Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1898-11-30
REPORT OF SECRETARY BLISS.
Concerns Indians, Lands, Mining At
fairs aud Pensions

Concerns Indians, Lands, Mining At
fairs aud Pensions.
Secretary CT tho Interior Bliss has is
sued his annual report In saeaking of
the disposal of public lands the report
says: The total area of public lands.
not including Indian lands, entered by in
diyiduals Exclusive of selections by cor
porations) during me year ending June
30, was 11,32S, d3T.34 acres This is in
excess of the area so disposed of by the
Government during the previous year by
2,60I .S93.96 acres, an increase of over %
per cent. The number of individual en-
tries of Government land during the year
was S9,674, as against II ,5S1 the previous
year, showing an increase of over % per
cent"
The report shows an increase of $50 in
the mineral entries and an increase of ia
patents issued and 466 claims patented In
commenting on this feature Secretary
Bliss say: This increase in mineral en-
tries indicates marked revival of the
mining industry. which had fallen to its
lowest ebb in 1895, when but T57 entries
were made, being less than one-haf the
number made in 1898 and the lowest since
1879. From Colorado there was mined
during the calendar year 1897 $40, 104 200
in gold and II ,G36, 400 ounces of silver ex-
ceeding the output of any other State in
the Union. The next State in gold min
ing was California. with S14,61S.300,
Montana being second in the production of
silver. with 1867 300 ounces. The third
State in gold mining was South Dakota,
with S5,G9i 900. Utah being third in pro-
duction of silver, with 6,265, 600 ounces.
The fourth State in gold mining was Mon
tana, with $4,3I3 400 Idaho being TO nth
in the production of silver, with 1901 200
ounces"
Upon Indian affairs the report says:
THE progress of the Indians during the
last year, in civilization as we'll as edu-
cation. has been gradual. though substan-
tial. There has been but one disturbance
or outbreak of serious character, and
that was among the Chippewa Indians of
Minnesota. 1t was of very recent occur
renee, however. and happily has been sup
pressed. The population of Indians. ex-
elusive of those in the State of New York.
and those of the five civilized tribes, may
be stated 10 be, approximately. $50, 1872;
that of the New York Indians, 5,31S, and
of the FIVE civilized tribes. including H.
tofore inaugurated of extending to the In
dams every facility tending to make them
an independent and self-supporting class
has been continued" t
In speaking of the pension department
the report says: THE report of the COM
missioner of pensions shows that June so
there were on the pension roll 993, ia
names, an increase of 17,100 over the
number on the rolls June 30, 1897. The
amount dsbursed for army and navy pen
sions during the year was S144, 651,
S79.S 80, leaving a balance of $3.431 012.99
unexpended June 30. which was covered
into the treasury. This unexpended bal
ance would have been reduced in the sum
of ST6O, 21224. representing first pay
ments on 1851 cases, which were adjudi-
Gated during the fiscal year, had it been
possible to get them into the hands of the
pension agents in time to make payments
thereon prior to July L.