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J
U-S.^7^'3
J^arbarlr (9:ollege liixav^
FROM THE
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
led by Google
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REPORTS OF THE
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED JUNE 30
1911
ADMINISTfiATIVE REPORTS
IX 2 YOLUMBS
VOLUME I
8SCKSTART OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAUS, EXCEPT OFPICE OP INDIAN APPAIR8
ELEEMOSYNARY INSTITUTIONS
NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVATIONS
WASHINGTON : GOYERNMENT PRINTING OPPICE : 1912
Digitized by
Btmril Ceftftge library
SEP 17 1912 From t^e
REPORTS OP THE DEPARTMENT OP THE INTERIOR.
Administrative reports, in 2 volumes. Vol. I. Secretary of the Interior.
Boreausy except Office of Indian Affairs. Eleemosynary institutions. National parks and reservations. Vol. II. Indian Affairs. Territories. Report of the Commissioner of Education, in 2 volumes.
■ •■ \
■•■■ •• 4
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CONTENTS.
Paffv.
Report of the Secretary of the Interior xxi
Bureaus of the Interior Department xxii
General statement 1
Public-land laws v 2
Water-power laws 12
Reoiganization of General Land Office. .^ . i\ 16
Bureau of National Parks 17
Retirement 17
Lower Colorado River. - . 19
New building needed for Patent Office and departmental records 20
Office of Assistant Attorney General 23
General Land Office 24
Commissioner's reconmiendations 25
Public survejrs 26
Texas-New Mexico boundary 26
Carey Act..... 27
State and Territorial grants 27
Railroad grants 27
Chippewa logging, Minnesota 27
Sales of Chippewa pine timber 27
Geological Survey 27
ClaBsification of public landu 27
Geologic Branch 30
Topographic Branch 31
Water Resources Branch 31
Examinations under the Weelu Act 31
Publications Branch 31
Administrative Branch 82
Reclamation Service 32
Bureau of Mines 34
Office of Indian AfiEairs 37
Health and morals 38
Industry 38
Education 39
Property 89
Protection of Indian lands against fraud 40
Irrigation and drainage 40
Timber 41
Five Civilized Tribes 41
Pension Office 43
Appeals in pension and bounty land claims 46
Patent Office 47
Bureau of Education 48
Territories 62
Alaska 52
Arizona and New Mexico 58
Hawaii 59
III
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IV CONTENTS.
Report of the Secretary of the Interior — Continued. Pag«.
National parks and reservations 61
National monumente and preservation of American antiquities 62
Eleemosynary institutions 64
Government Hospital for the Insane 64
Freedmen's Hospital 66
Howard University 66
Columbia Institution for the Deaf 68
Maryland School for the Blind 68
Superintendent of the United States Capftol Building and Grounds 69
General Education Board 70
Improvements at Lawton, Okla 72
Memorial to John Wesley Powell 73
Maritime Canal Co. of Nicaragua 74
Appendices:
Appendix A. Land-classification work 75
Appendix B. National-park statistics 77
Appendix C. Agriculture in Alaska 81
Report of the Commissioner of the General Land Ofl5ce 83
General statement 85
Cash receipts and exx>enditures 85
Area of land entered and patented 86
Ozganization 86
Executive duties of commissioner 87
Judicial duties of conmiissioner 90
State grants 90
School and internal improvements 90
Carey Act selections 91
Railroad grants 92
Rights of way — ^railroad 93
Rights'of way — canals, ditches, and reservoirs 94
Mineral-land claims 95
Coal lands 96
Settlement claims — homestead 96
Desert-land claims — water rights 97
Timber and stone act 98
Private contests 98
Scrip 99
Actions in civil courts 99
Repayment, appeals, etc 100
Summary and reconmiendation 100
Salaries 102
Coal legislation 102
Water powers 103
Alaska 103
Alaska law officer 104
Proofs 105
Local land offices 105
Receiver 105
Hall of records 106
The field service 106
Surveying 108
Alaska surveys 110
Texas-New Mexico boundar>- 110
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CONTENTS. V
Report of the Commissioner of the General Land Office — Continued. Page.
Carey Act 112
Reservoir declaratory statements 112
Rights of way 113
Railroad selections 113
Reclamation work 113
Collection of water-right charges 114
S tate sel ec tions 114
Field examination of selected lands 115
Imperial Valley lands 115
Swamp lands 115
National forests 116
National monuments 117
Homestead entries in forest reserves 118
Sales of abandoned military reservations 118
Power-site reserves 118
Agricultiure entries on lands bearing oil, phosphate, and natural gas 118
Indian allotments 119
Indian allotment applications 119
Creek lands east of the Missisippi 119
Indian reservation openings 120
Chippewa logging, Minnesota... 121
Lieu selections for lands in Indian reservations 122
Relinquishments 122
Summary of proposed legislation 123
General Land Office building 126
Statistics relating to the disposition of the public domain 127
Report of the Commissioner of Pensions 159
. Commissioners of Pensions since 1883 160
General statement 161
Pensions of the several wars and of the peace establishment 167
Act of February 6, 1907 170
Act of April 19, 1908 171
Ten years' summary 171
Special acts 172
Criminal prosecutions 173
Boimty-land warrants 173
Surviving officers of the Civil War, and length of service 174
P&yments of pension without a voucher 174
Card index of records and removal of useless papers 185
Checking the pension roll 185
Revolutionary War records 187
Historical 187
Miscellaneous •. .. 188
Statistical tables relating to pensions 190
Pension agencies, dates of payment, and district i 204
Report of the Commissioner of Patents 207
Condition of work 211
Gains in efficiency and economy 212
Legislation 212
The case of Everding, Barton, and Ileany 218
The patent bar 220
Changes in the trade-mark law and reorganization of the t rade-mark di vi- don 221
Scientific library 221
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VI CONTENTS.
Report of the Commissioner of Patents — Continued. Page.
International conferences and treaties 222
The conference at Washington 223
Need for additional space for the Patent Office 224
Statement of the Commissioner of Education 229
Division of higher education 231
Division of school administration 232
Editorial division 233
Statistical di\T8ion 234
Correspondence division. 234
Library division 234
Alaska school service 235
The Alaska reindeer service 237
National Education Association 237
Recommendations 238
Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey 243
Special features 245
Work on the public lands 245
Public-land legislation 246
Nature of the Geological Survey's work 246
Proposed amendment of public-land laws 246
Purposes and means of amendment 246
Separation of surface and mineral rights 248
Law applicable to coal lands ' 249
Laws applied to phosphate lands 251
Law needed for oil and gas lands 251
Laws relating to metalliferous minerals 252
Legislation required for water power 254
Examinations under the Weeks Act 255
Necrology ' 257
Samuel Franklin Emmons 257
Work of the year 259
Publications 259
Field work by the Director 274
Geologic branch 274
Administration 274
Publications 274
Division of geology 275
Organization 275
Field work of the chief geologist 275
Work of the chiefs of sections 276
Section of areal and structural geology 276
Section of paleontology and stratigraphic geology 277
Section of economic geology, metalliferous ores 278
Section of economic geology, nonmetalliferous minerals. . 278
Section of economic geology, fuels 278
Subsection of fuels east of meridian 97° 279
Geologic work in New England States 280
Work in northern Appalachian region 281
Work in southern Appalachian region 282
Work in Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain 284
Work in Central States east of meridian 97° 285
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CONTENTS. Vn
Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey— Continued. Pago- Work of the year — Continued. Geologic branch — Continued.
Division of geology — Continued.
Work in the western public-land States and Territories 287
Central States west of meridian 97° 287
Eocky Mountain region 287
Classification of mineral lands 289
Classification of public lands 290
Work in Rocky Mountain mining districts 292
Work on the Pacific coast 294
General geologic and paleontologic work 295
Work of committee on geologic names 297
Land-classification board 298
Organization 298
Coal 300
Classification 300
Withdrawals 303
Applications for reclassification 303
Applications for classification 304
Oil 305
Phosphate v 305
Metalliferous deposits 306
Water power 306
Withdrawls and restorations 306
Applications for reclassification 307
Rightof-way application 307
Irrigation 308
Carey Act segregations 308
Enlarged-homestead designations 308
Enlaiged-homestead petitions 309
Cooperation with other bureaus of the department 310
Division of Alaskan mineral resources 312
Personnel 312
Field operations in season of 1910 313
Allotments and areas covered 313
General investigations 315
Southeastern Alaska 315
Copper River and Susitna region 316
Prince WUliam Sound and Kenai Peninsula 316
Matanuska Valley 316
Upper Yukon Basin 316
Innoko-Iditarod region 316
Northwestern Alaska 317
Collection of statistics 317
Field operations for the season of 1911 317
OflScework 318
Geologic results 319
Survey of public lands 320
Plans, peraonnel, etc 320
Astronomic determinations 321
Triangulation 321
Line work 322
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VIII CONTENTS.
Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey — Continued. ,
Work of the year — Continued. Page.
Geologic branch — Continued.
Division of mineral resources 323
Division of chemical and physical research 326
Topographic branch 328
Organization 328
Personnel ,. 328
Publications 328
General office work 329
Summary of results 329
Atlantic division 33 1
Field work 331
Office work 337
Central division , 338
Field work 338
Office work 345
Rocky Mountain division 346
Field work 346
Office work 350
Pacific division 351
Field work : 351
Office work .'. 357
Inspection of topographic surveying and mapping 359
Instriunents and topographic records 359
Map of the United States 360
Water-resources branch 360
Authority for investigations 360
Allotments 361
Cooperation 361
States 361
Reclamation Service 362
Office of Indian Affairs 362
Forest Service 363
Publications 633
Organization 363
Division of surface waters 364
Measurements of stream flow 364
River profile surveys 367
Debris investigation 367
Division of ground waters 367
Division of water utilization 370
Scope of the work 370
Water-power sites 370
Acquisition of lands 370
Publication branch 371
Book-publicatton division 371
Section of texts 371
Section of illustrations '. 372
Section of geologic maps 372
Section of topographic maps 373
Section of distribution 373
Division of engraving and printing 374
Maps, folios, and illustrations 374
Instrument shop 375
Photographic laboratory 376
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CONTENTS. IX
Report of the Director of the United States Geological Survey — Continued.
Work of the year — Continued. Page.
Administrative branch 376
Executive division 376
Division of disbursements and accounts 378
Library 380
Report of the Director of the Bureau of Mines 383
Establishment of the Bureau of Mines 385
Oiganic act 385
Aim and purpose of the buieau 386
Situation of buildings 386
Grounds and buildings in Pittsbuigh 386
Oiganization 387
Urgent needs of the bureau 388
More adequate buildings, grounds, and equipment 388
Mine rescue and first-aid work 389
The investigations of mine accidents should be extended 390
The need of more reliable and more complete statistics of accidents 391
The need of investigations looking to the prevention of mineral
waste 391
Enlargement of fuel investigations 392
The need of extending the mine-accidents work to the metal- mining industries of the Western States 392
Scope of the first year's work 393
Financial statement 394
Fuel investigations 394
Analyzing and testing of fuels for the uee of the United States 394
Analyzing and testing of fuels belonging to the United States 396
Collection of samples 396
Analysis of samples 397
Testing of samples 397
Mine-accidents investigations 399
Scope 399
Inflammable mine gases and coal dust 400
Electricity in mining 400
Explosives used in coal mines 401
Experimental mine 401
Mine-safety cars and stations 402
Mine-safety laws and regulations 403
lYogress of investigations 404
Fuel investigations 404
Inspection of Government fuel purchases 404
Steaming tests 405
Combustion investigations 406
Gas-producer investigations 406
Briquetting tests of coal and lignites 407
Deterioration and spontaneous heating of coal in storage 407
Lignite and peat investigations 409
Constitution and genesis of coal 409
Investigations concerning the clinkering of coal and the action
of mine waters on steel 410
Technology of petroleum products 410
Physical investigations relating to fuels 411
Work of the chemical laboratories 411
Conatituents of coal ^.. 412
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X CONTENTS.
