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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, district of Nebraska and Iowa, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

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F.-Report of the surveyor general of Wyoming.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,
Cheyenne, Wyo., August 5, 1878.

SIR: In compliance with your instructions of May 1, 1878, I have the honor to submit herewith, in duplicate, my annual report of the surveying operations of the Wyoming district for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

PROGRESS OF THE PUBLIC SURVEYS OF WYOMING TERRITORY.

The twelfth guide meridian west, from the fifth standard parallel north to the south boundary of the Shoshone Indian reservation, has been surveyed and established as a basis for surveys in the vicinity of said reservation, which had been petitioned for by the settlers in the Popo-Agie Valley; and the length of this meridian, including convergencies and connections, is 83 miles, 13 chains, and 59 links.

The seventh standard parallel north has been established from the twelfth to the thirteenth guide meridian west, passing the continental "divide" in range 103 west, and amounting in length to 48 miles.

The eighth standard parallel north, from the twelfth_guide meridian west to range 101 west, a distance of 24 miles, has been also surveyed, and terminates on a spur of the Wind River Mountains.

The tenth guide meridian west, from the south boundary of Wyoming to the fourth standard parallel north, has been surveyed and established through a mountainous and densely timbered country, the distance, including connections, being 27 miles, 46 chains, and 19 links.

Exterior township lines of 51 different townships have been surveyed and established, the total length of which, including connections, is 451 miles, 65 chains, and 92 links.

Nineteen townships, three of which are made fractional by the Shoshone Indian reservation, have been subdivided into sections, and amount in length of lines, including meanders and connections, to 1,050 miles, 13 chains, and 18 links, a detailed statement of which is given herewith in tabular form.

Two of the most eastern of these subdivided townships are 25 miles west of Fort Laramie, and can be irrigated by Laramie River and some of its northern confluents. They are considered valuable as hay lands.

The middle portions of these recent surveys are on the heavily timbered slopes of the Medicine Bow Mountains, some being near Carbon Station, on the Union Pacific Railroad, and embracing mineral, forest, and pastoral lands. Many of the mines in this region are now being successfully worked.

Of the most western surveys those within the limits of the Union Pacific Railroad land grant and in the valleys of Bitter Creek and Green River are chiefly valuable as coal or hay lands, and four of the subdivided townships are traversed by the Union Pacific Railroad. The area of coal lands reported in these subdivisions is 27,4544 acres. The northern portion of the western surveys contains settlements on the Popo-Agio River mineral lands, now being worked, and hay lands, much of which is or can be easily irrigated.

The recent surveys are delineated on the accompanying map in red ink, and where necessary the topography has been corrected to conform thereto. The boundary between the Cheyenne and Evanston land districts and those of the new counties are also indicated.

The early and deep snows of 1877 prevented the completion of the two contracts of survey in the timbered lands of the Medicine Bow Mountains, though in one of them there remains only one township to be subdivided. In the other, ten townships of exteriors and seven of subdivisions are yet to be surveyed. The deputies employed in these surveys having asked for extension of time, it has been granted. The area of recent subdivisions is 392,717 acres, and the total area surveyed in Wyoming Territory to June 30, 1878, is 7,926,173 acres.

PROPOSED SURVEYS.

The accompanying estimates for the extension of the public surveys in Wyoming during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880, are intended for the agricultural and pastoral lands on the North Platte River, which are being settled by stock raisers; for the continuation of the surveys of timber and mineral lands in the Medicine Bow Mountains; and for additional surveys of agricultural and timbered lands in the valley of Bear River, near Evanston.

OFFICE WORK.

Of the recent surveys contracted for by this office and payable out of the balance of the appropriation of July 31, 1876, of $16,500, and that of March 3, 1877, of $14,400, the original field notes of the standard, exterior, and subdivision lines returned by the deputies were carefully examined, and approved upon their evidence of correctness.

The original diagrams and maps of these surveys have been constructed on the prescribed scale, from the field notes, and placed on file, and a copy of each has been made, compared, and transmitted to the General Land Office.

Copies of all the maps of subdivisions have also been made, compared, and transmitted to the proper local land offices, and a list of these registers' maps has been added to the schedule posted in this office.

