E. Report of the surveyor general of Nebraska. UNITED STATES SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, SIR: As requested in your circular letter E of May 1, 1878, I have the honor to submit herewith (in duplicate) my annual report of surveying operations within this district for fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. SURVEYS. The surveys contracted for out of apportionment made to this district of general appropriation approved March 3, 1877, have been completed during fiscal year 1878. The surveys were confined to agricultural and grazing lands, which have been largely occupied by herds of cattle and ranches, and I have reliable information that there have been within the last year at least 14,000 head of cattle taken on to the unsurveyed lands in the northwestern part of this State. OFFICE WORK. The field notes of 232 miles, 1 chain, and 69 links of standard and 470 miles, 11 chains, and 39 links of exterior township lines have been examined and approved, and diagrams (in duplicate) and transcripts of field notes made and transmitted to the department. The field notes of 1,890 miles, 31 chains, and 19 links of subdivision lines have been examined and approved, and transcripts thereof and transcript plats (in triplicate( made and transmitted to the department. Descriptive list and plats of 36 townships have also been transmitted to the proper local land offices. A large amount of miscellaneous work has been done during the year, embracing the usual range of subjects. PROPOSED SURVEYS. The estimates for the surveying service in this district for fiscal year ending June 30, 1880, were prepared and transmitted July 10, 1878, in obedience to your instructions of May 1, 1878. A portion of proposed surveys have since been included in contracts for fiscal year 1879 and transmitted to you for your approval. A large portion of the proposed surveys and also of the remaining unsurveyed lands of the State are represented by my deputies and others who have knowledge of them to be good agricultural lands and well adapted to stock raising, with belts of timber of commercial value along the Niobrara River and its tributaries. With the present tide of immigration to our State and the rapidly-growing demand for the public lands by actual settlers, these lands will soon be occupied. IMMIGRATION. The immigration to Nebraska during the past year has been greater than ever known in the history of the State. It is estimated on good authority that not less than 100,000 persons have settled within our boundaries since the 1st of January of this year. They are, to a large extent, a good class of thrifty farmers, who occupy at once the public lands and commence to break up the prairie, build modest houses, plant groves of timber, and in a few years show well-cultivated, productive farms, such as it requires a lifetime to develop in many of the Eastern States. STATISTICS OF 1877. The report of the secretary of the State agricultural society for the year 1877, prepared froin data obtained from all the counties in the State, may be of interest to the public, and I copy from it as follows: Population of the State... Value of property, real and personal.. Horses and mules Cattle Sheep Swine The amount of products of this year will be much greater than the above. 5, 212 The small grain is all harvested at this date, and is of good quality, and greatly in excess of the yield of any previous year, while the prospect for a corn crop was never better than now. LAND SALES. From the following report it will be seen that Nebraska stands at the head of the list in sales of land by the various land-grant roads of the United States for the first four months of 1878, which goes to show that our State is receiving its full share of the immigration now coming westward. Land sales of the land-grant roads of the United States for the first four months of 1878, January, February, March, and April. APPROPRIATIONS FOR SURVEYS. I would again respectfully recommend, as an economical measure on the part of the government, that a sufficient appropriation be made next year to complete the public surveys in this district. The amount of unsurveyed territory being comparatively small, this could be easily accomplished. The records could then be turned over to the State, as has been done in other districts, and the expense of maintaining an office for years to come would be saved to the government. In conclusion I have the honor to call your attention to the following tabular statements accompanying this report: A. Statement showing condition of the public surveys under appropriation approved July 21, 1876, for the survey of Fort mearney military reservation and apportionment made to this district of appropriation for fiscal year 1878. B. Statement showing contracts entered into and condition of public surveys under apportionment made to this district of appropriation for public surveys for fiscal year 1879. C. Statement showing the amount expended for salaries of surveyor general and clerks during fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. D. Statement showing the amount expended for rent of office and other incidental expenses during fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. E. Statement showing the description of land, area and number of miles, for which duplicate plats and transcripts of field notes have been transmitted to the department, and triplicate plats and descriptive lists have been furnished to the local land offices, during fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. F. Statement showing the description and number of township plats and descriptive lists furnished the local land offices during fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. G. Estimate of sums required for the extension of the public surveys in Nebraska for fiscal year ending June 30, 1880. H. Estimate of sums required for office expenses for fiscal year ending June 30, 1880. I. Statement showing the names, duties, nativity, whence appointed, term of service, and rate of compensation per annum of persons employed in the surveyor general's office of the district of Nebraska and Iowa during fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. All of which is respectfully submitted. Hon. J. A. WILLIAMSON, JNO. R. CLARK, Surveyor General Nebraska and Iowa. Commissioner of the General Land Office, Washington, D. C. A.-Statement showing condition of public surveys under appropriation for the survey of Fort Kearney military reservation, and under appropriation for fiscal year ending June 30, 1878. By appropriation approved July 21, 1876, for survey of Fort Kearney military reservation. By amount added to apportionment July 1, 1878 By special deposit by Union Pacific and Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Companies for field work for former years. To unexpended balance of appropriation for survey of Fort Kearney military reservation To unexpended balance of special deposit of Union Pacific and Burlington and Missouri Railroad Companies for field work. Total |