Report of the Director of the Bureau of Mines— Continued. Page. Progress of investigations — Continued.
Fuels chemical laboratory 412
Mine-accident investigations 415
Mine-rescue methods 415
Explosives 417
Physical examination and testing of explosives 417
Chemistry of explosives 419
Electricity in mining 420
Occurrence of mine gas 421
Chemistry of mine gases and natural gas 422
Physical investigations of mine gases 423
Inflammability of coal dust : 423
Mine methods and equipment 424
Mine filling (flushing) to reduce waste, surface settling, and mine
fires 424
Examination of laws and regulations for increasing safety 425
Mine-accidents statistics 425
Other technologic investigations pertinent to the mining industry 426
Coke and coking operations 426
Smelter fumes 426
Tunnel methods 427
Furnace slags 427
Waste in metal-mining and metallurgical operations 427
Quarry operations 427
Mine inspection in the Territories 428
Administration 428
Correspondence and records 428
Personnel 428
Publications 429
Bulletins 429
Technical papers 430
Miners' circulars 430
Editorial work 431
Distribution of documents 431
Library 432
History of technologic investigations transferred to the Bureau of Mines 432
Fuel investigations 432
Structural-materials investigations 433
Formation of the technologic branch, Geological Survey 434
National advisory board 434
Mine-accidents investigations 436
Pittsburgh experiment station 437
Establishment at Pittsburgh 438
Mine-safety stations 439
Report of the Government Hospital for the Insane 441
Officers of the hospital 443
Report of the superintendent 445
Movements of population 445
Administrative department 446
Office of the steward and disbursing agent 446
Ward service 448
Scientific department 455
Publications 460
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CONTENTS. XI
Report of the Government Hospital for the Insane — Continued. Face.
S taff changes 462
Scientific meetings 462
BuUetinNo. 3 463
General considerations 463
Needs of the hospital 464
Statistical tables 467
Report of the Columbia Institution for the Deaf 479
Officers of the institution 480
Health 481
Changes in the corps of officers and teachers 481
Course of instruction 482
Lectures 482
Receipts and expenditures 482
Estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913 484
Change of name of the institution 485
Visits to schools 485
Meeting of the Convention of American Instructore 485
Exercises of presentation day 485
Presentation of candidates for degrees 485
Conferring of degrees 486
Regulations 487
Catalogue of students and pupils 487
Appendix:
Addressee delivered at the presentation exercises of Gallaudet College
on the occasion of the installation of President Hall, May 10, 1911 . .. 490
A prayer at Kendall Green, by Rev. Herbert Gallaudet 490
Address of Hon. Thetus W. Sims 490
Address of Dr. Robert Patterson 491
Address of Dr. J. R. Dobyns 492
Address of Dr. Edward Gallaudet 493
Address of President Hall 494
Address of Hon. John W. Foster 495
Report of the Freedmen's Hospital 497
Roster of officers 498
Introduction 501
Patients 501
Outdoor department 502
Medical and surgical diseases in hospital 502
Operations and results 510
Obstetrical record 514
Medical and surgical diseases in out-patient department 514
Emergency cases 517
Occupation of patients 518
Nativity of patients 519
AnsBsthetics 519
Pathological department 519
Patients admitted each year for past 37 years 519
Summary 520
Board of Charities account, 1905-1911.. 521
Statement of appropriations for salaries 521
Comparative statement of receipts and expenditures 521
Comparative statement of miscellaneouB expenditures 522
Comparative statement of subsistence expenditures 522
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5cn CONTENTS.
Heport of the Freedmen'B Hospital — Continued. Ptgo.
Needs, 522
Training School for Nurses '. 524
Course of instruction 524
Course in cooking 526
Occupation and residence of graduates 527
Heport of the president of Howard University 531
Roster of oflScers 532
Resources ^ 533
Scholastic work 534
Evaluation of scholastic work 534
The student body 535
Equipment and enlarged laboratory work in the sciences 536
Manual arts and the applied sciences 537
Heating, electric lighting, and power plant 537
Salaries 538
Needs 538
School of agriculture 539
Loss of professors 539
The school of medicine 540
The school of law 543
The school of theology 543
The school of liberal arts 544
The college of arts and sciencej 545
Courses of instruction 545
The teachers' college 545
The academy (preparatory department) 546
The school of manual arts 546
The commercial college 547
Report of treasurer 547
Appendix: Financial report * 548
Report of the Superintendent of the United States Capitol Building and
Grounds 555
The Capitol ' 5S8
Capitol grounds 560
Engine house and Senate and House stables 562
Court of Claims building 562
Courthouse, District of Columbia 562
Botanic Garden 562
Expenditures 562
Report of the acting superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park 565
Travel 567
Roads 569
Fish 570
Wild animals:
Antelope 571
Deer 572
Elk 572
Moose 572
Buffalo 572
Wild herd 572
Fenced herd 572
Bear 573
Coyotes 573
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CONTENTS. Xin
Report of the acting superintendent of the Yellowstone National Park — Cont'd . pago. Wild animals — Continued.
Mountain sheep 573
Protection of game 574
Trails 574
Forest fires 574
Telephone lines 574
Appendix:
Rules and r^^lations 575
Regulations of May 27, 1911 575
Instructions of June 6, 1911 576
Notices 578
Concessions 579
Comptroller's decision re use of revenues for road sprinkling 581
Report of the acting superintendent of the Yosemite National Park 583
General statement 585
Grazing 586
Fires 586
Game 586
Fish *... 586
Fences 586
Patented lands 587
Telephone service 587
Roads 587
Government roads 588
Trails 588
Bridges 588
Concessions 589
Hotels and camps 589
San Francisco water supply 589
Buildings 591
Power plant 591
Rock quarry 591
Water supply 591
Sanitation 591
Undergrowth 592
Galen Clark Memorial Seat 592
Accidents 592
Camp Yosemite 592
Vistors 592
Estimates 593
Recommendations 594
Appendix:
Report of resident engineer 594
Rules and regulations of June 1, 1909 596
Instructions of June 1, 1909 598
Regulations of February 29, 1908, governing the impounding and
disposition of loose live stock 599
Penalty for injuring trees and for not extinguishing fires : 600
Report of the acting superintendent of the Sequoia and General Grant Na- tional Parks. .- 601
General conditions 603
Tourists, travel, and accommodations 604
Improvement work 605
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XIV CONTENTS.
Report of the acting superintendent of the Sequoia and General Grant Na- tional Parks — Continued. Page.
ConceasionB 605
Grazing 606
Weather conditions 606
Fires 606
Rodents 606
Extension of the parks 607
Purchase of deeded possessions 609
Recommendations:
Administration of the Sequoia and General Grant Parks by civilians. . 610
Clei^ for the acting superintendent 611
Sale of commodities by individuals holding concessions from the
Interior Department 611
Construction and improvement work to be done by contract 611
Sanitation 611
Water-pipe system for military camp 612
Buffalo 612
More Rock 612
Boate 612
Giant Forest Road 613
Construction and repair work 613
Protection of the big trees 613
Care of the forest 613
Animals and game 613
Fish 614
Troops on duty in the parks 614
Park rangers 614
Rules and regulations 615
Sequoia National Park:
General regulations of March 30, 1907 615
Regulations of March 30, 1907, governing the impounding and
disposition of loose live stock C16
General Grant National Park:
General regulations of March 30, 1907 617
Regulations of August 17, 1910, governing the admission of auto- mobiles and motorcycles into the General Grant National
Park, Cal., during the season of 1910-11 617
Penalties for depredations on timber and for not extinguishing
fires on the public lands 618
Report of the superintendent of the Mount Rainier National Park 621
Topography 623
Forest conditions 624
Roads and trails 624
Ranger cabins 627
PKNspecting 627
Travel 627
Guides 628
Fires 628
Patrol 628
Game 629
Boundaries 629
Mineral springs 629
Automobiles 629
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CONTENTS. XV
Report of the Buperintendent of the Mount Rainier National Park — Continued. pag».
Hotels and camps 630
Special permits 630
Estimates and recommendations 631
Rules and regulations:
General regulations of June 10, 1908 633
Regulations of June 10, 1908, governing the impounding and di^Miltion
of loose live stock 634
Regulations of March 29, 1911, governing the admission of automobiles
and motorcycles 636
Excerpt from an act entitled "An act to provide for determining the heirs of deceased Indians; for the disposition and sale of allolmeBtB of deceased Indians; for the leasing of allotments; and for other purposes," approved June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 867), ptoviding ptm- ishment for depredations and for not extinguiahitig fires on public
lands, etc 636
Report of the acting superintendent of the Mesa Verde N«4ional Park 637
Qeoeral statement 639
Character of country ; 639
Location and character of ruins 639
Custodianship 640
Order 640
Movements of stock 640
Roads and trails 640
Water supply 641
Travel.: 641
Excavation and repair 642
Lands 642
Development of resources 643
Recommendations: i
Boundaries 643
Road building .* 644
Buildings 644
Private holdings 644
Estimates 644
Appendix 645
Act of June 29, 1906 (34 Stat., 616), creating the Mesa Verde National
Park 6 15
Rules and regulations 646
Regulations of March 19, 1908, governing the impounding and dispo- sition of loose live stock 647
Punishment for depredations and for not extinguieftiing fires on public
lands, etc 648
Excerpt from the deficiency appropriation act approved June 25, 1910. . 648 Bxcerptftomactof March 4, 1911, making appropriation for Mesa Verde
Park fxx fiscal year 1912 648
Report of the superintendent of the Crater Lake National Park 649
General statement 65 1
Improvement work 651
Visitors 663
Concessions 653
Automobiles 654
Loose stock driven through the park 654
Forest fires 654
Roads and trails 654
11355°— INT 1911— VOL 1 n Digitized by GoOglC
XVT CONTENTS,
Report of the superintendent of the Crater Lake National Park — Continued. pag«.
Bridges 656
Buildings and fences 666
Water power and electric plant 666
Park rangers, ranger stations, and telephone lines 656
Patented lands 656
Extension of the park lines -657
Observance of rules and regulations 667
Accidents 668
Fish 668
Game , 669
Predatory animals 659
Estimates for fiscal year 1913 659
Rules and regulations:
General regulations of June 10, 1908 660
Regulations of June 10, 1908, governing the impounding and disposition
of loose live stock 662
Penalty for depredations on public lands and for not extinguishing
fires on public lands. : 664
Regulations November 16, 1910, governing the admission of auto- mobiles during the season of 1911 664
Report of the superintendent of the Glacier National Park 667
General statement 669
Routes and accommodations 670
Administration of the park in 1910 671
Administration of the park in 1911 ^ 672
Number of visitors 673
Administration headquarters 673
Installation of sawmill 674
Concessions 674
Allotments of appropriation 674
Recommendations. 1 675
Appendix:
Rules and regulations —
General regulations of December 3, 1910 677
Regulations of December 3, 1910, governing the impounding and disposition of loose live stock found in the Glacier National Park,
Mont 678
Concessions in Glacier National Park 679
Approved rates for transportation, season of 1911 679
Charges for concessions, season of 1911 680
Act of Montana legislature, ceding jurisdiction 680
Bill accepting cession of jurisdiction 681
Magazine articles on Glacier National Park 684
Report on Piatt and Wind Cave National Parks, SuUys Hill Park, Casa Grande Ruin, Muir Woods, Petrified Forest, and other national monuments, includ- ing list of bird reserves 686
Piatt National Park 687
Regulations of June 10, 1908 688
Wind Cave National Park 689
General regulations of June 10, 1908 690
Regulations of June 10, 1908, governing the impounding and dispo- sition of loose live stock 692
Sullys Hill Park 693
Owa Grande Ruin 094
Digitized by VjOOQ IC
Report on Piatt and Wind Cave National Parks, etc. — Continued. Pagv.
