensioners
were on the rolls, 199, 1913 more than
at the close of the preceding fiscal year.
The total amount expended for pensions
during the year was $139, ,035 ,612 6S, and
it is estimated that the appropriation
for 1898 OF $l44 .956,00O will leave de-
ticiency. There had been filed up to
October II, 1892, 920,957 claims under
the act Of June 27, 1890, and there had
been issued thus far of these claims
4O3, $50 certificates. The total number
OF certificates issued during the year
was 3l1 $50; the total number of PEN
sioners dropped from the rolls, rs, ,206.
The average annual value of each pen
sion on the roll WAS $13S41. Under the
provisions OF the act of June 81, 1890,
many claimants who could not establiah
proof of original disability have been
enabled to secure much needed assist
ance and financial relief. The commits.
sioner recommends the appointment o.