G.-Statement of the surveys of mining and mill site claims in Arizona during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. H.-List of lands surveyed in Arizona for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Description. Meridian. Public lands. Riverland. Unsurveyed lands. Township 2 south, range 3 east* 21, 903. 51 .....do 18, 709. 56 .do do ....do .do ..do ..do .do 23, 027. 10 ...do 23, 035. 22 I.—Estimates for the surveying service in Arizona for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879. UNITED STATES SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Tucson, Arizona, July 17, 1877. SIR: In accordance with your circular of April 3, 1877, (E. left corner,) I herewith submit the following estimates for the surveying service within this district for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879: For continuing the survey of meridian, standard, township, and section lines of public lands... For salary of clerk to aid in investigation of titles to private land claims. Total $20,000 00 5,000 00 3,000 00 4,000 00 2,500 00 2,500 00 37,000 00 REMARKS. The apportionment of $8,850 for the survey of public lands for the present fiscal year is a very small sum, and before the new appropriation will be available the sum of $20,000 will not more than meet the actual wants of the settlers, judged by the present influx of population; and, with the railway now within our western border, increased immigration may be expected. Millions of acres should be surveyed which the present law says shall not be. Stock growing is a leading interest, and constantly increasing. Stock men find a spring of water in the mountains or sink a well in the grassy plains, and thus bave abundance of water for stock, but not for agriculture. They want and should have title to their lands. Under the present law their land cannot be surveyed. These men are pursuing a most important industry, and Congress should provide a way by which they can procure title to land which they actually occupy, and the law should be so amended as to meet the rightful demands of this worthy class of settlers. Again, the law should be so amended as to permit surveys of pasture lands adjacent to the valleys with streams sufficiently large to irrigate the valley lands. In hundreds of instances settlers in perfect good faith make settlements for homes along small streams in narrow valleys, and reasonably ask for the survey of their lands; and, under the present law, it is doubtful if their demands can be complied with lawfully, for, in most instances, unsurveyable land forms part of the very quarter sections occupied by the settlers. The formation of the country is peculiar, and a rigid enforcement of the present law would either prevent thousands of settlers from getting title to their lands, or compel the survey of tracts from a few rods to a mile or so in width without regard to the cardinal points of the compass. I could now cite many cases in my own district as illustrations of the hardship to settlers under the present law. Regarding estimates for the service connected with private land claims, I now have estimates in for the present fiscal year, to go before the special session of Congress. If appropriated, only the amount allowed for incidental expenses will be wholly used, as in no case would a clerk in this connection be employed before January, or later in 1878. Therefore a clerk would be most needed for the next fiscal year, during which the examination, with prompt action on the part of the claimants, would be completed. The cost of living here is such that a competent chief clerk cannot be had, except temporarily, at less than $2,500 per annum. Owing to the additional incidental expense connected with the examination of titles to private land claims, I am sure $2,500 will be required to insure efficiency, and should the same not all be actually needed the excess would revert to the Treasury. There are no arrears of office work in this office that will not fully be brought up before the work under the new apportionment comes in; hence, I transmit no statement as directed in your circular of April 3, 1877. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. J. A. WILLIAMSON, Commissioner General Land Office, Washington, D. C. JOHN WASSON, Surveyor General. N.-Report of the Surveyor General of Washington Territory. SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, Olympia, August 7, 1877. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, in duplicate, a report of the surveying operations in this district for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Accompanying and forming a part of this report are the following tabular state ments, viz: A.-Statement showing the condition of contracts not closed at date of last annual report. B.-Statement of contracts let for the survey of public lands in Washington Territory, the number of miles and acres in each township, the number of plats made, and the amount paid on contracts for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. C.-Statement of special deposits for the survey of public lands in Washington Territory for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. D.-Statement of descriptive lists sent to local land office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. E.-Statement of appropriation for incidental expenses of office of surveyor general of Washington Territory for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. F.-Statement of appropriation for salary of surveyor general of Washington Territory, and clerks in his office, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. G.