National monuments and preservation of American antiquities 695
General statement \ 695
Muir Woods National Monument 698
Petrified Forest of Arizona 701
Navajo National Monument 703
Chaco Canyon National Monument 704
Rainbow Bridge National Monument 705
El Morro National Monument 706
Lewis and Clark Cavern National Monument 707
Tumacacori National Monumen t 709
Montezuma Castle National Monument 710
Natural Bridges National Monument 710
Gran Quivira National Monument 711
Mukuntuweap National Monument 712
Shoshone Cavern National Monument 714
Sitka National Monument, Alaska ^ 715
Devils Tower National Monument 716
Pinnacles National Monument 716
Colorado National Monument 717
Cinder Cone National Monument 717
Lassen Peak National Monument 718
Gila Cliff-Dwellings National Monument 719
Tonto National Monument 720
Grand Canyon National Monument 720
Jewel Cave National Monument 721
Wheeler National Monument 723
Moimt Olympus National Monument 725
Oregon Caves National Monument 726
Devils Postpile National Monument 728
Bird reserves 729
Report of the superintendent of the Hot Springs Reservation 731
General statement 733
Bathhouses 734
Drumming 736
Federal registration board 737
Medical director 738
Improvements 738
Government bathhouse 739
Sale of Government lots 741
Receipts and disbursements 741
Official visit 742
Recommendations 742
Administration of superintendent's office 743
Employees 743
Circular of general information .^ 745
City of Hot Springs 745
Appendix:
Rules and r^:ulations for government of all bathhouses receiving hot
water under lease from Government 746
Physicians' application for registration 750
Bath permit for persons not employing physician 750
Regulations of July 7, 1900, for the government of the free bathhouse. . 751
Application for free baths 752
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rVIII CONTENTS.
Page.
Report of the medical director of the Hot Springs Reservation 753
General statement 755
Supervision of sanitation, hygiene, and hydrotherapy 758
The service of the bathhouses 759
Government free bathhouse 762
Supervision of attendants 764
Appendix:
Rules for bath attendants in bathhouses receiving hot water from the
springs on the Ho.t Springs Reservation 766
Certificate granted to qualified attendants 767
Rules approved by the Department for the government of the Fed- eral Registration Board of the United States Reservation, Hot
Springs, Ark., with amendments up to November 14, 1911 768
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ILLUSTRATIONS.
Map of United Statee, showing areas covered by geologic surveys 274
Map of United States, showing areas covered by topographic surveys 328
Map of Yellowstone National Park 582
Map of Yoeemite National Park 600
Map of Sequoia and General Grant National Parks 619
Map of Mesa Verde National Park 648
Map of Crater Lake National Park 665
Map of Glacier National Park 684
Map of Piatt National Park 688
Map of Wind Cave National Park 690
Test figures:
(veneral plan of grounds and buildings, Pittsburgh experiment station 387
Boundary of the proposed extension of the Sequoia National Park, Cal 608
SullysHillPark, N. Dak 693
Casa Grande Ruin Reservation, Ariz 694
Muir Woods National Monument, Cal 699
Petrified Forest National Monument, Ariz 701
Navajo National Monument, Ariz 702
Navajo National Monument, Ariz, (as amended by proclamation Bfar. 14,
1912) 703
Chaco Canyon National Monument, N. Mex 704
Rainbow Bridge National Monument, Utah 705
El Monro National Monument, N. Mex 706
Lewis and Clark Cavern National Monument, Mont .'. 70B
Tumacacori National Monument, Ariz 709
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Ariz 710
Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah 711
Grand Quivira National Mtmument, N. Mex 712
Mukimtuweap National Monument, Utah 713
Shoshone Cavern National Monument, Wyo 714
Sitka National Monument, Alaska.. 715
Devils Tower National Monument, Wyo 716
Pinnacles National Monimient, Cal 717
Colorado National Monument, Colo 718
Cinder Cone National Monument, Cal 719
Lassen Peak National Monument, Cal 719
Gila Cliff-Dwellings National Monument, N. Mex 720
Tonto National Monument, Ariz 721
Grand Canyon National Monument, Ariz 722
Jewel Cave National Monument, S. Dak 723
Wheeler National Monument, Colo 724
Mount Olympus National Monimient, Wash 726
Oregon Caves National Monument, Greg 727
Devils Postpile National Monument, Cal 728
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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR
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BUREAUS OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT.
The Department of the Interior was established by the act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat. L., 396).
GENERAL XAND 07FICB.
Organized as a bureau of the Treasury Department under act of April 25, 1812 (2 Stat. L., 716). • First Commissioner, Edward Tiffin, of Ohio; appointed May 7, 1812.
Became a bureau of the Interior Department when that Department was aiganized under the act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat. L., 395).
INDIAN OFFICE.
Organized as a bureau of the War Department under act of July 9, 1832 (4 Stat. L., 564). First Commissioner, Elbert Herring, of New York; appointed July 10, 1832. Became a bureau of the Interior Department when that Department was organized.
BUREAU OF PENSIONS.
Organized as a bureau of the War Department under act of March 2, 1833 (4 Stat. L., 622). First Commissioner, James L. Edwards, of Virginia; appointed March 3, 1833. Became a bureau of the Interior Department when that Department was organized.
FAT«NT OF9ICK.
Organized as a bureau of the State Department under act of March 4, 1836 (5 Stat. L., 117). First Commissioner, Henry S. Ellsworth, of Connecticut; appointed July 4, 1836. Became a bureau of the Interior Department when that Department was organized.
BUREAU OF EDUCATION.
Organized under act of March 2, 1867 (14 Stat. L., 434).
Became a bureau of the Interior Department July 1, 1869, under act of July 20, 1868 (15 Stat. L., 106). First Commissioner, Henry Barnard, of Connecticut; appointed March 14, 1867.
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.
Organized as a bureau of the Interior Department imder act of March 3, 1879 (20 Stat. L., 394). First Director, Clarence King, of New York; appointed April 14, 1879.
RECLAMATION SERVICE.
Organized under act of June 17, 1902 (32 Stat. L., 388), under the Director of Geo- logical Survey, Charles D. Walcott. First Director, F. H. Newell, of Pennsylvania; appointed March 9, 1907.
BUREAU OF MINES.
Organized as a part of the Interior Department under the act of May 16, 1910 (36 Stat. L., 369). First Director, Joseph A. HolmeB, of North Carolina; appointed September 3, 1910.
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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
Washington, D. C, December 1, 1911. Sm: I have the honor to submit, for your consideration, my first annual report as Secretary of the Interior, covering the year ended June 30, 1911. I was appointed to this office by you on March 7, 1911, and qualified on March 13, 1911, succeeding the Honorable Richard A. Ballinger. Less than one-third, therefore, of the year included in this report has been covered by my administration.
OENERAIi STATEMENT.
My predecessors have called attention to the mass and variety of important matters which are intrusted to the charge of the Depart- ment of the Interior, and which relate to —
The General Land Office,
The Office of Indian Affain,
The Pension Office,
The Patent Office,
The Geological Survey,
The Bureau of Education,
The Bureau of Mines,
The Reclamation Service,
The Territories (exclusive of the insular possessions; but including Hawaii),
The national parks and monuments,
American antiquities.
Superintendent of Capitol Building and Grounds,
Government Hospital for the Insane,
Freedmen's Hospital,
Howard University,
Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb.
The Secretary of the Interior is also charged with certam duties m connection with the District of Columbia, including the protection of the public streets, avenues, squares, and reservations in the city of Washington from improper appropriation or occupation; the issu- ance of deeds to certain lots in that city, and special duties imposed by particular acts of Congress.
My predecessor. Secretary Ballinger, called attention in his annual report for the year 1910 to the thoroughly inconsistent manner in which the work of the Government has been divided between the administrative departments of the Interior, of Agriculture, £ind of Conmierce and Labor, with the inevitable result of duplication of governmental effort and the administrative ineffectiveness arising out
liaSS**— INT 1011— VOL 1 — ^1 ' ^ ,
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of divided jurisdiction. A very substantial increase of efficiency and economy would undoubtedly result from a rearrangement of these executive departments so that work of a related character could be administered by one department, and so that the mass of work itself could be more evenly distributed among the departments. The grouping of related subjects in a single department would imdoubt- edly materially reduce the work of some, without greatly increasing that of others. The present situation is the quite natural outgrowth of the manner in which the Department of the Interior was first created and the inconsistent duties which were then imposed upon it. The principal bureaus which were at first placed under it were the General Land Office, the Office of Indian Affairs, the Patent Office, and the Pension Office, but as new matters were imdertaken by the General Government which did not logically fall under any of the other departments they were naturally assigned to the Department of the Interior, which became a sort of administrative ''catchall" and has so continued, although partially relieved by the establishment of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Commerce and Labor.
It is difficult to understand why the Patent Office should not have been transferred to the latter department upon its creation, although the Patent Office is now so thoroughly organized and systematized and its work so defiinitely covered by statutory and administrative regulations that the matters which come up from it to the Secretary of the Interior do not add materially to his work. I am of the opinion, however, that if this bureau should be transferred to the Department of Commerce and Labor a relationship could be established between it and the head of that department which would increase its efficiency and usefulness. The local duties of the Secretary of the Interior relating to various matters in the District of Columbia should unquestionably be turned over to the Commissioners of the District. I do not feel, however, that my brief period of office qualifies me to recommend a comprehensive reorganization of the Depart- ment of the Interior. What I have said above is chiefly intended as preliminary to the statement that the real function of the Depart- ment of the Interior has been, broadly speaking, the administration and disposition of the lands and natural resources held directly or in trust by the Nation. I beUeve that the Department will more effectively and economically carry on this tremendously important function if it is given all of the distinctively administrative duties relating to it.
FUBLIO-LAND LAWS.
The general theory under which the €k)vemment has proceeded and is now proceeding is that the public domain should be utilized for actual settlement and development rather than as a source of
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revenue for the General Ooyemment. In my judgment this theory is entirely correct. The essential thing is to see that the theory is, in fact, carried into effect and that under the guise of settlement we do not permit mere exploitation which in the last analysis retards and prevents both settlement and development. While settlement and development afford and should afford ample opportunity for the profit of the individual settler and of all those who contribute to legitimate development, it is the conviction that exploitation under the guise of development has not been effectively prevented which has led to the great public movement for the conservation of our national resources. This movem^it is not in any way opposed to prompt and wise development of the public domain, nor to its imme- diate settlement by those who really intend in good faith to occupy and improve it and not merely to acquire it so that it may be turned over to the actual settler after an unnecessary profit has been paid to the middleman and the promoter.