The original field notes of all the aforesaid surveys have been transcribed, compared, prefaced with title pages and index diagrams, and, with the maps and surveyors' accounts, transmitted to the General Land Office.

Thirty-eight lists descriptive of the corners, soil, timber, &c., of nineteen townships of subdivisions have been compiled from and carefully compared with the original field notes, certified, and transmitted to the proper local land offices, and the registers' receipts for them placed on file.

The original field notes have been arranged in volumes, and will be bound during the summer. The usual amount of miscellaneous office work has been performed, which it is not deemed necessary to state in detail. There are no arrears of office work. To secure the prompt performance of the work of this office, and to avoid delay in the adjustment of the deputies' accounts and the necessity of working beyond office hours, a more liberal appropriation for the compensation of clerks is much needed.

CONTRACTS OF 1877 AND 1878.

The contracts of 1877, including those unfinished at the date of my last report, amount to $15,239.45, paid out of the appropriation of July 31, 1876, of $16,500, and leave an unexpended balance of $1,260.55, which reverts to the United States Treasury. Out of the appropriation of March 3, 1877, of $14,400, two contracts were entered into, in August, 1877, leaving an estimated unexpended balance of $5,450, and a third contract was issued in April, 1878, for the survey of standard, exterior, reservation, and section lines in the vicinity of Fort Laramie and in the valley of the North Platte. This contract is estimated at $5,300, and leaves an estimated balance unexpended of $150.

At the close of this report, contract No. 94, of August 23, 1877, is nearly completed as to survey; four townships of subdivisions, in valuable timber and mineral land, having been returned to this office, and are now in process of platting and transcribing; and the remainder will be returned in about two weeks,

Contract No. 95, of August 24, 1877, is completed, and the map and transcript have been sent to the General Land Office.

In contract No. 96, of April 23, 1878, the standard lines are returned, and have been platted and transcribed, and the remainder will be returned about August 15, 1878.

DESERT LAND SURVEYS.

One description of survey of desert land, containing 640 acres, has been received from the land office at Evanston, and 26 from the Cheyenne land office, amounting to 8,646.25 acres.

The descriptions of some of these surveys are so indefinite as to render it impossible for the deputy surveyors to close to them.

NEW SETTLEMENTS-STOCK RAISING-PASTORAL LANDS.

The valley of the North Platte, as far up as longitude 106° 30' west, is now being rapidly settled, mainly by stock raisers. The valley of Bear River is filling up by the same class of immigrants, and by farmers; and the valleys of the Medicine Bow and the Laramie Rivers, by "cattle men" and miners.

The raising of cattle, on an extensive scale, is becoming much more important and profitable in Wyoming than agriculture; and where pure running water for stock can be found the adjacent grazing or pastoral lands ought not to be excluded from survey. These "cattle men are not a nomadic race, but build comfortable ranches for a home, and thus, becoming permanent settlers, will soon want patents for the lands which they are improving and occupying.

ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTS.

A. Statement showing the contracts entered into, and the condition of the public surveys, under the appropriation for fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

B. Statement showing the townships, ranges, areas, and amounts of surveys, for which duplicate maps and transcripts of the field notes have been transmitted to the General Land Office, triplicate maps and descriptive lists furnished the local land offices, and the original field notes filed in this office.

C. Statement showing the townships, ranges, and areas of coal lands surveyed in Wyoming Territory from June 30, 1877, to June 30, 1878, as shown on the original maps on file in this office.

D. Statement showing the description and number of township maps, and descriptive lists furnished to the local land offices, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878, numbering north of base line and west of the sixth principal meridian.

E. Statement of amounts deposited by individuals for office work on mining claims, and by the Union Pacific Railroad Company for cost of survey and office work on lands inuring to said company, showing the balances unexpended and available for the surveying service in Wyoming Territory.

F. Statement showing the amount paid to the surveyor general and the clerks in his office, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

G. Statement of amounts paid for rent of office, fuel, &c., during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

H. Estimate of the appropriation required for the extension of the public surveys in Wyoming Territory during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1880.

