The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1896-12-09
FRANCIS REPORTS.
Secretary Of the Interior on the
Work Of His Department.
Public Lands Rapidly Taken Up-Bond-
Aide Railroads DEMONSTRATIONS
and Indians-Many Valua-
BILE Suggestions.

Washington, Dec. 5.-Secretary Of the
Interior David r. Francis has submitted
his annual report to the president The ap-
preparation for the last fiscal year amount
ed to $167.l79,656 The estimates for the
present fiscal year are about 81, 000. 900 more
than was appropriated last year.
The actual public domain is now 1.S49, O72.-
5T acres. The public lands still vacan.
amount to over 900. 600, 900 acres, not includ-
ing Alaska About So,729.75l acres have
been patented to railroads. and there are
yet due railroads and wagon roads under
their grants an aggregate of 14,7 ,63J
acres. The total acreage segregated from
the public domain was SAG. .l60 acres.
The report says: '"These figures demon
strate that the country is being settled with
great rapidity and that the public domain
is being diminished by great strides. Ii
the rate of disposition of the last IL years.
which is 25,000,0 900 acres year, is contin-
ued for IL years to come. there will be little
OF the public domain outside OF Alaska in
possession of the government at the ex
piration of that time"
He urges legislation for the preservation
of the forests, and states that report will
be submitted to congress by the forestry
commission, which has lately returned from
tour of inspection.
The Des MONIES river land grant matter
has been adjusted. About 1854 in awards
was agreed upon, of which $l17,632 have
at the end of this year.
Secretary Francis calls the attention of
congress TO the necessity OF legislation look
ing to the retaining OF arid lands, and says
that Of the 5UU,UUU,U00 acres OF arid lands
100, 100 acres might be reclaimed by the
conservative use OF water, but II is lmpos-
sible under the laws in operation to control
the reclamation OF the arid regions so as to
prevent the improvident use of water, over
which the general government has no con-
troll. This should be done by a system
which constitutes the reclamation OF the
entire territories from common source OF
supply and the utilization of that supply
or the adoption of the suggestion of the
commissioner of the general land office
would be a good one. That is. place the
lands in the direct control OF the states for
reclamation.
No steps have been taken to make al
lotments to the Wichita Indians, as the
act of congress left this to the discretion
of the department. Regarding the opening
of what is known as the leased district OF
the Choctaw and Chickasaw Indians, which
is now before the court of claims, he says
that If the allotments were made and the
balance of the land thrown open before a
decision is rendered upon the claim of the
Choctaws and Chickasaws, the govern
ment would be placing the Indians upon
land under an agreement which involved
the transfer of good title and would also
be throwing open the land to settlement
when in point of fact it did not have q
clear title thereto. He recommends that
all the Oklahoma townste boards be abol-
ished. Secretary Francis is of the opin-
ion that the free of timber on public
lands for commercial purposes should be
discontinued
On the pension question he says that
about 970e7S persons are drawing about
$40, O0O.0 900 per annum in pensions and the
branch of the service should be conducted
with great care and discretion. He gives
a table which shows that the total amount
paid out by the government in pensions
and the cost Of disbursing the same dur
ing the last 81 years was $2034.Sl7.7 G9
which lacks only $346. 2.525 of being equal
to the high water mark Of the interest
bearing public debt. He suggests num-
Der of amendments of the pension laws.
some Of which have already been made
public (notably those in regard to pension
ers resident in Germany. One hundred
and forty million dollars is thought to be
sufficient for the payment of pensions dur
ing the next fiscal year. unless pensions
are increased by further legislation The
secretary recommends that an increa Sc
from eight to twelve dollars per month be
granted to all survivors of. the Mexican
war who are wholly disabled and destitute.
The Indians he says, now occupy about
25. 900, 900 acres of land, and they should
be protected from the sinister machin a
lions of INSCRIPTIONS men. He recon-
mends that the Indian bureau should be
conducted by commission of three men,
hers, two to be civilians Of different po-
litical parties. and one an army officer.
Concerning the bond-aided railroads. the
secretary summarizes the recommends
lions of his predecessors and the result of
the litigation. He calls attention to the
fact that the tables he presents clearly
show that the Central Pacific railroad is in
default to the government, or unquestiona-
l><, To ,oyf uyh
additional of it's Indebtedness. together with
30 years interest thereon. will fall due and
must be redeemed by the government. On
January l, 1897. $6.640.0OO additional bonds
of Union Pacific will mature; interest on
same-s11. 952 OO0-will be then due, and If
not paid the Union Pacific will unquestion-
ably be in default. He has therefore de-
clined to patent lands to the Union Pacific
railroad or the Central Pacific railroad ex-
cept in cases where 1t can De SHOWN that
the lands for which patents are asked
have been sold to bona fide purchasers
The Central Pacific railroad was. on June
20 1896 in default to the government to me
extent of $2SS, 1855 on it's bond and inter-
est" and it's sinking fund" account
Referring to the railroad commissioners
recommendations for commission to set
tic the Indebtedness of the bond-aided
roads. the secretary says: Congress is
not likely to delegate to any commission
the power to settle this Indebtedness with
out making such settlement subject to its
approval; but. whether congress would do
SO or not. the delay consequent upon the
appointment of a commission and its work
would he so great that most or all of the
bonds issued in aid OF these roads would
| mature and the government be called upon
! to redeem the same. In the meantime.
other bills would be introduced seeking to
| effect other settlements. and in the end the
| government would receive less or Its claim
| than 1t would If compromise by the cash
| navment of a lump sum should be effected
| in the immediate future and the govern
| ment become relieved thereby from all
| connection with these roads,"
| With regard to the Nicaraguan Maritime
Canal COMPANY chartered by tie govern