The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1892-12-05
NOBLE SINGS HIS SONG.
Work Of The Department Of Nv
terror the Past -Four Years
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY
Accomplishments OF the Various
Bureaus-About the Pensions
Tho Public Domain
The Territories.

WASHINGTON. Dec. l.-The annual re.
port OF Secretary Noble says that tho work
accomplished during the administration
Is shown to greatly exceed any like prcced-
ing period in the history of tho depart.
ment. In the general land Office June 30,
1858, there were pending 350,953 final en-
tries and the accumulation was steadily
increasing. These were all disposed of
during the present administration, and
39S,i2s agricultural patents were issued
against l6a,'Si in the preceding four years,
representing an excess in acreage of ST.
Oo9,sio acres. During the past year six
forest reserves were created by presiden-
ttai proclamation, making an area of
3, .260 acres.
Public parks in the United States arc
under control of the interior department,
except the Hot Springs reservation
in Arkansas, which is under
guard Of special details from
tho army and is well protected
and rapidly gaining In natural beauty and
attractiveness. Tho boundary line be-
tween the states of North and South Da-
kota has been surveyed from the eastern
end OF the line to the Missouri river, and
the remainder of tho line will he COM
plcted before the close of the present sur
veying season. Tho line is marked by
monuments OF quartzite and will remain
one OF the most conspicuous works of the
land office.
Educational facilities among the In.
dians have been greatly increased and inn
proved in efficiency. The increase is over
13 per cent. in attendance. Nine Indian
reservation boarding schools were es-
tablished during the present administra-
tion, and more are in progress and will be
opened soon.
Under the policy Of Indian allotments,
negotiations with foreign tribes during
tho present administration resulted in
opening up for public settlement nearly
3.OOO.U0 acres of land. Other negotia-
tions which are pending will, when rati-
fled, add 100000 acres more. Allot-
ments of lands in severalty to Indians
have been made i'm very large numbers,
and $500 to whom patents were issued by
the operation of the law became citizens
OF the United States. A very important
agreement was negotiated December, 1891,
whereby the Cherokee nation cedes its
rights to the Cherokee outlet, for tho sum
OF $685., ,11I.l2. The ratification of the
agreement by congress will open to
settlement about G,UOO,OO0 acres of
land which is very fertile and
valuable for agricultural purposes.
Officials nre zealously engaged in tho
suppression of the liquor traffic among tho
Indians. Formerly there was much COM
plaint that the quality of goods delivered
was far below the samples furnished.
Under the personal supervision of the as
sistant secretary OF the commissioners OF
Indian affairs and some members of tho
board of Indian commissioners. the errors
were corrected and the reputation of the
service for fair dealing restored.
The taking of the census in 1890 was
recognized at tho beginning as q most i'm
portant and difficult task, but Il has been
accomplished. Tho census publications
have been received with favorable en-.
dorsemcnt throughout tho civilized ma
lions, and the work stands an nc
knowlcdged success and q great scientific
achievement. The mass of statistics Is
now in process of completion. and much
of il is alrcadyin tho hands of the printer.
With the exception Of small amount of
work on vital statistics and
the population, and statistics of
manufactures and agriculture, all
regular work of the eleventh census is
about completed. The farm mortgages
fSlSoit VIII oo SoihpiStcu III uDOut Il.
months.
There have been no marked changes in
the business methods of the patent Office.
Tho number of applications for patents
during the year was 45,9i5; the total num-
Der awaiting action July 1. 1892. 9.ii7; the
number of patents granted, 23,G23; the to-
tai receipts, 81. .2js. .7si.35, and expenditures
Si,1li, 1913. The amount in the treasury
TO the credit Of the patent Office is now s4,-
1O2 .4i3.
The geological survey was carried on
with great efficiency. The report states it
was determined by triangulation that
Mount 81. Elias has an altitude Of 1s.100
feet above the level Of the sea. making it
the highest point on the continent, unless
certain unmcasurcd volcanos of Mexico
should prove 10 be higher. This great
landmark 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