Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-22


ferred to. Over sS,OO0OOO in cash was paid
| to Indians other than those of the Five
! civilized Tribes, in fulfillment of treaty
| stlpulations. as interest held in trust on
account of lands surrendered to the govern
ment. and for other debts due these In
dians by the nation. The Secretary con-
slders the appointment of field matrons
| Tor the Indians as a good idea. The liquor
| question, as 1t relates to the Indians, is a
serious problem. Much of the trouble at
reservations has been directly traceable to
! IL. During the year rights of way have
been granted to the following named rail-
ways: lnteroceanic GAINESVILLE, Macallister
ana st. Louis; GAINESVILLE, Oklahoma and
| Guif; Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf;
Ghicago, Rock Island and Pacific; Northern
Pacific; Rapid Transit and the Big Horn
Southern. Intrusion into the Cherokee Ma
tion, 50 often complained of by the Chero-
kee authorities, is referred to. During the
year, commission consisting of ]. C.
hutchlnS OF Athens. Ga; Peter H. Pernot
OF Indianapolis and Glen. V Roberts of
Oolagah. l. T., was appointed to appraise
me improvements of intruders in the
cherokee Nation who began their occu-
pancy of houses and improvements prior to
August ii, 1856, the date upon which the
issue of prima facie certificates was or
dered to be stopped. The list of Cherokee
freedmen, DeiawareS and Shawnees en-
titled to share in the per capita distribution
of the $4,000 appropriated by the act of
october 10, 1855 has been increased by the
addition of 25O. thus making total of o.
OoS or an excess of 100 over the number
that can be paid out of the appropria ton
The election troubles in the Cherokee Ma
ton will be touched on.
The Public Lands.
In the matter of lands Secretary Smith
will state that the total cash re-
ceipts for the last fiscal year were S4479-
| 73i.l4, divided as follows: From sales of
public lands. S419l, 46J %; from the disposal
! of Indian lands. 1884, 752. IS; from timber
depreda tons, $3,5l6.20. The area of lands
sold for cash was 1,4Oi 1882 acres. The
miscellaneous entries, embracing original
homestead and timber culture entries
state and railroad selections, swamp lands,
lndian allotments, donation claims, agri-
cultural private lands Sioux half-breed
ana Valentine scrip, amounted to 10S0l,-
6s6.U acres. The Indian allotments equal
ed ss,45is acres. and were for the Chero-
kee l te, Usage, Sioux, Flathead, Omaha
and Ponca tribes. The number of filings
or pre-emption, homestead, coal, townsite,
mineral, timber and stone applications and
mineral adverse claims was 1870, and the
1ees therefrom amounted to S53,319. Mr..
smith will state that the number of agri-
cultural patents issued during the fiscal
year was 1854 representing about 1908, 900
acres. This he will say is a decrease I'M
der last year. He explains this by stating
mat during the fiscal year ending June so,
lss2 the issue of patents had been hasten
cd aided by the provisions of the act of
bers of entries and required that they
should be patented at once. Other things
mad also conSpired to make the number for
the last year apparently small. The area
OF railroad grants also showed a decrease.
Ihis year there was an increase of 1872
6sl o. acres over the area of swamp land
and swamp land indemnity lands patented
during the preceding year There is a de-
crease In the number of educa tional grants
issued, but the Secretary has in his pos
session nsts embracing several Thousand
acres yet to be approved.
The annual surveyors instructions for tho
last fiscal year are to be reviewed. so are
the special instructions issued to the sur
veyors general of Arizona, California Ida
no, Montana. Nevada, New Mexico North
dakota, oregon, Utah and Washington The
Alaskan survey has been retarded by the
irregular returns of the deputy surveyor
having been certified to by the eX-officio
surveyor general. Some space is also given
10 rejected and suspended surveys The
surveys of the boundary line between the
Dakotas and the boundaries of the Yellow
stone National Park and the public forest
reservation in Wyoming are in progress
me number of final entries pending are to
be given at 21,W36, and the acreage of rail-
road and wagon road selections pending at
3o.sSl.3. The question of the creation of
the office of surveyor general for the terri
tory of Alaska will be discussed good
deal of attention will also he given. 1t Is
said, to the proposition to enact a law so
that leases of the Oklahoma school lands
ritorial authorities The segrega ton of the
timber lands from the agricultural and
other public lands Is to be dealt with The
protection of forest reservations will be
urged law is to be recommended which
will compel attendance of witnesses at land
office hearings.
The Patent Ofice.
Concerning patents. the Secretary's re-
port will show that the total number of APP
plications and caveats received was 40 93S
The number of patents granted and trade
marks, labels and prints registered was D.
3o6. The receipts from all sources footed
UP S1,2SS, SU9.0I, and the expenditures ST.
III, -. thus leaving surplus of sl77,-
3b4.SJ and giving a total balance in the
treasury to the credit of the patent office of
s4.2i9,sO594 The proposition to give the
patent office an increase of ffty-two clerks
is dwelt on, and the needed increase will
probably come in time. He will call atten-
ton, il is said. to the congested condition
of the patent office and its defective sani-
tation. The cramped quarters operate to
defeat the dispatch of public business STILL
in view of the necessity for rigid economy
Ii is understood there will be recon-
mendation for a new patent office building
The Secretary thinks that the census
will he completed by the expiration of the
extended time. but will not be completed
in all the details contemplated in the origi-
nal plans. The total disbursements up to
and inclusive of July 81, 1893. were 50, 49,
I
whole trouble with the census is that SUI
perintendent Porter blocked out a too
elaborate task.
Railroads and Other Topics.
The Union Pacific railroad tangle will be-
it is stated. accorded careful treatment.
The system Is in excellent physical cond-
ton, and the trackage, sdings and term-
nal facilities were never more complete
Though the traffic facilities of the COM
pany have increased. the net and gross
earnings have fallen off. No extensions
have been made, no bonds issued or in
dorsed and no losses or guarantees assum-
ed under the stipulations of the collateral
! trust of indenture. The Secretary will
| recommend that the interests of the gov
eminent and of the railroad company re-
quire an adjustment of the financial rea-
/ tons existing between the company and
the United States. The balance of indebt-
edness, approximately, stands today at
/ $50, O0O,O
! The Secretary has also written a para
| graph on the Maritime Canal Company of
! Nicaragua Very little work, he will say,
} has been done on the ditch during the
! year, caused mainly by the suspension of
! the Nicaragua Canal Construction Com
pany. The latter concern is pulling itself
/ together and will soon be in shape for
! business. Then active operations will fol-
| low. The Secretary will, it is said, speak
! of the commercial advantages which the
| completion of this great work will confer
! on this country. All the work done along
! the route during the fiscal year ending