There is undoubtedly a legitimate field for the resident or non- resident promoter of enterprises upon which the effective settlement of certain portions of the public domain practically depends. There is a legitimate field for the expenditure of capital in the developmeiit of the land and its contents. Indeed, the bona fide settler is depend- ent in many instances upon the services of the promoter and the money of the capitalist. In so far as this need is properly supphed the promoter and capitalist should be protected, but there is no disguising the fact that both promoter and capitalist frequently seek and secure advantages to which they are not justly entitled. Often their efforts not only do not tend to develop, but actually retard and prevent development. Large areas of the public land, great quantities of timber and of mineral deposits, extensive water powers, are eagerly sought after, not for the purpose of immediate utilization and develop- ment, but so that they may be held to await the aftergrowth of the country, to be then transferred to those who will actually utilize them after an unearned increment has been paid to those who acquired the property from the Government under insufficient laws or lax administration.
It is this sort of exploitation which should be frankly and abso- lutely prevented and which, if prevented, would enable us to remove many of the restrictive provisions which now irritate and hamper the bona fide settler and industrial pioneer. The man on the ground should be the object of our solicitude, and we should protect him against those who would place upon his shoulders any unnecessary burden. I believe that to this end we can profitably modify certain of the existing laws relating to the public domain. Take, for instance, our agricultural lands. The object of the law with respect to these is to ensure actual settlement. This can be accomplished only by
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rigid insistence upon the requirement of actual residence upon the ground with only such exceptions as are required or justified by agri- cultural conditions which make town residence in close proximity to the tract cultivated appropriate. The system should be flexible enough to recognize the actual differences which in fact exist with respect to the different kinds of land and the different methods of cultivation. Land adapted to dry farming, land adapted to ordi- nary cultivation without irrigation, and land requiring irrigation each presents differences in method of cultivation and should admit of appropriate differences in the rules with regard to residence. The law should insist upon the cultivation of agricultural lands by the entryman, but should permit the application to such lands of rules and methods of treatment suited to their differing characteristics under the general administrative supervision of the Secretary of the Interior. In other words, the laws and the administrative regulations should be made to fit actual conditions as they exist, and they should be just as stringent in the prevention of nonresident exploitation as they are liberal in the encouragement of the bona fide settler.
Although substantially true of all homestead entries, this is especially true of irrigated lands under the Reclamation Service. The present law requires the man who desires to acquire a home on a Grovemment reclamation project to reside upon the particular tract he enters for five years under the homestead law and to reclaim at least one-half of the irrigable area as well as to pay the full reclama- tion charge, which must be divided into not more than 10 annual installments. This law has been a perfectly natural outgrowth of the previous laws relating to the public domain, and it has worked marvelously well in spite of its disadvantages. It is now clear, how- ever, that it contains certain serious disadvantages for which there is no longer any adequate excuse. What we desire is actual settle- ment. We should have no desire to impose any unnecessary hard- ships upon the actual settler. What has happened is that the law has failed to take into account the conditions under which the actual settler is required to work.
Irrigated lands, as a rule, are in their natural state but parts of the desert. They are usually covered with the growths which the desert produces. These must be cleared and the land graded and otherwise prepared for the application of water before any crops whatever can be raised. In many instances each tract must also be fenced, and where it is adapted for actual residence on the ground itself the home must be constructed, together with the necessary outbuildings and shelters for the agricultural implements and machinery essential to cultivation. All of this requires a considerable expenditure which is usually a heavy drain upon the resources of the settler. The land itself can seldom be made to produce any immediate revenue. If it
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is fruit land, the trees must be planted and reach a certam growth before they will bear fruit. Subsidiary crops can often be raised, but frequently not with profit until after one or two years' preliminary cultivation. It is often essential to plant the land in alfalfa or other leguminous crops before it is suitable for the raising of grain, sugar beets, or other crops for which it is ultimately intended. All of this means that where the settler has not accumulated a considerable capital and is without other means of livelihood, the requirement of actual residence upon the land during the first two years after entry is a serious hardship and a real obstacle to settlement. Many men who would make admirable settlers and citizens of the Western States are prevented from acquiring the homes and the substantial livelihood which would otherwise be opened to them. I see no reason whatever for insisting upon the requirement of actual residence at the outset in such cases.
On the other hand, it would be subversive of the public interest if the residential requirement were reduced without strict insistence upon actual and progressive cultivation and improvement of the ground. The law should fasten its attention upon the real situation. It should absolutely insist upon cultivation and it should permit the relaxation of the rule requiring residence during the first two years. Actual residence, however, should be rigidly required for a sufficient period to make certain that the entryman was a real settler with the intention of making his home upon the land. I beUeve a residential requirement of three years following the first two after entry would protect the public interest, ensure the carrying out of the essential purpose of the law, and at the same time facilitate and encourage settlement and development. It would permit many men who sincerely desire to acquire homes for themselves to enter tracts of land, put them under cultivation, and build homes without depriv* ing themselves of the means of livelihood during the period when the ground would not support their families. Clerks, mechanics, and small farmers, as well as many others, would be enabled to invest their accumulated savings in their future homes and to continue in their present employment while they were preparing these homes for future occupation. The requirement of progressive cultivation and three years' residence would be an effective obstacle to the mere exploitation of the public domain.
The repayment of the reclamation charges also requires some modification of the existing law. The theory of the law is entirely correct. It is that the Oovemment has set aside the available revenue from the sale of pubUc lands and has added to it certain other funds, all of which are, in effect, loaned to the future settlers on the public domain. The Reclamation Service is constituted a trustee for the Government and for the settlers. It invests the
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public moneys in the construction of irrigation works and adminis- ters these works while the land is being settled and until the invest- ment has been returned to the Goyemment, to be invested in the irrigation of other lands and the development of other sections of the country. It is a useful agent of public benefaction, and nothing should be done to interfere with its beneficent operation. At the same time the settler should be enabled to carry the financial load with as Uttle effort as possible. The law requires that it shall be repaid in annual installments not exceeding ten in number, and in. view of recent legislation permitting the readjustment of these charges under appropriate conditions when circumstances require it, I believe the division into ten installments is wise, provided the settler is enabled to acquire patent earher. However, these install- ments should not be, and fortunately the law does not require them to be, equal in amount. This permits the recognition of the actual conditions to which I have already referred and which call for an unequal division of the water charges so that the installments re- quired during the early years of settlement shall not be so large as those of later years when the ground has been made more productive and better able to carry the load. The policy of readjusting these charges in the manner described is now being put into practical effect in the Reclamation Service wherever occasion requires.
There is, however, urgent need for the modification of the existing law so as to permit the settler to acquire the title of the property, subject to the lien of the Government for the unpaid installments of the water charge, at any time after the settler has complied with the residence and cultivation provisions already recommended and has paid a proper portion of the water charge. In other words, at any time after five years from the date of entry and within the life thereof, when the settler has actually lived upon the land continuously for three years and has put it under continuous and progressive cultivar- tion and has paid a definite and substantial portion of the total water charge, he should be given the title to his property, subject to an effective lien for the payment of whatever part of the water chai^ remains unpaid. This will enable him to do what he is not now able to do — mortgage his property for the purpose of raising funds with which to continue its development, or to meet any unexpected obstacle to its profitable cultivation, or any unanticipated drain upon his financial resources.
In my judgment, the failure of the law to fit the facts in the re- spects already noted is largely responsible for a feeling sometimes existing on the part of the settlers on the Government irrigation projects that the human side of the problem has not been sufTiciently appreciated by the Reclamation Service. Moreover, present meth- ods of administration fail to differentiate properly between the engi-
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neering and administratiye phases of the reclamation work. The Reclamation Service is naturaUy and necessarily concerned chiefly with engineering, planning, and construction, and I can not speak too highly of the character and qualifications of the general force which has this important work in charge. Its success has been dem- onstrated in many ways. It has worked out new and untried prob- lems under adverse conditions. The most convincing proof of its success is the widespread and growing demand for new Government projects all over the West. Everywhere the demand is that the Gov- ernment shall undertake new projects or make extensive additions to old ones. In many places the promoters and settlers upon private irrigation projects are eager to have the Government take them over. The general prosperity of the projects already undertaken is apparent. Only 338 homesteads open to entry now remain unentered on the 29 projects thus far undertaken. With the amendments to the law which I have suggested, I beUeve that all of these projects will be- come prosperous and their settlers generally happy and contented. Those will fail who do not possess the essentials necessary for success, but such failures can never be prevented.
We should aid the unfortunate in every proper way, but merely sentimental laxity with the shiftless and incompetent can only work disaster to the public at large and to the individual settlers whose industry and ability entitle them to the substantial reward which awaits those who really reclaim the desert. What is needed is wise administrative abihty in those who are put in charge of the reclama- tion projects after they are opened for entry. The Reclamation Service has long recognized this and has endeavored to fill the posi- tions of irrigation manager in the various projects by the appoint- ment of men of administrative rather than distinctly engineering abihty. Nevertheless, after the project is opened for entry it is necessary for a considerable period of time to have the irrigation works operated by engineers so that latent defects may be discovered and remedied and the works fitted to the conditions of actual opera- tion. One of the most serious phases of our entire reclamation work is the disposition of the surplus waters which now frequently damage or even ruin portions of the irrigated district through seepage. The problem thus presented is one calling for the very highest engineering skiU, and I have directed the Reclamation Service to devote its principal energies to remedying the imfortunate conditions thus created. I mention it here chiefly to illustrate the necessity for con- tinued engineering supervision of an irrigation district even after it is opened for entry. At the same time I am convinced that the crea- tion of a separate administrative division within the Reclamation Service to take charge of the administrative features as distinguished from the engineering work will promote better relations between the
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Government and the settlers than have heretofore existed and will add in many ways to the efficiency of the Reclamation Service.
One thing which should be immediately done, however, is to turn over to the Reclamation Service the collection of the payments due the Government for the water chaises so that they may be handled immediately upon the projects themselves and the funds be trans- ferred to their proper depositories. The present law requires these charges to be collected by the local land offices, which are often not sufficiently near or in touch with the reclamation projects to make effective cooperation possible. The result is delay and duplication of work and frequent misunderstandings between the project superin- tendent and the nearest land officials. It is a division of work and of responsibiUty for which there is no adequate justification, and, as both the Conmiissioner of the (jeneral Land Office and the Director of the Reclamation Service recommend that these collections be trans- ferred as above suggested, I earnestly ui^e appropriate action by Congress.
The considerations above mentioned with respect to residence and cultivation of land entries imder irrigation projects would apply with Uttle less force to homestead entries in general, provided all of our public lands were classified and then administered or disposed of in accordance with their real character under the classification. Too much emphasis has heretofore been put upon the maintenance of nominal residence for the full five years and too Uttle upon the con- tinuous and progressive cultivation of the land. No land should be opened to homestead entry except that which is really suitable for homes and then the homemaker should be aided in every proper way. Agricultural land should not be classified as timber land simply because it has on it some trees of secondary importance; but one of the abuses of the homestead law has been the entry under it of land chiefly valuable for its timber. The purpose has not been agricul- tural settlement but timber exploitation. This should no longer be permitted. Where timber land will be valuable for agricultural uses after the timber is cut, the Government should dispose of the timber as timber and should open the land to homestead entry only after the timber has been removed. Where timber land will not be adapted for future agricultural uses, but can be reforested, it should be retained by the Government for this purpose. The fact that pur- chases must now be made in the Appalachian Mountains by the National Forest Reservation Commission shows how unwise it is for the Government to dispose of such lands to private individuals.
