Year: 1879

S23 600 900 for the work of surveying We have the
Commissioner OF the Land Office for the declaration
that there would be no great public detriment or
reasonable private grievance II not another acre
should be surveyed for several years. thus giving
time for the new system to be perfected
and got regularly in motion, demonstrating
either its success failure In the event OF the
latter Congr order return to the old system
without injury to the settler loss to the Treasury
But the House viii keep in mind that this bill does
not repeal the rectangular method of surveys. 1t
only provides that the commission. composed OF the
superintendent of the Coast Survey. the Geological
Director and the COMMISSIONS of the Land ONCE
and three persons appointed from civil life by the
President, shall be empowered and required to sub
init i'll year to Congress such methods of survey
ing the public lands as it may deem wise and prac
tcable. Until that report is made changing the
method and Congress shall adopt IT the present sys-
TEN OF rectangular surveying will remain undis-
turbed.


There are remaining of the public lands yet un-
surveyed 170400O square miles, exclusive of Alaska.
or $50 including Alaska. 1lOl ald,ss5
acres stre-


An objection has been urged against this bill be-
cause it is alleged that the States would be de-
prved of the sixteenth and thirtysixth sections In
each township for common school purposes. upon
the ground that without the rectangular system the
sections could not be arrived At But the bill does
not propose the destruction at this time OF the
rectangular mode of surveys. should the commits
sion advise and Congress ratity. it is to be pre-
suiued that the substitute will be framed az not
to impair so sacred right that which lies at the
Foundation OF common schools.


But lest there might be some inconvenience
sutlg from the absolute abolition of the rectangu-
LUZ sNbtom OF surveys upon the present DaSS Oh
section unit it is provided in this bill that Secre-
tary of the Interior may retain. where it is mani
festy appropriate and best the rectangular method
of surveying. No well acquainted with the
characteristics of the lands remaining to be
surveyed regards the rectangular method adapted
to but very limited portion of them.


Under the system Of triangulaton it may not cost
over fifty cents per square mile to establish tho
geodetc points in the survey of the public lands.
whereas the lands already surveyed under the rec
tanguar system have cost $40 or more per square
mile. and the remaining lands to be surveyed. being
it is estimated. about $50 per square mile. After
careful investigation of the data assert that the
den and Dwell is 50 per square mile. The primary
triangulation under the Coast Survey, accurate.
thorough and refined as any ever conducted in
square mile. There was some surprise a
short time since when General Humphreys
published. his own signature, the statement
that the rate of cost of Coast Survey topography had
been $5S4 per square mile. True. in foot note he
throws doubt upon the hypothesis and admits ''the
posititious hypothesis he proceeds to submit to the
public frightful sums Of money about to be squan-
dered by the employment of trigonometrlc methods
in tho public surveys In reply to this remark
able statement of General Humphreys ask the clerk
read the marked * & OF the letter Of MI
dressed to the Secretary of the Treasury dated Janu
H. 1879. On page of said letter Mr.. Patterson
| says;-


'The bill under consideration does not propose to
| measure itself, upon Procrustean bed, to the
scale extravsgant or economical The bill proposes,
it is true, to place the surveys of the public lands
under the Superintendent OF the Coast Survey but
it also provides that commission shall be raised Of
competent persons, six in number. to investigate
the whole subject and report to Congress the best
and cheapest and most practical methods in view OF
the geological structure. mineral value and climatic
influences OF the regions to be surveyed classifying
the lands tit and unfit for agriculture and what prac
| tca disposition be made of the lands under the
\ system OF Homestead. precmption and sale OF the
sanc and what portion of them it is impracticabls
| to so dispose OF.


| ''The actual sums saved by this bill in salaries
amount to $97, $780, and in the Sundry Civil bill for
the contingent expenses Of the various offices of the
Surveyors General S24, 900 saved, making q net
saving in salaries and the contingent funds attend.
other items of diminished expense referred to are
sufficient to justify the change which the bill pro-
| poses"


II will be further that this bill provides that
all future Typographical surveys shall be conducted
under the auspices of the Interior Department, un-
less such should be necessary Tor the immediate
Of the army. In that event there is no restriction
| upon the War Department TO employ its corps OF
engineers without reference to the authority herein
| given to the Interior Department. Further than


that there does not seem to be propriety or profes-
sional fitness in the army devoting its energies to
either questions Of science OF practical civic
polity. The army, as before intimated now has
charge of the survey OF the northern lakes
| and rivers, of the Lower Nississippi River. the
| torpedoes and the surveys west OF the Tooth mo
ridian. Should or other causes neccsstate the
| movement of the army, and geographical and topo


graphical reconnoissances should become necessary


they still and ought to be made Ly the army en-


gineers. provided maps affordins full information
cannot be furnished already prepared. We have the
| authority Of the Public Lands Committee Of this
House that the maps made under the Interior Depart
| ment were OF more value Tor the use OF the army
| Not myself being judge Of such work venture no
opinion of my own. In England within the last six
months that government has taken all such surveys
| away from the department OF the military and
| handed them to the civil organizations con-
nected with the geological and geographical surveys