Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-12-14
rapidly gaining in natural beauty ana attract.

rapidly gaining in natural beauty ana attract
iveness- 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 remainder of the line will be COM
pleted before the close OF the present surveying
season This line is marked On monuments of
quartizite and will remain one of the most con-
spicuous works of the land office.
Educational work among the Indians has
been greatly increased and improved in ef-
hc1ency. There has been an increase of I2 per
cent in attendance of children in the schools
the total for 1892 being 1875 scholars New
Indian reservation boarding schools have been
established during the present administration,
and more are in progress which it is anticipated
will be opened soon, Under the policy of In
dian allotments negotiations with fourteen
tribes during the present administration have
resulted in the opening up for public
settlement Of nearly I500),J00 acres of
land Other negotiations which are pending
will, when ratified, add I0.0oo.0J0 acres more
AIotments OF land In severalty to the Indians
have been made in very large numbers and
$50 to whom patents have been issued, have
by operation of law become citizens Of the
United States. The report goes into extensive
detail Of negotiations with the various Indian
tribes and recites fully the progress OF the
work under the various Indian commissions,
too numerous 10 mention.
There has been no marked change in the busi-
mass methods Of the patent ONCE. The number
OF applica tionS for patents during the year was
E,94a, the total number awaiting action Juiy l,
ISL, 9,.47 he number Of patents granted was
x5056, the total receipts were Il, ,263 72L35, and
the expenditures s1,1l4l342 The amount in
tho treasury to the credit OF the patent ONCE is
now n i02, i4L09 The secretary states that
the work OF the geological survey has been
carried on with great efficiency. In the topo-
graphic branch 600 square miles have been
surveyed during the past year, making a
total Of 6o0,0J0 square miles up to the present
time.
The report stated that it has been determined
by triangulation that the summit Of Mount St
Elias has attitude of l8, 100 feet above the sea-
making it the highest point on the continent,
unless certain unmeaSured volcanoes of Mexico
should prove to be higher. This great land
mark lies just little to side of the boundary
between Alaska and British America and will
bear the United States flag -
The volume Of business handled and disposed
of by the pension ofice during the past year is
shown to have been enormous. There were on
June 30 1892 s76,06S pensioners borne upon the
rolls, being 199 9JS more than were on the rolls
at the close OF the last fiscal year. Among
these are twenty-five widows and daughters of
soldiers Of the revolution and 165 survivors OF
the war OF 1912. The total amount expended
for pensions during the year Sl39, OBS. .6l2 6S
and 1t Is estimated that the appropriation for
1893 Of Sl44 593 600 will leave deficiency. There
have, been fled up to date of October IS, 1892,
Sf,l
there have been issued thus far of these claims
43S, 34S certificates.
The force OF the pension off1ce consists of
2,095 persons, assigned to fifteen divisions A
certain number of these divisions are under the
immediate direction of the deputy commission
erS and chief clerks Some idea of the magnt-
tude OF the work can be formed from the fact
that during the year 5,537, 12J pieces Of mail
were received and 3l6 SIG pieces sent out The
total number of certificates issued during the
year was 3ll,589 The total number of pension
ers dropped from the rolls was 25 206. The
average annual value of each pension on the
roll is $133 Al Under the provisions of the act
Of June q, 1899, many claimants who were Sc
riously disabled and living upon charity but
who could not establish service origin of their
disability, have been enabled to secure much
needed assistance and financial relief
The bureau of railroads has been employ ed in
seeking conclusions to the best treatment
the government should give to the debt of sub
sidtzed railroads now approaching maturity
Full reports have been submitted to congress
payment of Indebtedness of the various roads
The suggestions made in the commissioners
report look to an extension of the debt and an
increase OF security. history Of the railways
OF the United States and tables of statistics
showing the effect of railway construction upon
the population and development was furnished
the international American conference
Great satisfaction has been produced by the
organization by the land court and the charac-
ter of the judges selected Alaska is virtually
without an organized government 1t is diff
cult to punish perpetrators of outrages, and
smugglers that infest the coast and debauch
the natives. The secretary recommends an
appropriation for a steam police vessel to
run along the coast and among the ISL
ands to which many Of the fugitives escape
Only nucleus of military organization exists
consisting OF one company and the congress
sional appropriation for Alaska is now being
withheld so that even the operations of this
small body of militia are restricted Addi-
tionaf commissioners and deputy marshals are
earnestly requested and represented to be nee
cessary, in order to furnish court facilities
The international complications from the
killing of the seals in the ocean and in the Beh-
ring sea have greatly embarrassed the lessees
OF the seal island In 1880 no less than 80 900
seals were taken in the open sea, and more
than that number in 1891. During the last sea-
son only 1,5O) seals were killed on the seal Isl.
anGs and the diminished number upon the rook-
cries shows terrible waste of seal life By the
destructive methods employed in pelagic seal.
ing.
The report Is replete with information as to
the great bureaus mentioned and can be fully
appreciated only by a careful perusaL