Public lands can now be withdrawn from entry for purposes of clas- sification, but after they are classified they can not be appropriately administered in accordance with the classification. If the statutes can be altered to secure proper administration under the classification
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principle, it would seem entirely safe and on the whole wise to relieve the homesteader of the requirement that he should Uve upon his home- stead during the first two years after entry, provided during that period he shall cultivate a substantial and fixed proportion of his land and during the three following years shall increase this cultivation and maintain his actual residence upon the land. This system would aid the genuine homesteader and diminish the present abuses of the homestead law. It is sometimes urged that the homesteader should be permitted to secure his title after three years from the date of entry without other change in the present homestead law. This, however, would not properly meet the real situation as it would neither relieve the entryman o| the obligation to reside on his land during the first two years after entry, nor would it ensure the actual progressive cultivation of a definite and substantial proportion of the ground. The commutation laws should be repealed. They have been largely utilized in obtaining valuab^ timber land under the guise of homestead entry.
Some practical and legal method should be found for definitely limit- ing the time within which such scrip as military bounties, soldiers' additional homesteads, etc., may be located and lands acquired there- under. Few, if any, of the intended beneficiaries of this scrip now hold it or have received adequate consideration from those to whom they have sold. It adds greatly to the difficulties of administration and should be retired as soon as possible.
The timber and stone act should be immediately repealed, and also the act authorizing the cutting of timber on mineral lands. Those acts hold out a constant invitation to abuse and to mere exploitation of the kind I have described. The excuse for their continuance would be removed if the Secretary of the Interior were empowered to sell timber from the pubUc lands outside of the national forests separate from the land on which the timber stands, and also to permit near-by settlers, prospectors, and miners to have use of small quan- tities of timber, either for a nominal charge or without any charge whatever under appropriate restrictions. It is the insistence upon keeping on the statute books such laws as the timber and stone act and those authorizing the cutting of timber on mineral lands which necessitates the adoption of restrictive legislation or administrative regulations that hamper real settlement and development. If we can frankly adopt and put into force laws which will absolutely pre- vent mere exploitation, we can far more safely enact liberal laws and regulations to encourage legitimate development.
The public range can not be properly administered under the existing law. It should be leased for grazing piuposes under the broad administrative discretion of the Secretary of the Interior, so that the leases can be adapted to actual conditions and the legiti-
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mate interests of the sheep and cattle men. At present the range itself is being destroyed, and both sheep and cattle men are coming more and more to the conviction that their own interests will be better subserved by a leasing law. In fact, the enlarged applica- tion of the leasing principle to the public domain generally will, in my judgment, more e£Fectively promote development and protect the public interest than the present system. Certainly coal, oil, gas, asphalt, nitrate, and phosphate lands can be more appropriately developed by leasehold than by the present system of classification and sale of the fee which prevails with respect to coal. Many of the Western States have recognized and are acting upon this principle. These appUcations of the leasing system are stated more in detail in connection with affairs in Alaska, but principles which are economic^ ally sound in Alaska should be economically soimd elsewhere, due allowance being made for the different stages of development.
Our mining laws should be thoroughly revised, and particularly the use of the power of attorney should be abolished or greatly curtailed and safeguarded. At present there is no limitation whatever upon the number of claims which can be entered by a single man as attorney for others. I find among those who are personaUy and financially interested in mining development an increasing conviction that this should no longer be permitted. The advocacy of a definite limitation to the number of claims which can be entered by any one person as attorney for others is almost universal, and many believe that the entire power of attorney principle should be eliminated from the law. The surveying regulations relating to mining claims should be greatly simplified and should then be strictly enforced. I renew the recom- mendation made by my predecessor that notice of mining locations should be recorded in the local land offices. I also reconmiend earn- estly the aboUtion of the law of the apex. It should not be allowed to gain any further foothold in the public domain and it should be abolished now before it has been extended any further in Alaska. It is unsound in pnnciple and leads to constant and expensive litiga^ tion. The comprehensive appUcation of the proposed repeal to the public lands outside of Alaska has been opposed in some quarters upon the ground that the greater portion of the mineral areas in these lands have already been entered, but I see no reason, however, why this should deter us from abolishing the law of the apex without prejudice to the existing rights which have been acquired under it.
The general mining laws should be amended by the addition of a provision requiring final entry and payment to be made upon all mineral and mill-site locations within a fixed period after date of location of the claims, exclusive of the time covered by bona fide pending adverse claims or protests. This will be in harmony with other laws relating to the acquisition of the title to public lands which
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almost without exception^ provide that after the performance of certain acts by claimants they must, within a prescribed period, &ppiy for patent and make the payments required by law for the lands sought. If mineral locators were required within a specified time to come forward with their applications for patent, the burden would be upon them to show the vaUdity of their claims, by limitation many invalid claims would lapse, and where the claims are bona fide it would tend to incite the owners to a more dihgent development thereof and a more careful comphance with the terms of the law.
The present law making deposits of mineral oils in the pubUc domain subject to location and entry under the placer mining laws (act of Feb. 11, 1897; 29 Stat., 526) is unsatisfactory, from the standpoint of both the individual and the Government. It does not afford protection to the bona fide explorer while he is engaged in the expensive operation of discovering and exploiting the deposits, which in most instances lie far beneath the surface. When oil is discovered there is no adequate return to the Government and no legislative pro- vision insuring legitimate development and preventing monopoly. I therefore suggest that the present law should be repealed and a law enacted providing for the leasing of such deposits, the law to contain provision for the protection of prospectors during an exploration period preliminary to the leasing of the lands after the discovery of oil therein. I also recommend the enactment of legislation to permit the disposition of the surface of lands containing, or believed to contain, deposits of oil, under appropriate agricultural land laws, reserving to the United States for future disposition the deposits of oil therein.
The withdrawal act of June 25, 1910, contains a very serious defect in the peculiar wording of the first portion of section 2 of the act, reading as follows:
That all lands withdrawn under the proviaions of this act shall at all times be open to exploration, discovery, occupation, and piux:hase under the mining laws of the United States, so far as the same apply to minerals other than coal, oil, gas, and phoephatee.
The purpose of this provision is said to be the continuation of the right to mine the metalliferous minerals on withdrawn lands. Instead of saying this, however, the act permits the mining of aU minerals ^^ other than coal, oil, gas, and phosphates." This leaves no adequate protection for withdrawals of land valuable as potash or nitrates, which should be held by the Nation for the future use of its agricul- tural interests. Attempts have even been made to secure title to withdrawn lands for the mining of sand and gravel. While these entries have been rejected, more difficult questions arise in connec- tion with claims for the mining of stone and gypsum. Such entries open the way to serious abuse, especiaUy when attempted on land
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withdrawn for important public purposes like water-power sites or storage reservoirs. It is of real and pressing importance that the language quoted from section 2 of the withdrawal act of 1910 should be amended to read as follows:
That all lands withdrawn imder the provisions of this act shall at all times be open to exploration, discovery, occupation, and purchase under the mining laws of the United States, so far as the same apply to metalliferouB minerals: Provided^ That the rights of any person, etc.
WATEB-POWEB LAWS.
The present laws relating to water power are hopelessly inadequate. The protection of the public interest is supposed to be accomplished by the statutory provision that permits for the development of water power shall be revocable at any time at the will of the adminis- trative officials. This is thoroughly unsound both in principle and In practice. Many of those who would be willing to invest capital in the legitimate development of water power, but who wish to have the security which legitimate development rightfully demands, are unwilling to risk their investment on a tenure revocable at discretion. The result is that such capital as is invested in waterTpower develop- ment under Federal permit claims to be entitled to extraordinary re- turns on account of the extraordinary risk theoretically involved. At the same time the investors having once spent their money, proceed largely, if not entirely, upon the assumption that there is, in fact, no such risk as the revocable nature of the permit would imply. They assume, and properly assume, that the Government not only would not confiscate the investment, but that it will treat the investor fairly in any future readjustment of the terms of its grant. The result of the whole matter is that we have far less development than would be possible under a proper system and the development which we do have proceeds under what seems a legitimate excuse for exacting a larger return than should be necessary. It requires no elaborate argument to demonstrate that the substitution of water power for coal consumption is a clear pubUc gain. Coal can be burned but once and in the process the greater portion of its potential energy is wasted by the imperfect methods and machinery now employed. The sup- ply of falling water is perpetually renewed by natural forces and is wasted chiefly by nonuse.
The whole subject of water-power development and control should, in my judgment, receive the immediate consideration of Congress, and constructive legislation should be adopted without further delay. The limited powers of the Federal Government restrict its interest in this subject to power sites of two kinds — those upon the public domain and those on navigable streams. Some doubts have been expressed as to the authority of Congress to con-
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trol the latter effectiyely. I do not think that these doubts are jus- tified. I believe the Federal Government has adequate constitu- tional power to control water-power development both in navigable streams and upon the public domain and to exact compensation and to impose proper conditions in either case. It is also apparent that the Federal Government can act more effectively than the States in many caseSi and that this will be increasingly true as long-distance transmission and the yoking together of distant sources of water power not only justify but require the extension of Federal regulation over hydro-electric enterprises as agencies of interstate commerce. Many of our most important streams are interstate and some inter- national in character. The States themselves have called and are calling upon the Federal Government to improve and to protect these streams. When such protection and improvement develops water power or adds to the value of water power already -existing, there can be no sufficient reason adduced why the cost of the protection and the improvement should not be repaid in whole or in part out of the values thus created, nor can there be any adequate reason why the Federal Government should pay the cost of this improvement merely to turn over the revenues to the States to be used for other purposes than water development. Both on navigable streams and on the pubUc domain the Federal Grovemment will be more and more called upon to make expenditures for the protection of the water- sheds and of the streams themselves. This expense should not be borne wholly by the general taxpayers if the expenditure produces special local benefits of the kind described. On the other hand, the development of water power, especially where it is sold in the form of electrical energy for lighting, heating, traction, and general power p\u> poses, gives to the community where it is consumed a very necessary and important interest in the prices at which the electric energy is sold and in the character of the service. The regulation of both prices and service should, as a general rule, be committed to the State and to its agencies delegated for that purpose. The locaUty in which the water power is developed also has, on its part, a legitimate interest in the application of any rental which may be exacted for such development. It is frequently said that power-site rentals must, in the last analysis, increase the price of power paid by consumers and thus be drawn from the local community. Two reasons why it is not true, even of a public utility, are suggested. In the first place there are frequently two localities — the producing and the consum- ing one — ^which are not identical. Electricity generated at a point in the national forests of the Sierras might be consumed either in San Francisco or Los Angeles. The rentals now paid for this development by the hydro-electric companies go in part to the sup-
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port of schools and roads in. the counties where the forests lie and in part to the Federal Treasury as a partial offset to the expense of maintaining the national forest. It is substantially true to say that the water-power revenue is expended in the mountains where the power is developed. Should this benefit be taken entirely from the mountain communities and bestowed upon the cities in the form of cheaper electric power? This conflict between the interests of the producing and consuming conamunities is destined to increase as better knowledge and improved apparatus give a longer and longer radius of high-tension electric transmission.
But even if the interests of the producing and consuming communi- ties were identical, a reduction or abolition of water-power rentals could not, as a general rule, result in lower prices for electric energy. This is due to the fact that electricity is generated not only by water power, but also, and still more extensively, by steam power. There are very few communities where water power is, even approximately, the sole generating agent. The pubUc can not, as a practical matter, fix one price for electricity generated by water power and another price in the same locality for the same commodity generated by steam. To do this where hydro-electric energy can not supply the whole demand would give a great and unjust advantage to an arbi- trarily chosen and favored class of consumers. Now, steam is gener- ally the more costly producing agent and tlierefore the price of electricity generated by water power is, in any locality, normally fixed by and but little lower than the price of electricity generated by steam power. Public regulation may reduce these two prices together, but the minimum limit of such reduction must be that price at which a well-equipped and well-managed steam plant could earn a proper return. This minimum limit is generally well above a fair return on the actual cost of water-power development. The difference goes to the hydro-electric corporation, unless retained for the pubUc by rentals or taxes paid into the public treasury and expended for public purposes.
