The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-12-05
Secretaries Noble and Elkins
Make Their Annual Reports.
WHAT LAND OFFICE HAS DONE.
Over 26,000,000 Acres of Indian
Lands Opened for Settlement.
Forest Reserves and National Parks
The Census and Pensions-TrianCuia-
tion of Mount st. Elias-War Depart.
ment Recommendations.

WASHINGTON CITY, Dec. 4-The annual
report of Secretary Noble says the work
accomplished during the administration
greatly exceeds any Of a like preceding Pc
riod in the history of the department In
the general land office on June 80, 1888,
there were pending 3Jo,953 final entries,
and the accumulation was steadily in
creasing. These were all disposed Of
During the present administration 39S, ,12s
agricultural patents were issued. against
162. 75i in the preceding four years, repre-
senting an excess in acreage of g., 1858, $40
acres.
During the past year six foress reserves
were created by presidential proclamation,
making an area of $3.50, $50 acres. This
policy will be further carried into effect.
The public parks in the United States, un-
der the control of the interior department,
except the Hot Springs reservation in
Arkansas, are under a guard Of special
details from the army. and are well pro-
tected and rapidly gaining in natural
beauty and attrac;iveness.
The boundary line between the states Of
North and South Dakota has been sur
veyed from the eastern end OF tt.e line to
the Missouri river and the remainder of the
line will be completed before the close of
the present surveying season. The line
Is marked by monuments of 9uartzite and
Will remain as one of the most conspicuous
works OF the land office.
Education among the Indians has
greatly increased and improved in eff
cheney. An increase of l3 per cant is in
attendance. A number of ney Indian
reservation boarding schools were estab-
ished during the present administration,
and more are In progress of establishment
and will be opened under the policy of
Iudlan allotmeDts soon. Negotiations
with fourteen tribes during the
present administration resulted in
opening up for settlement nearly 26, OO0.-
900 acres of land. Other negotiations
which are pending. will. when ratified,
add 100000 acres more. AilotIlents of
land in severalty to the Indians were made
in very large numbers, and $500 of them
to whom patents were issued have,
by the operation of the raw, be-
come citizens of the United States. An
important agreement was negotiated in
December, 1891. whereby the Cherokee ma
ton cedes Its rights to the Cherokee outlet
for the sum of S.. .597, 1876 Il. The ratitica-
ton OF this agreement by congress will
open to settlement about o 100, COG acres of
land which Is very fertile and valuable for
agricultural purposes, the ratification of
which is strongly urged. Officials
are Zealously engaged in the suyaoression
of the liquor traffic among the indians.
Formerly there was much complaint that
the quality of goods delivered was far
below the samples furnished. Ui.der the
personal supervision of the assistant Sec
retary. the commissioner of Indian affairs
and some members of the board o. Indian
commissioners, the errors were corrected
and the reputation of the service for fair
dealing restored.
The taking of the census in 1870 was
recognized at the beginning as a most inn
portant and difficult task, but it sas been
accomplished. The census publications
have been received with favorable en-
dorsement throughout the civilized
nations, and the work stands acknowl-
edged as a success and a great scien-
titic achievement A mass of statistics
is now in process of completion, ard much
of it Is already in the hands of the printer.
with the exception of a small amount of
work on vital statistics and porIlation.
and statistics eff manufactures ard agri-
culture. All the regular work after the
eleventh census is about completed. The
farm mortgages report will be completed
in aboul twelve months.
There was no marked change in the
business methods of the patent Office. The
number of applications for patents during
the year was 1886 The total aumber
awaiting action on July /, 1892, was 9.447.
The number of patents granted waa %. 626.
The total o. receipts was 81 ,26S, ~ S5. and
expenditures 81. ia, 134.2S. The amount
in the treasury TO the credit of the patent
office is now 81, 102. 1890.
The secretary states that the work of
the geological survey was carried on with
great efficiency. The report states it was
determined by triangulation that t.le sum.
nit of Mount ST. Elias has an altitude of
Is. GOO feet above the sea, making il the
highest point on the continent, unless GER
tain unmeasured volcanoes in Mexico
should prove to be higher. Thls great
land mark lies just little on our side of
the boundary between Alaska and British
America and will bear the United States
flag.
The volume OF business handled and dis.
posed Of by the pension office during the
past year is shown TO have been enormous.
In June, 1892, s76, ,06s pensioners were on
the rolls. being l99, COS more than at the
close of the last fiscal year. TIE total
amount expended for pensions duang the
year was Si39, ,o35, ,ei2. and it * esri-
mated that the appropriation fer 1898
of $I4i, ,000 will leave a de6ciency.
There have been fled up 10 date. october
l. 1s92. go a57 claims under the act of
June -, 1870, and there has been issued
thus far Of these claims 403. $50 certificates.
The total number OF certificates issued
during the year was 3ll.5s9. Ths total
number OF pensioners dropped from the
rolls was -. ae6. The average annual value
of each pension on the roll is sl33 IL.
Under the provisions OF the act Of
June -. ls91. many claimant. who
could no: establish service origin
OF disability have been ENABLED 10
secure much needed assistance and finan-
cial relief. The commissioner cou.mends
the appointment OF an actuary 10 coliate
certain statistics relative 10 the q.estion
OF the effect OF army service upon 9he ex-
pectation OF the lives of soldiers znd the
probable duration Of the pensio., roll,
which, il is thought, will be valuable
contribution 10 science. The estimate for
the deficiency for this year Is $40. 9Ss .6sI,
and for the fiscal year ending J:ne, 80,
1ss4, 81. .6sa,0ol.
The Bureau OF railroads has been en-
p,oyed IN seeking conclusions as 10 the
best treatment the government should
YAef