-Estimated amount required for the surveying service in Washington Territory for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. I also transmit herewith the annual map, showing the progress of surveys in Washington Territory to this date. Owing to the unwise reduction in the rates per mile for surveys, without discrimination as to the character of the work, I was obliged to expend all the small appropriation for the past fiscal year east of the mountains, where I endeavored to so distribute it as to accommodate the settlers and include the most available lands for settlement. The delay in passing the appropriation for last year, and in receiving official notice thereof, rendered it too late to do much work last fall, and consequently the most of the work had to be done this last spring; much of which is not yet returned by the deputies. The increase of the rates in heavily timbered lands from $6 to $10 per mile for sec tion lines will not yet induce the most competent deputies to contract for this character of work in the rough and densely timbered portions of this Territory. I would, therefore, respectfully recommend an increase to $12 per mile for such work, and $8 per mile for section lines east of the mountains, where the work hereafter will not admit of large tracts being surveyed in any one locality; hence, a greater expense is incurred by the deputy. APPROPRIATIONS FOR SURVEYS. While I cheerfully indorse every act of the government relating to true and practical economy in all its departments, yet I cannot allow the mistaken policy of the last Congress in regard to public surveys to pass unnoticed. For the year ending June 30, 1877, this district had an appropriation for public surveys of $20,000, which, at the rates allowed per mile, rendered it entirely unavailable west of the Cascade Mountains. In order to execute the office work in a proper manner, and within a reasonable time, it was necessary to incur an expense of $8,500, which, with an additional expense of $1,200 for clerical work, I could have performed the office work for an appropriation of $50,000. The showing is still worse for the year ending June 30, 1878. This district has only $16,000 awarded for public surveys, while the cost of expending the same will be $8,000. Should this mistaken policy continue, I would respectfully recommend that this office be consolidated with the Oregon office, and thereby save the expense of two office forces, when one can perform the work of both districts, unless the appropriations for public surveys are increased. It seems to me that it would be true economy to complete the public surveys as soon as possible, and thereby obviate the necessity of continuing so large an office force, which must be done as long as any field work remains unfinished. REFORMS IN THE PUBLIC SURVEYS. Nearly four years' experience in this office has fully convinced me that the contract system for executing the public surveys is entirely wrong, and never should have been adopted. Under this system a strong inducement is constantly offered to the deputy surveyor, prompted by self-interest, to slight his work, without much fear of being detected for perhaps many years after the work is done. Evidence of imperfect and even erroneous surveys can be found in almost every district, not caused by unavoidable errors alone, but by the anxiety of the deputy to perform the greatest amount of work in the shortest possible time, and thereby make the most out of his contract. This rule holds good, regardless of the price per mile. To avoid and do away with this defective system, I would respectfully recommend that the law be so amended that the surveyor general be authorized to employ a sufficient number of competent deputies, at a stipulated salary per month, including all necessary and legitimate expenses, to do the work, on the same principle that the United States coast surveys are made. Under a system of this kind I am satisfied the cost of the surveys of the public lands would not be increased, and the work would be much better done in every instance. The amount of work which a deputy with his party can perform in a given time is too well known by every practical surveyor to allow any unnecessary delay on his part, while in the field, without being detected by his superiors, even should he be so inclined. AGRICULTURAL LANDS. Under this head I can only add to what I have already said in my former reports, that the valuable wheat lands of Eastern Washington are just beginning to be understood and appreciated. Large tracts are sown to wheat this year, and in many instances the present crop will pay for the land and all other expenses incident to its growth. The prospect of the early improvement of the Columbia and Snake Rivers will give this Territory about five hundred miles of uninterrupted river navigation, or over two hundred miles through the best wheat growing region on the Pacific slope. TIMBERED LANDS. The best timbered lands in this Territory are being rapidly taken up under the preemption law at a price far below their present value. I have heretofore urged the importance of the passage of some law by Congress graduating the price of these lands, that the government might receive something like their value by appraisement, the same as all corporations or individuals would do if owning such property. I can see no propriety or wisdom in selling such lands at uniform rates, nor of allowing the choice portions to be selected under the pre-emption act for the benefit of a third party. COAL. Since my last report much has been done toward developing this important commodity in this Territory, and to bring it into market. Railroads have been built to all three of the mines east and south of Seattle; and about thirty miles of railroad is nearly completed to the Puyallup mines east of Tacoma. Coal of a very superior quality is being discovered all along the foot-hills of the Cascade Mountains, and in great abundance, which will soon add much to the wealth of our Territory. IMMIGRATION. Since my last annual report, and up to the time of the breaking out of the late Nez Percé war in Western Idaho, the number of immigrants which were coming into the eastern portion of this Territory was unprecedented, exceeding by far any former period in the history of this Territory. The slight check which this panic produced is already about overcome, as there are but few who fear any trouble from the Indians within our own borders, and most of the settlers are already returning to their homes. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. J. A. WILLIAMSON, W. MCMICKEN, Surveyor General Washington Territory Commissioner General Land Office, Washington, D. C. |