No correct or permanent solution of the water-power question can be reached until the interests of the State and of the Nation have been reconciled and coordinated, and this can now be done. The Federal Government should not part with any of its constitutional powers. Their exercise is certain in the future to become essential to the protection of the public interest. At the same time, it should not interfere with the State or local control except as the public interest may demand. Permission for the development of water power on navigable streams and from nonnavigable streams on the public domain should be granted by the Federal Government only on the payment to it of rentals which should be readjusted at periodic intervals of no longer than a decade under general provisions which will
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BJBPOBT OF THE SECBETABY OF THE INTBBIOB. 15
protect the interests of the investor and of the public. This compen- sation should always be reasonable and should generally be small in the case of new and experimental enterprises. As a general prin- ciplCi the revenues derived in this way should be devoted to waterway improvement, with special care for the river system and watershed of the stream from which the revenues are derived. It is increasingly clear that proper development and protection of stream flow for all purposes, including those of navigation, domestic use, irrigation, and power require that the stream and its branches from source to mouth should be regarded as essentially a imit. This, indeed, is one of the reasons why the Federal Government is the most appropriate agency, if not the only avaUable agency, for the comprehensive development of our waterways. Logically, the revenues derived from water power may belong to the Nation for its general use, but it would seem that national and local interests can best be reconciled by devoting these revenues to local improvements so far as such improvements are necessary or wise. Such a use removes one of the principal objections to Federal control.
The water-power permits issued by the Federal Government should also expressly provide that the permittee, by the acceptance of the grant, agrees to comply with such reasonable regulations of his rates and service as may be prescribed by the State or the appropriate State agency delegated for this purpose. Such a provision as this may technically not be necessary in many cases, as the use of water power for local pubUc utiUties usually requires State or local consent to the occupation of public streets and highways for its effective distribution, which gives a basis for local regulation, but the insertion of this provision in the Federal permit will remove any possible doubt. It should be so worded as to indicate that the Federal Gov- ernment, without parting with any power it may possess in this regard, has adopted the general poUcy of delegating the function of regula- tion in all cases not interstate in character to the State and local authorities so long as these authorities protect the pubKc interest. Such a system as I have suggested will result in a certain degree of automatic control of water-power permits in the pubUc interest, for when the period of readjustment of the compensation arrives the Federal Government will naturally inquire into the condition of the grant, and if the grantee has been furnishing good service at reasonable rates and making only reasonable profits there will, ordinarily, be no occasion for increasing the compensation. If, on the other hand, for any reason whatever the local authorities have been lax and the grantee has been permitted to make an unconscionable profit, the Federal Government can increase its compensation and secure for the public in this way its proper share. In the exercise of this right, as in all of the terms of the grant, the interests of the grantee shoidd
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16 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
not only be amply protected, but shoiild be treated with liberality, so that the interest of the public may be promoted by the yigorous development of our water power. My purpose, however, is not to discuss the details of a water-power grant, but to point out that there is no necessary conflict between State and Nation in a rightly con- sidered water-power policy and to uige the prompt adoption of such a policy and the passage of the necessary legislation.
BBOBQANIZATION OF GBNEBAL LAND OFFIOB.
There is also a pressing need for some fundamental reorganization in the General Land Office itself. The mass of administrative work which that office is called upon to handle requires the very highjBst degree of efficiency in its organization and personnel. The present • system fails to take into consideration either the quantity of the work or the importance of the interests intrusted to its employees. This is especially true in the higher grades in the service, which now are clearly underpaid for work requiring the highest degree of technical skill and personal integrity. Men are paid comparatively 'small clerical salaries for work involving property interests of immense value and also matters of smaller financial importance but of the most serious consequence to individual claimants. These salaries should be increased so that they will at least approximate proper compensation for the character of work required. There is also another fundamental item which should be given immediate atten- tion. The distribution of the public domain for actual settlement and development is properly iBind necessarily an administrative func- tion. It can not be transferred to the courts for adjudication upon the facts arising in each individual case.
Questions of administration or of poUcy connected therewith must remain in the hands of the administrative force. At the same time in the interest of fair dealing toward the individual claimants their claims should not be finally passed upon solely by those who investi- gate and report upon charges of fraud or noncompliance with the statutes. To prevent this the- General Land Office has sought to diflFerentiate between the executive and the quasi-judicial functions which it exercises. This effort would be aided by sufficient appro- priations to justify an increase of the membership and the pay of the Board of Law Review so that that board can be given the dignity and abiUty of a distinctively quasi-judicial tribunal with the juris- diction and duty to determine the legal questions and issues of fact involved in contested claims under the administrative supervision of the Commissioner of the General Land Office. The right of appeal to the Secretary of the Interior should remain as at present, but the appropriations for the Office of the Assistant Attorney General for the Department should be increased to provide for a greater number of specially qualified assistants to be assigned to these appeals and to
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original quasi-judicial proceedings before the Secretary. There should, of course, be preserved the existing right of recourse to the courts to obtain their construction of the law in cases where the issue involved is purely one of law and not of fact. If the quasi-judicial force of the Department and of the General Land Office is strength- ened as suggested, I am sure that the conflicting interests of the claimants and of the Government will be more carefully and cor- rectly considered and decided than is now possible. The business of the Department will be expedited and all those who have con- tested claims before the Department for adjudication will be bet- ter satisfied.
BXTBEAU OF NATIONAL PABXS.
There are twelve national parks, embracing over 4,500,000 acres, which have been set apart from^ time to time by Congress for the recreation of the people of the Nation. While public interest in, and use of, these reservations is steadily increasing, as shown by the grow- ing number of visitors, adequate provision has not been made for their efficient administration and sufficient appropriations have not been made for their proper care and development. At present, each of these parks is a separate and distinct unit for admimstrative purposes. The only general supervision which is possible is that ob- tained by referring matters relating to the national parks to the same officials in the office of the Secretary of the Interior. Separate appro- priations are made for each park and the employment of a common supervising and directing force is impossible. Many of the problems in park management are the same throughout all of the national parks and a great gain would be obtained and substantial economies could be effected if the national parks and reservations were grouped to- gether under a single administrative bureau. Bills to create a bureau of national parks have heretofore been introduced in Congress, and in my judgment they should immediately receive careful consideration so that proper legislation for this purpose may be enacted. Adequate appropriation should also be made for the development of these pleasure grounds of the people, especially through the construction of roads and trails, and their proper care and maintenance. In sev- eral of the national parks there are large private holdings which should be acquired by the Government.
BETIBEMENT.
I earnestly recommend the enactment of legislation authorizing the retirement of employees who, after long and faithful service, are disabled by age or infirmity from the efficient performance of their duties. The civil servants of the Government, like those in the military and naval service, are debarred from the chance of large
11355°— INT 1911— VOL 1 2
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gains, the hope of which is a constant stimulus to men in private business. Moreover, those of technical or superior administrative ability are and must continue to be paid smaller salaries than they would command in private employment. It is therefore impossible for them to acquire financial independence or make due provision for old age, either by way of profits or by way of savings from their salaries. Considerations of humanity and justice might well be urged against the dismissal of employees who have given the years of their strength to faithful and efl&cient pubUc service and against their assignment to the lower grades of menial or clerical duties as an alternative to dismissal. But I prefer to put the matter on other and more selfish grounds. The Government simply can not afford not to retire these employees with due and honorable provision for their old age, and this for two reasons.
In the first place, many able and energetic men serve the Govern- ment at salaries far below the commercial standard for Uke services. They choose to do so because the public service satisfies their best and highest ideals of personal integrity and professional achievement. Such men are continually forced out of the service by the necessity of making due provision for themselves and their families before old age comes upon them. If the Government would insure them against this peril it could continue to employ them at salaries far less than a private corporation would be compelled to pay. Every consideration of economy and soimd business policy requires that their services should be retained on terms so favorable to the Government. The loss, taken in the mass, is irreparable, for the system operates as a survival of the unfittest by continually drawing off the more energetic and abler men, leaving a larger and larger proportion of the inefficient in the pubUc service. In the second place, the Government is paying much if not most of the cost of a proper retirement system through the inevitable relative inefficiency of the present plan. Not only are superanuated employees dropped to and retained in the lower grades because of sympathy yielding to personal or political pressure, but in the higher grades, from which the rank and file of the service inevit- ably derives its spirit and tone, there is a tendency to retain men who have lost the alertness and enthusiasm essential to the highest effi- ciency of their own work, and still more essential for inspiring in and requiring of their subordinates such alertness and enthusiasm. Not only do they thus fail to make the positive contribution to the general efficiency of the service which is due from men in their position, but they have a negative effect in the same direction by blocking the avenues of promotion and legitimate ambition. The men below them not only fail to receive the proper stimulus of precept and ex- ample, but are at the same time deprived of the hope of promotion which ought to be the rewaid of efficient service.
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This condition is now becoming apparent. It has. been delayed by the fact that the widespread application of the principle of per- manency in the public service goes back less than one generation, and by the further fact that the industrial and social problems of recent years have forced the Government into new fields of activity and thus compelled the organization of new bureaus and departments. These new administrative units have been largely recruited from young men who are still in the prime of life. Many of the older bureaus and departments Jiave from similar causes largely increased their personnel, recruiting them chiefly from young men. This sudden expansion of governmental activity has postponed and mitigated the worst evils inherent in the present system; but sudden expansion can not continue indefinitely. We must face and provide for normal conditions of growth. Under such conditions general efficiency in the public service is impossible without due provision for the retirement of aged employees. This is attested by the experi- ence and practice of foreign governments, which have long had a permanent civil service, and by that of large railroad and commercial corporations in our own country.
LOWBB COLOBADO BIVEB.
On June 26, 1910, in a special message you invited the attention of Congress to the situation along the lower Colorado River as then understood. Conditions appeared to be such that unless prompt and vigorous steps were taken a very large loss in land values to the people of the Imperial Valley would result. The suggestion was made that a suitable sum be placed at your disposal to meet this emergency. Byresolution approved June25,1910,Congressappropriated$l,000,000 for the purpose of protecting the Uves and property interests of the citizens in the Imperial Valley. To the Secretary of the Interior was delegated the supervision of the work. A detailed investigation of the physical conditions on the ground was made by a member of the Mississippi River Conmiission, who was subsequently employed to supervise the work. The preliminary report submitted by him, after thorough consideration, was approved and immediate steps taken looking to the actual construction of the project in accordance with the approved plans which it was behoved would result in return- ing the Colorado River to its old channel. Delays in the completion ol the necessary arrangements with the Government of Mexico were fflicountcred, and a successful consummation of the project was imperiled by the rapidly approaching flood season, which rendered the work hazardous. The situation was further complicated by the disturbed political conditions in Mexico, as the result of which labor conditions on the project were greatly demoralized.
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After determined efforts the break at Abejas River was successfully closed and levees on the west bank of the Colorado for a considerable distance north and south of the Abejas were constructed. ■ The early summer floods again broke through at the Abejas, jeopardized the permanency of the work and ultimately resulted in considerable damage to the levees. The essential part of the damaged portions is readily susceptible of repair during the present low-water season, and such repair is believed to be vital to the interests of the people of Imperial Valley. This work is now being done.
