Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 December 1898 — REPORT OF SECRETARY BLISS. [ARTICLE]

REPORT OF SECRETARY BLISS.

Concerns Indiana, Lands, Minina; Affairs and Pensions. Secretary of the Interior Bliss has issued his annual report. In speaking of the disposal of public lands the report says: “The total area of public lands, not including Indian lands, entered by individuals (exclusive of selections by corporations) during the yenr ending June 30, was 11,328,037.34 acres. This is in excess of the area so disposed of by the Government during the previous year by 2,607,893.96 acres, an increase of over 28 per cent. The number of individual entries of Government land during the year was 89,674, as against 71,581 the previous year, showing an increase of over 25 per cent.” The report shows an increase of 389 in the mineral entries and an increase of 174 patents issued and 466 claims patented. In commenting on this feature Secretary Bliss says: “This increase in mineral entries indicates a marked revival of the mining industry, which had fallen to its lowest ebb in 1895, when but 757 entries were made, being less than one-half the nflmber made in 1898 and the lowest since 1879. From Colorado there was mined during the calendar year 1897 $19,104,200 in gold and 21,636,400 ounces of silver, exceeding the output of any other State in the Union. The next State in gold mining was California, with $14,618,300, Montana being second in the production of silver, with 15,667,900 ounces. The third State in gold mining was South Dakota, with $5,694,900, Utah being third in production of silver, with 6,265,600 ounces. The fourth State in gold mining was Montana, with $4,373,400, Idaho being fourth in the production of silver, with 4,901,200 ounces.” Upon Indian affairs the report says: “The progress of the Indians during the last year, in civilization as well as education, has been gradual, though substantial. There has been but one disturbance or outbreak of a serious character, and that was among the Chippewa Indians of Minnesota. It was of very recent occurrence, however, and happily has been suppressed. The population of Indians, exclusive of those in the State of New Y’ork, and those of the five civilized tribes, may be stated to be, approximately, 180,132; that of the New York Indians, 5,318, and of the five civilized tribes, including 17,457 freedmen, as 77,018. The policy heretofore inaugurated of extending to the Indians every facility tending to make them an independent and self-supporting class has been continued.” In speaking of the pension department the report says: “The report of the commissioner of pensions shows that June 30 there were on the pension roll 993,714 names, an increase of 17,700 over the number on the rolls June 30,™897. The amount disbursed for army and navy pensions during the year was $144,651,879.80. leaving a balance of $3,431,012.99 unexpended June 30, which was covert'd into the treasury. This unexpended balance would have been reduced in (he sum of $760,212.24, representing firSt payments on 5,581 eases, which were adjudicated during the fiscal yenr, had it been possible to get them into the hands of the pension agents in time to make payments thereon prior to July 1.”