The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-25
INTERIOR DEPARTMENT
POINTS FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT
OF SECRETARY BLISS.
Public Lands, Indians, Pensions, Ed
ka-VariOus Recommendation.

made public tonight reviews in detail the
progress Of pension, patent educational
and territorial affairs Reviewing the grad
ual diminution of public land area, Secre-
tary Bliss says: In three hundred and odd
million acres of desert lands requiring irri-
cation to render them valuable farming
lands, the available water supply is suffi-
cient for only n,5O0,OO0 acres, leaving 26O,-
$500 acres suitable only for grazing pur-
poses. There are thirty forest reservations,
embracing an estimated area of 1918 474
acres"
The Indians are declared to have made
substantial progress, and the Chippewa out
break was the only serious disturbance of
the year. Referring to this trouble the
report points to Commissioner of Indian
Affairs Jones's successful efforts in bring
ing about the surrender of the Indians, and
says the origin of the trouble is now under
Joint investigation by the Departments of
the Interior and Justice.
Reviewing pension matters Secretary
Bliss reports 6S5OOO claims pending. and
says a temporary separate division has been
organized for the adjudication of claims
growing out of the war with Spain. These
soldiers will receive their pensions under
the general law for permanent disability
contracted in the service. He also concurs
in the recommendation for the creation of
a commission to revise the pension laws
and regulations in the interest of a future
reliable, intelligent and uniform practice.
Early legislative enactment for the TAX
ing of the twelfth census is urged, in view
of the necessary large amount of work
preparatory to the enumeration of the pop
ulation
During the year the geological survey has
surveyed geographically 30057 square
miles, making a total now completed of
approximately one-fourth of the area of
the entire country, exclusive of Alaska
The field surveys of Indian Territory were
completed last June. This latter work has
demonstrated that it is more economical
to survey large areas in this manner than
under the contract system heretofore en-
ployed by the government in it's land
subdivision surveys 1t is anticipated that
the 100000 square miles of forest now in
cluded within the forest reserve can be
economically surveyed within five years, if
adequate appropriations are made.
EDUCATION
The advancement along educational lines
is outlined by an increase of over a quar-
ter of million of school pupils in the
United States for the fiscal year 1862
over the previous one, but yet the total av-
erage amount of schooling per individual for
the whole United States, measured by the
present standard, does not quite equal five
years of two hundred days each for each
person. The total number of school pupils
in the country in elementary public and pri-
vate schools, colleges, universities, high
schools and academies, is put at 16, 255, O9S
The reindeer and their Lapland drivers in
Alaska have largely passed into the service
of the Postoff1ce Department, and are now
being distributed for carrying the Yukon
mail up and down the valley of the Yukon
through a thousand miles of scattered min
ing settlements in the wilderness.
The report makes no mention of the rec
ommendatior of Commissioner of Railroads
Longstreet for the government construction
and operation of a new transcontinental
trunk line from Kansas City to San Diego.
Secretary Bliss, summing up the report of
Governor Brady, of Alaska, calls attention
to the difficulty of preventing the snug
Cling of liquor into Alaska. it being impos-
sible to enforce present regulations without
a fleet of revenue cutters and steam
launches to patrol the tortuous channels of
southeast Alaskan waters. Smuggling pre-
walls and saloons are open in all of the
towns and mining camps. The Governor re-
ports q consensus of opinion in favor of
stringent high license law, which would tend
to stamp out smuggling and liquor selling
to the natives. The application to Alaska
of the liquor laws in force in the District
tons, is urged as meeting majority approval.
The Governor believes that Alaska should
and can pay revenue into the United States
treasury. Under a high license law he esti-
mates that the liquor traffic would yield an
annual revenue of not less than $2OO0O;
a tax of a few cents per case of salmon
would produce from $95 600 to $4,000; 10 cents
per ton wharfage collected during the
past year would have yielded $lCOOo1 He
taxation for the territory be deferred until
land laws shall have. been provided
Many sections of Alaska, it is shown, are
available for agricultural purposes. With
proper care cattle can be raised IN the mild
er districts. 1t cannot be doubted that IN
the course of time vast herds OF reindeer
will cover the plains of northern Alaska,
and a few thousands of dollars spent now
in helping the Eskimo to obtain herds will
save the expenditure OIL many thousands In
the future.
FUR SEAL DOOMED.
The fur. seal are doomed to extinction I'M
less all peIagic sealing can be stopped. The
branding of female seals has proved sue
cess. The brands render the pelts valueless
and show that the United States has
property right to the animal. The raising
of blue foxes is becoming an important in
dustry The hunting of the otter has
been so unremitting that very few are now
left The Governor recommends that the
killing of them be prohibited for a long
time. Representation in Congress for the
The past year has been one of great
progress in mining operations. Many Amer
leans who located claims in the Northwest
Territory have abandoned them and have
settled on the Alaskan side OF the interna-
tional boundary line, where a new town,
Eagle City. has sprung up. There has been
great development in quartz mining in
Southeastern Alaska and along the coast
as far as Unalaska. Coal has been diScov-
cred near the upper Yukon, the Tanana and
on Prince William sound. Public buildings
at Sitka are urgently needed for the ac-
mended that Congress appropriate $4,000
for the erection of a penitentiary and other
buildings. An appropriation of $4,000 for
the education of children in Alaska is earn
estly recommended.
Attention is called to the fact that the
ing Alaskan waters necessitates the erec-
ton of many lighthouses. Other recommen-
dationS include a monthly mail service be-
tween Sitka and Unalaska; cable connec-
ton between the United States and Alaska;
enlargement of administrative authority
and extension of the land laws to at least
the settled portions. The other territorial
reports all claim material progress and
urge immediate recognition S States.
Assistant Secretary of the Interior Web
ster Davis in his annual report says the H.,
6Sl appeals from the Pension Bureau and
626 motions for reconsideration filed during
the year make up a number unprecedented
in any one year or any two years in the
history of the board of pension appeals
The pToportiOnate increase still continues,
and on Oct. / last there were II, $40 such
appeals and motions pending, and Secre-
tary Bliss concurs in Assistant Secretary
Davis's recommendations for providing for
three additional members of this board; for
additional legislation amending the act of
Aug. Z, 1882, relating to marriages; legisla-