By your direction I convened a board of persons interested in and familiar with conditions along the Colorado River to make a careful study of the work accomplished and to suggest plans for future operations. The board reconmiends that the work be continued along certain lines and is of the opinion that to meet the present emergencies the sum of at least $1,000,000 should be provided. The systematic treatment of the river is a problem to be worked out in connection with the Government of Mexico, and the board suggests the creation of an International Colorado River Conunission, to be composed of Mexican and American engineers, with ample authority to investigate and report to their respective Governments a basis for the final adjustment of all questions affecting the use and control of the waters of the Colorado. I heartily concur in this recommenda- tion. The problem is one of great magnitude and moment. The interests of the Government of the United States are such as, in my opinion, justify the early consideration of the entire subject by Congress.
Any provision for future operations along the Colorado River which Congi-ess may see fit to make should authorize the expenditure of any portion of such fund within the limits of the Republic of Mexico in accordance with agreements heretofore or hereafter made with that Government.
I have heretofore transmitted to you for submission to Congress the following documents bearing on this matter:
(1) Report of J. A. Ockerson of May 20, 1911.
(2) Copy of letter of Secretary of Interior, dated June 1, creating board.
(3) Report of board, dated June 7, 1911.
(4) Statement of physical and related facts accompanying report of June 7, 1911.
NEW BTTILDIKa NEEDED FOB PATENT OFFIOB AND DEPABT- MENTAL RECORDS.
I call special attention to the congested condition of the buildings occupied by this Department and to the necessarily decreased effi- ciency of the clerical force because of overcrowding, ^hree of the
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KEPOBT OF THE SECKBTAEY OF THE INTERIOB. 21
bureaus of this Department — ^the Geological Survey, the Bureau of Afiiies, and the Redamation Service — ^are located in rented quarters at an annual combined rental of $52,800. Grood administration would seem to indicate that provision should be made for these bureaus to be housed in Government-owned buildings. The Pension Office and the Office of Indian Affairs in the Pension Office Building, the General Land Office and the Bureau of Education in the old Post Office De- partment building, and the Office of the Secretary and the Patent Office in the Patent Office Building are located in Government- owned buildings.
Each of the above branches of this Department has accumulated and is constantly accumulating records of priceless value to the Grov- emment. In some, notably the Geological Survey, the Patent Office, the Office of the Secretary, the General Land Office, and the Office of Indian Affairs, these records have accumulated to such an extent that it is beginning to be a grave question how to provide for future accumulations, and those now existing are crowded in every avail- able space — in corridors, attics, workrooms, basements, and sub- basements — constantly exposed to accumulating dust, dampness, and improper handling, to say nothing of the ever-existent grave danger from fire and consequent total destruction. There should be provided at the earliest practicable date a properly constructed fireproof central filing place for the records of this Department or a hall of records for the departmental service in the District of Colum- bia generally.
The most congested condition with respect to the clerical force occurs in what is known as the Patent Office Building, housing the Patent Office and the Office of the Secretary. This Department was organized and created by the act of March 3, 1849 (9 Stat., 395), and among the bureaus transferred to it under the organic act was the Patent Office. From the time of the Department's organization until 1853 the Department proper (that is, the Office of the Secretary, comprising the Secretary and his staff of assistants and clerical force, which now includes the Office of the Assistant Attorney General for the Interior Department) occupied rooms in a building rented by the Treasury Department. These quarters appear to have been unsuit- able and inadequate, and the Secretary of the Interior in his annual report for 1851 (p. 34, H. R. Ex. Doc. No. 1, 31st Cong., 2d sess.) formally announced to the President and Congress his intention, as soon as the other wing of the Patent Office was completed, to trans- fer to it the Department proper and the different offices thereto attached, which proposition appears to have received congressional sanction. The total floor space of the Patent Office Building is 148,014 square feet, of which 114,060 square feet are assigned to the use of the Patent Office, embracing 934 euiployees, and of which
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22 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
33;954 square feet are assigned to the use of the Office of the Secre* tary (including the Office of the Assistant Attorney Greneral), embrac- ing 266 employees.
When the Patent Office Building was erected it was evidently be- lieved that provision was being made for the growth in volume of business and clerical force of the Patent Office, beyond any possi- bility of future overcrowding. The fourth story of -this building was architecturally designed to provide an exhibition place for all the models which should accumulate, together with the scientific library. Before 1893 it became necessary to remove the patent models from the building and devote this space to clerical purposes. Wooden partitions have been erected in almost the entire space there- tofore devoted to exhibition purposes, thereby cutting the space up into small rooms, poorly ventilated, badly lighted, and overcrowded with records, which space has been assigned to the use of various divisions of the Patent Office. The scientific library, which is on that floor, is so limited architecturally that it has become overcrowded, and it is almost impossible to provide the proper ventilation and to light it satisfactorily. In this space, under these conditions, it ia necessary to provide accommodation for attorneys who from day to day are obliged to examine the records of patents issued or pending. Every eflFort has been made to prevent the accumulation of dust by the vacuum process of cleaning, but under existing conditions the practical results have been most unsatisfactory. Every available foot of space for clerical assistance and the filing of records in the Patent Office has been occupied by them, and I am convinced that the Department is now face to face with the proposition of renting outside quarters for the accommodation of the constantly expanding activities of the Patent Office.
The Patent Office througnout its existence has been self-sustaining, and according to the accounts kept by it has turned into the Treasury a total surplus of approximately $9,000,000. Attention is invited to the report of Secretary Garfield for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1907, at page 33; to the report of Secretary Ballinger for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1909, at page 33; and also to Secretary Bal- Knger's report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1910, at pi^e 49. Senate document 543, Sixty-first Congress, second session, shows an effort made to obtain relief for this situation by securing an appro- priation of $220,000 for the erection of an addition to the Patent Office Building. This effort failed, and a renewal of the estimate has been submitted with the estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1913 (Book of Estimates, p. 360). Even though the Office of the Secretary were removed from the Patent Office Building and provided with quarters elsewhere, it would be but a short time until the same condition would again exist, because the overcrowding now
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23
existing in the Patent Office, in relieving itself, would extend practi- cally over the entire area now occupied by the Office of the Secretary. I can not too strongly uige the grave necessity now present that steps be immediately taken to provide a new, modern, properly equipped building for the use of the Patent Office, constructed upon lines which will suffice for its future needs and growth and be a monument to the inventive genius of the American people. The space provided in such a building for future growth might be used for the priceless records of the other bureaus of the Department of the Interior until other fireproof buildings or a hall of records is provided.
OFFICE OF ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAIi*
The following table in some degree illustrates the volume of work disposed of by this office in the year ended October 1, 1911 :
Work of office ofAui$taml Attorney Oenerdl.
|
Publiclands. |
Indian. |
Pension. |
Qener&l opinions. |
Disbar- ment. |
Miscel- laneous. |
|||
|
Appeals. |
On review. |
Total |
||||||
|
Pending Oct. 1,1910.. Received to Oct. 1, 1911 |
153 3,142 |
39 632 |
45 9,922 |
»636 514 |
2 254 |
3 12 |
73 2,251 |
851 16,627 |
|
Total |
3,295 2,015 |
571 470 |
9,967 9,929 |
1,050 «507 |
256 238 |
15 12 |
2,324 2,151 |
17,478 15,412 |
|
Disposed of Oct 1, 1910, to Oct. 1, 1911. |
||||||||
|
Pending Oct. H911 |
1,280 |
101 |
38 |
453 |
18 |
3 |
173 |
2,066 |
1 July 1, 1911. The work formerly done by the Board of Pension Appeab was transferred to tliis office July 1, 1911. • Since July 1,1911.
Prior to the abolishment of the division system in the office of the Secretary in April, 1907, the office of the Assistant Attorney General was charged with the adjudication of appeals from the General Land Office and the preparation of opinions on miscellaneous questions of law. Little by little the scope of its work has been increased imtil it has included Indian, pension, reclamation, and other matters. In the six months prior to April 1, 1907, 1,163 matters were disposed of — an average of 269 a month. In contrast, an average of 1,285 a month marks the work done during the year ended October 1, 1911. The office was called upon to consider 17,478 matters during that period and disposed of 15,412. During the corresponding period in 1909 to 1910, 14,399 matters came before the office for consideration, and 14,084 were disposed of — an average of 1,174 a month.
Aside from these matters, and not recorded in the above table, there is handled in this office a large amount of correspondence between this
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Department and individuals and between this Department and other exfecutive departments of the Government, particularly with the Department of Justice, in relation to litigation; also the examination of bills pending in Congress and the preparation of reports thereon. Suits in the local courts against the Department are defended by the Assistant Attorney General for this Department. In the year ended June 30, 1911, 24 cases were disposed of in the Supreme Court of the District, in which the Department was successful in all but one, and this has been reversed on appeal to the court of appeals. In the latter court the Department submitted and was successful in 12 cases during the year. In addition to this there were many interlocu- tory proceedings.
Notwithstanding the great volume of work thus presented to this office for consideration and action, the disposal thereof has proceeded with great care and such dispatch as its importance and difficulties and the number of the force permitted.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
The work in the General Land Office during the past year has been energetically pushed. The majority of the most important lines of work in the office are up to date.
There has been no relaxation in the work of the prosecution of frauds against the United States and the attempted unlawful acquisi- tion of lands.
The closer scrutiny paid to applications under the ''Carey Act" has demanded the devotion of a larger amount of time on the part of the field force to this work. Not only is an examination made of the land sought to be segregated, but the question of sufficiency of water and practicability of the proposed scheme is looked into.
Every care, by examination in the field, is also being taken that no mineral lands are lost to the United States under school land, rail- road, or other grants, providing for the acquisition of agricultural lands only.
There has been a close cooperation between the work of the field force of the General Land Office and the work of the Geological Survey in the classffication of lands.
The investigation of coal claims in Alaska is proceeding as rapidly as possible. A decision has been rendered in the so-called ''Cun- ningham" cases, holding the entries for cancellation. Hearing has been had in one other group, and examination made on the ground in a large majority of the cases, to see whether or not a mine or mines have been opened in accordance with the provisions of law.
The total number of locations in Alaska coal claims is given as 1,125; the number of appUcations for patent, 621 ; number of notices of charges served, 172; number of answers to charges filed, 125; num-
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bar of expiration notices served, 666 ; number of answers to expiration notices filed; 90; number of entries yet to be investigated as to good faith, 262.
Up to July, 1911, indictments returned in Alaskan criminal pro- ceedings, affecting coal lands, covered 641 claims out of a total of 1,125 coal claims.
The vexed question of adjustment and adjudication of claims in the Imperial Valley, California, has proceeded very satisfactorily. This matter, which has been pending for so many years, has been virtually settled.
The total cash receipts from the sale of public lands, including fees and commissions on both original and final entries, for the fiscal year 1911, were $7,245,207.69. Miscellaneous receipts were as follows: From sales of Indian lands, $2,822,600.71; reclamation water-right charges, $892,414.29; sales of timber in Alaska, depredations on public lands, sales of Government property, and copies of records and plats, $129,704.91, making the aggregate total of cash receipts of the General Land Office for the fiscal year 1911, $11,089,927.60, a decrease of $373,996.46 from the preceding fiscal year.
The total expenses of district land offices and saldries and com- missions of registers and receivers, incidental expenses, and expenses of depositing pubUc moneys during the fiscal year ended June 30, 191 1, were $870,242, a decrease of $3,395.33. The aggregate expendi- tures and estimated liabilities of the pubho-land service, including expenses of district land offices and surveys, were $3,195,759.38.
The total area of pubUc and Indian land originally entered during the fiscal year 1911 is 17,639,099.54 acres, a decrease of 8,752,169.55 acres as compared with the area entered during the fiscal year 1910.
