G.-Statement showing the condition of the appropriation for the salary of the surveyor general for Montana during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

H.-Statement showing the condition of the appropriation for the clerks in the office of the surveyor general for Montana for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

I.—Statement showing the condition of the appropriation for incidental expenses for the office of the surveyor general for Montana for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

J.-Statement showing the condition of the account of special deposits for office work in the office of the surveyor general for Montana for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

K.-Statement showiny the number of plats made in the office of the surveyor general for Montana during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

L.-Statement showing the number of acres of public land surveyed in Montana Territory from the inception of surveys to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

Number of acres surveyed to June 30, 1877
Number of acres surveyed during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878..
Number of acres surveyed (mineral land) on unsurveyed land during
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878

Total number of acres surveyed to June 30, 1878..................

Acres.

9, 646, 266.51 624, 713. 36

1, 410. 16

10, 272, 390. 03

ROSWELL H. MASON, United States Surveyor General for Montana.

M.-Statement showing the number of linear miles run, the rate per mile, and the total cost of surveys in the Territory of Montana during the fiscal year ending June 30; 1878.

N.-Statement giving the names, nativity, &c., of the surveyor general and the employés in his office at Helena, Mont., during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

Name.

Andrew J. Smith Roswell H. Mason. George F. Marsh Wm. T. McFarland. John M. Marsh Edward B. Bonnell

K. M. Smith..

..do

do

..do.

1,500

Aug. 21, 1874

Sept. 27, 1877.

Benjamin Franklin. Messenger

Virginia

.do.

600

June 3, 1877

Oct. 7, 1877.

John E. Howard...

.do

England

.do..

180

Oct. 20, 1877

§ May 15, 1878.

Suspended by order of the President, dated August 14, 1877, received August 28, 1877.
+ Discharged.
Resigned.

§ Services dispensed with for balance of fiscal year, as appropriation was exhausted.

ROSWELL H. MASON,
United States Surveyor General for Montana.

O.-Statement showing the number of letters recorded in the office of the surveyor general for Montana during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

P.-Statement of work performed in the office of the surveyor general for Montana during the

Q.-Estimate for surveying services and office expenses in the district of Montana for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880.

FIELD WORK.

For surveying 110 miles base line, at $10..
For surveying 100 miles standard lines, at $10
For surveying 60 miles meridian lines, at $10
For surveying 900 miles township lines, at $7.
For surveying 2,400 miles section lines, at $6.
For surveying 100 miles meander lines, at $10.
For surveying heavily timbered and mountainous land, at rates
not exceeding $16 for standard, $14 for township, and $10 for
section lines..

$1,100 00

1,000 00

600 00

6,300 00

14,400 00

1,000 00

10,000 00

$34,400 00

For incidental expenses, messenger, rent, fuel, lights, stationery, &c....

1,500 00

1,500 00

For mounting and binding maps and field notes, and office furniture

1,000 00

10,300 00

SIR: In compliance with your instructions, I have the honor to submit the annual report, in duplicate, of this surveying district for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, together with the usual tabular statements relating thereto.

A. Estimate of expenses incidental to the survey of public lands in Idaho for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880.

B. Statement of expenditure of appropriation for compensation of surveyor general and clerks in his office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

C. Statement of incidental and office expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

D. Statement of expenditure of appropriation for surveys for the fiscal year ending Jane 30, 1878.

E. Statement of original maps and copies transmitted to the General Land Office and to the district office since the last report.

F. Statement showing the condition of contracts entered into since June 30, 1877. G. Statement of descriptive list sent to the local land office since the date of last report.

H. Tabular list of townships surveyed since the date of last report, showing the areas of the public lands.

I. Statement of applications for the survey of mineral lands and mill sites for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

J. Statement of amount deposited with the United States assistant treasurer for office work for mineral claims in Idaho for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

K. Names, nativity, &c., of surveyor general, clerks, &c., in his office at Boise City, Idaho, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

On assuming charge of this office on the 16th day of July, 1878, I found that my predecessor, the Hon. La Fayette Cartee, had all the office work completed up to that date. I am also much indebted to him for the tabular statements accompanying this report, they being all completed on my taking charge of this office. Too much praise and credit cannot be awarded to Mr. Cartee for the neatness, correctness, and efficiency he has displayed while in charge of the office of United States surveyor gen

eral.

The surveys of the public lands for the fiscal year just closed have been confined to the southern and southeastern portions of this Territory, where there are yet large