Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-05
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF
THE INTERIOR.
PRESERVATION OF THE FORESTS
Pensions-The Red Han-The Pacific
Railroads Demand for More
rneua Canal.
rngua Canal.

Secretary of-the-Interior David r. Fran
els has submitted his annual report to
the President
The appropriations under HIS depart
ment for the last fiscal year amounted
TO $l7.179G56. The estimates for the pres
ent fiscal year are about 100000 more
than was appropriated last year. The
actual public domain is now 1919, ,S57
acres. The public lands still vacant
amount TO over GoO,COO.00O acres. not in
Guiding Alaska About s5.729.751 acres
have been patented 10 railroads, and
there are yet due railroads and wagon
roads under their grants an aggregate
Of 114.7S6,639 acres. The total acreage Sc
eregated from the public domain is o.
2l9 100 acres.
The Secretary deems 1t desirable that
our waste acreage should be taken up By
actual settlers, who should be given
every encouragement, and says that IL
the rate OF settlement continues in the
future as in the past but little vacant
land will be left In thirteen years time.
He urges legislation for the preservation
OF the forests. and states that n report
will be submitted to Congress by the
Forestry Committee. which has lately re-
turned from a tour of inspection. Sec
rotary Francis Is Of the opinion that the
free use Of timber on public lands for
commercial purposes should be discon-
tinued.
PENSIONS.
On the pension question, he eays that
about 97o,67s persons are drawing about
< IN
that 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 govern
ment IN pensions. and the cost OF dis
bursting the same during the last thirty
one years was s2.03i SIT. 7Go which lacks
only s3i6.7l2,525 Of being equal to the high
water mark of the interest-bearing pub
lie debt He suggests q number OF amend
ments Of the pension laws. some Of which
have already been made public.
One hundred and forty millions of dol
lars is thought to be sufficient for the
payment of pensions during the next
fiscal year, unless pensions are increased
by further legislation. The Secretary re-
conlmends that an increase from s. TO
sl2 per month be granted TO all survivors
of the Mexican war who are wholly
disabled and destitute.
The Indians. he says. now occupy
about $4,000 acres Of land, and they
should be protected from the sinister
Vaccinations Of inscriptions men. He
recommends that the Indian bureau
should be conducted by a commission OF
three members-two to be civilians OF
different political parties. and one an
army officer.
BOND-AIDED RAILROADS.
ha ID
the Secretary summarizes the recon-
mendations OF his predecessors. and the
result of the litigation. He calls atten-
ton to the fact that the tables he pre-
sents clearly show that the Central Pa
cific railroad IS I'm default TO the govern
ment, or unquestionably will be on Janu-
airy LIST next, when &, $1,000 additional Of
it's Indebtedness together with thirty
years interest thereon, will fall due, and
must be redeemed by the government.
On January /, 1891 s6,6fo,0O0 additional
bonds of the Union Pacific will mature,
and the interest on the same-sl1 .952, 60
will be then due. and If not paid. the
Union Pacific will unquestionably be in
default.
He has therefore declined TO patent
lands 10 the Union Pacific railroad, or TO
the Central Pacific railroad, except in
cases where II can be shown that the
lands for which patents are asked have
been sold to bonafide purchasers. The
Central Pacific railroad was. on June 30.
1896. in default to the government 10 the
extent of s2SS14s. on It's bond and In
terest'' and its sinking fund" account.
NICARAGUA CANAL.
He refers to the fact that the act char
tering the Nicaragua Canal Company re-
ouires the company 10 make report on
Il, E.or- w. oah
wear to the Secretary OF the Interior, TO
be verified on oath by its president and
secretry. A preliminary statement has
heen submitted D., the canal company
showing that no work has been done on
the canal since August, 1893.
The Maritime Canal Company entered
into n contract with the Nicaragua Canal
Construction Company for the construc-
ton OF the canal but the latter COM
many became financially embarrassed IN
August. 1898. and subsequently made an
assignment Of it's construction contract
and ALI its assets 10 the Nicaragua Canal
Germany. a corporation. chartered by the
state Of Vermont. The latter company
..has not yet found itself In a position TO
resume the work OF construction under is
contract
The Secretary wants an extension oil
building accommodations for his depart
nent He close his report by saying:
81 earnestly recommend that Congress
take Immediate steps looking to the pur-
chase or condemnation OF block or more
Of ground adjacent or contiguous to tho
Interior Department. building. for the
erection thereon OF another structure 10
meet the present necessities Of an i'm
portant branch OF the government. which
must expand and grow with the Develop
ment Of the country's resources
"The area OF our country. the variety
of its products, the diversity Of the inte-
rests. the trade and social relations be-
tween localities and classes Of people
make It's internal commerce OF enormous