I. Statement showing the names, duties, nativity, whence appointed, residence, date of appointment, and rate of compensation per annum of persons employed in the surveyor general's office of Wyoming Territory at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

K. Table prepared by Sergt. James H. Smith, Signal Service, U. S. A., in charge of the United States signal service at Cheyenne, Wyo., showing the monthly mean temperature from June 30, 1877, to June 30, 1878, as corrected by the Chief Signal Officer, Washington, D. C.

L. Table prepared by Sergt. James H. Smith, Signal Service, United States Army, in charge of the United States signal service at Cheyenne, Wyo., showing the daily temperature of the months of January and February, 1878, from observations at 7 a. m., 2 p. m., and 9 p. m., as corrected by the Chief Signal Officer at Washington, D. C. M. Statement of the number of cars of live stock shipped on the Union Pacific Railroad in Wyoming Territory from June 30, 1877, to June 30, 1878, as reported by W. P. Davis, esq., division superintendent.

All of which is respectfully submitted.

Hon. J. A. WILLIAMSON,

EDW. C. DAVID,

United States Surveyor General of Wyoming Territory.

Commissioner General Land Office, Washington, D. C.

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A.-Statement showing the contracts entered into, and the condition of the public surveys, under the appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1878.

Names of contractors
or deputy surveyor.

Character, No. of township and range,
of surveys north of base line and
west of sixth principal meridian.

Sums paid for

surveys.

Condition of field

and office work.

1877.

94 Aug. 23 William O. Downey Tenth guide meridian west, from south

95 Aug. 24 Lewis M. Lampton

1878.

boundary of Wyoming to fourth
standard parallel north; west and
north boundaries of townships 13, 14,
and 15, ranges 78 and 79; west boun-
daries of townships 12 and 16, ranges
78 and 79, and north boundaries of
townships 13, 14, and 15, range 80
west; and subdivisions of townships
13, 14, and 15, ranges 77 and 78, and
township 12, range 78.

West boundaries of townships 17, 18,
19, and 20, ranges 79 and 81; north
boundaries of townships 17, 18, 19,
and 20, ranges 79, 80, 81, and 82; and
subdivisions of townships 17 and 18,
range.78, and township 20, ranges 79,
80, and 81.

96 Apr. 23 William B. Yerby.. Sixth and seventh standard parallels,

Appropriation of July 31, 1876..

from eighth guide meridian to east
boundary of Wyoming; eighth guide
meridian, from south boundary of
Fort Laramie Reservation to seventh
standard parallel; exteriors of town-
ships 23 to 28, inclusive, ranges 60 to
64, inclusive, and subdivisions of
townships 23 and 24, ranges 60 and 61,
townships 24 and 25, range 62, and
townships 25 and 26, range 63; and
southeast and north boundaries of
Fort Laramie Reservation, under spe-
cial instructions.

Amount paid on contracts ont of said appropriation

Balance unexpended and reverting to United States Treasury

Totals......

Appropriation of March 3, 1877 .

Estimated cost of contracts out of said appropriation.
Estimated balance unexpended out of said appropriation

Totals..

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SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Cheyenne, Wyo., August 5, 1878.

EDW. C. DAVID,

Surveyor General.

B.-Statement showing the townships, ranges, areas, and amounts of surveys, for which duplicate maps and transcripts of the field notes have been transmitted to the General Land Office, triplicate maps and descriptive lists furnished to the local land offices, and the original maps and field notes filed in this office.

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Total amount of subdivisions in 1877 is 1,050 miles, 13 chains, and 18 links.

EDW. C. DAVID,

Surveyor General.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Cheyenne, Wyo., August 5, 1878.

C.-Statement of the townships, ranges, and areas of coal lands surveyed in Wyoming Territory from June 30, 1877, to June 30, 1878, as shown on the original maps on file in this office.

Township 18 north, range 99 west, of sixth principal meridian..
Township 18 north, range 100 west, of sixth principal meridian..

Total area of coal lands surveyed in 1877..

Total area of coal lands surveyed previous to 1877....

Aggregate of coal lands surveyed to date......

Acres.

4, 486.14 22,968.36

27, 454.50 235, 369,88

262, 824.38

EDW. C. DAVID,
Surveyor General.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Cheyenne, Wyo., August 5, 1878.

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