The area patented during the fiscal year 1911 is 12,272,495 acres, an increase of 1,289,345 acres as compared with the fiscal year 1910.
The number of patents issued during the fiscal year 1911 were 72,189, as against 72,080 for 1910.
During the past year there were approximately 215,300 acres of agricultural lands in national forests opened to settlement and entry in accordance with the provisions of the act of June 11, 1906 (34 Stat., 233).
COHHISSIONEB'S BBOOMMENDATIONS.
The Commissioner of the General Land Office, in his annual report, recommends legislation providing for some changes in the administra- tion of his office, and other matters of various kinds. Some of them have been discussed hereinbefore in this report. He makes a num- ber of recommendations which should be given careful consideration. Special attention is called to the following:
(a) The abolishment of the office of receiver in the local land offices, and the substitution of a civil-service employee, drawing an
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26 BEPORT OF THE SECEETABY OF THE INTEBIOB.
adequate but smaller salary than that allowed under existing statute to the receiver; it is believed that a saving of about $150,000 per annum could thus be effected, and that better results would be obtained.
(6) The enactment of legislation authorizing the taking of proofs on the land. In this way the interests of both the settler and the Government would be better subserved and more expedition attained.
(c) An act making false swearing in relation to the character of the land of which entry is sought, or concerning the legal qualificar- tions of the would-be entryman, an offense punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both.
(d) An act empowering registers and receivers to require a wit- ness in a pending case to bring with him and produce papers, books, and documents in his possession which constitute material and impor- tant evidence.
(e) The renewal of the appropriation of $3,000 made by act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 797), providing for the preparation and publication of the revised edition of the ** Manual of Surveying Instructions."
(J) Legislation providing for the punishment of unscrupulous and incompetent professional locators by fine or imprisonment, or both.
(g) An amendment of the act of January 31, 1903 (32 Stat., 790), so as to provide for uniform fees chargeable by officers before whom . depositions provided for in said act are submitted.
(h) The amendment of section 26 of the act of Jime 6, 1900 (31 Stat., 321), so as to subject mining claims to the easement of a public roadway, 60 feet wide, along and parallel to the shore line of navi- gable waters in Alaska, such as is now provided in section 10 of the act of May 14, 1898 (30 Stat., 409), entitled ''An act extending the homestead laws and providing for right of way for railroads in the District of Alaska, and for other purposes."
PTJBLIO STJBVEYS.
The first year's work under the direct system of surveys has been
very successful. It is estimated that, in a survey of approximately
30,000 miles, the saving to the Government by the direct system,
as compared with the contract system, will be about $5 a mile, or
in the neighborhood of $150,000. In addition there is a saving of
from one to two years in time in the final approval of the surveys
performed.
TEXAS-NEW HEXICO BOX7NDABY.
The so-called "Clark" boundary line between Texas and New Mexico has been retraced and moniunented in accordance with the provisions of the resolution passed by Congress February 16, 1911 (36 Stat., 1455). The work was done economically and efficiently.
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CABEY ACT.
The records of the Land Office show that there is an increasing demand for segregation lists under the Carey Act. During the last fiscal year there were examined in the neighborhood of 1,650,000 acres of selections by the various States to which the Carey Act applies. There have already been withdrawn under the act of March 15, 1910 (36 Stat., 237), for Carey Act exploration and sur- vey, 3,500,000 acres.
STATE AND TBBBITOBIAL GBANTS.
During the past fiscal year there were approved to States and Territories an area of 316,572.44 acres, of which 299,123.17 acres were school-land selections.
BAILBOAD QBANTS.
During the year 1911 there were patented on account of railroad and wagon-road grants an area of 1,152,827.77 acres.
CHIPFBWA LOGOINa, MINNESOTA.
During the past fiscal year there were logged under contracts on ceded Chippewa lands 80,005,150 feet of timber, of the value of $572,830.73, as compared with 88,503,880 feet of timber, valued at $553,005.42, during the year 1910.
SALES OF CHIPPEWA PINE TIMBEB.
On September 15, 1910, a sale of pine timber was held at Cass Lake, Minnesota, at which there was sold timber estimated to contain 61,310,000 feet of white pine and 263,476,000 feet of Norway pine, the total amount of the accepted bids being $2,709,330.04, an average price of $8.59 per thousand feet. This was the largest sale of Chip- pewa timber yet held. All of the unsold pine timber on ceded Chippewa lands was offered for sale at Cass Lake, Minnesota, on October 21, 1911. The price paid for timber on ceded Chippewa lands sold at the different sales is $5,933,242.41.
GEOIiOGICAIj SURVET.
The scientific investigations of the Survey have been continued along lines similar to those followed in other years and the usual number of contributions have been made to the knowledge of geology and related subjects. The appropriations for the work of the United States Geological Survey for the fiscal year 1910-11 aggregated $1,477,440.
Classificaiion of public lands. — ^Among the special features of the year's activities the work in the public-land States should be given first place.
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28 BEPORT OF THE SECEBTABY OF THE INTEEIOB.
The field investigations and examinations have been more exten- sive and more detailed, and reports covering a wider range of sub- jects have been prepared and submitted to the Secretary's Office and to the General Land Office and the Office of Indian Affairs. The Geological Survey is called on for reports covering lands listed for patent and lands which it is proposed to eliminate from the Indian or forest reservations and throw open for settlement, in order that their mineral or nonmineral character or adaptability for power or irrigation purposes may be determined. All Carey Act lists are submitted to the survey for a statement as to the sufficiency of the water supply and the adequacy of the proposed plan of irrigation before the lists are approved for segregation.
Coal lands have been classified during the year at an increased rate. The area appraised as coal land during the fiscal year 1910-11 exceeded that so appraised in the preceding year by 3,000,000 acres; and the area classified as noncoal land during 1910-11 is 2,386,444 acres greater than that so classified in 1909-10. On the other hand, the average price fixed per acre and the total appraised value are notably less for the last year than for the preceding year. The dif- ference is due to the large acreage of lignite and low-grade sub- bituminous coals in eastern Montana and Wyoming appraised at the minimum value fixed by law.
Two great withdrawals of land for determination of its coal char- acter were made during the year — one in the Dakotas and one in Idaho. The restorations have, during the past fiscal year, been more than offset by the withdrawal of areas indicated as coal bear- ing by new information or by a study of data already at hand. How- ever, in Colorado, Montana, and Wyoming, where the field work was concentrated dming the season of 1910, the restorations far outbalance the withdrawals. It is probable that the withdrawn area has reached its maximmn this year and will steadily decrease hereafter.
Dming the year 630,604 acres in California and Wyonung were withdrawn from entry to be examined for oil, and 1,232,719 acres in the same States, shown by field examination to be non-oil lands, were restored, making the withdrawals for oil outstanding Jime 30, 1911, 3,970,429 acres in eight States and Territories. In addition all oil lands in Alaska, comprising an imknown area, were with- drawn during the year.
In the early part of the fiscal year the outstanding withdrawals of phosphate land made by the Secretary of the Interior were rati- fied by the President under the act of June 25, 1910. A deposit of phosphate rock in southwestern Montana, similar in character to the deposits of Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming, and at the same geologic horizon, was discovered by the survey. This discovery is important
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BBPOBT OF THE SECEETARY OF THE INTERIOR. 29
not only because of the quantity of phosphate found, but because it indicates the possibility that the deposits of phosphate rock are distributed over a much wider territory than had formeriy been supposed. The area withdrawn as a restdt of this discovery com- prises 33,950 acres, which, with withdrawals in Florida and Utah, make a total of 65,589 acres withdrawn during the year. Field examinations in Idaho resulted in the restoration of 149,929 acres, leaving in phosfphate withdrawals Jime 30, 1911, a total of 2,399,416 acres.
The completion of the classification of lands within the Northern Pacific Railroad grant in Montana and Idaho provided for in the sundry civil act of June 25, 1910, was made by the Survey. Work of the year resulted in the classification of 288,465 acres.
The work of classifying the public lands with relation to their value for water-power development has followed the general plan pursued in previous years. On July 2, 1910, the earlier withdrawals, amount- ing to 1,454,499 acres, were ratified and continued by the President. As a result of field investigations, 143,555 acres included in with- drawals were determined to be without value for power purposes and were restored to the public domain and 204,460 acres were included in new withdrawals, the total area withdrawn at the close of the fiscal year amounting to 1,515,423 acres.
Eight hundred and fifty-one applications for right of way across the public lands for raUroads, canals, ditches, and reservoirs for irrigation, mining, and municipal supply and power development have been passed on by the Survey.
Thirty-one segregation lists prepared under the Carey Act have been referred during the year to the Survey for report. The projects represented by eight of these lists were determined to have sufficient water supply for reclaiming the lands considered. Examination of 18 applications showed that under the plan of irrigation proposed by the State the projects contemplated would have an insufficient water supply, and reports were made accordingly. At the close of the fiscal year three applications were awaiting a detailed statement by the applicants of the plan of reclamation proposed, and two were under consideration.
The designation of non-irrigable areas as subject to entry under the enlarged-homestead act has called for an increasing amount of field investigation. By the act of Congress of June 17, 1910, the provisions of the original act, somewhat modified, were extended to the State of Idaho, and a large area in Idaho has been opened to such entry. The greater part of the investigations and designations under the enlarged- homestead act has been made on account of petitions for action on specific tracts. Two hundred and forty-eight petitions were received
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30 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
and 162 were acted upon. At the close of the year 137 petitions were pending, most of them awaiting reports on uncompleted field exam- inations.
There is hereto appended (p. 75) tabular statements showing prog- ress of coal classification and valuation, oil land withdrawals, phos- phate land withdrawals, power site withdrawals, designations under the enlarged homestead act in the various States and Territories, and metalliferous classification of Northern Pacific Railroad grant lands in Montana and Idaho.
Geologic Branch, — Geologic surveys and investigations were con- tinued in 39 States and Territories by a force of 129 geologists. Over 76 per cent of the appropriation was expended in the 16 States and Territories containing the large areas of public lands. Systematic detailed surveys of important mining districts were continued in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Idaho, Montana, and Arizona, and general geologic and paleontologic investigations were conducted in allparts of the country.
In Alaska 12 field parties covered 13,815 square miles by recon- noissance topographic surveys and 36 square miles by detailed topo- graphic surveys. Detailed geologic surveys were made of 321 square miles and geologic reconnoissance surveys of 8,635 square miles. Considerable time was also spent in studying special problems con- nected with the mineral deposits. The investigation of the water supply in placer districts covered an area of approximately 6,500 square miles, and included 69 gauging stations maintained and 429 measurements of stream volumes. Fifteen of the 30 mining districts of Alaska which are being developed were visited by members of the staff.
The subdivisional survey of public lands in Alaska was begun. The work accomplished in the short season after the appropriation- became available included two astronomical determinations of lati- tude, longitude, and azimuth, measurement of a base line and estab- lishment of- a system of triangulation, the survey of 108 miles of meridian and base lines and township extensions, with some section lines.
During the fiscal year the work of the Mineral Resources Division consisted of the preparation of reports on mineral resources of the United States for the calendar years 1909 and 1910. The statistics for 1909 were collected in cooperation with the Bureau of the Census. The field work of collecting the statistics was done by the Bureau of the Census through personal visits of a large force of agents, and it was thought that this plan would greatly expedite the work. Expe- rience showed, however, that it took very much longer to get the data in this way than it would have taken by correspondence, the usual method pursued by the Survey.
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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. 31
Topographic Branch. — The total new area topographically mapped was 23,272 square miles, making the total area to date in the United States 1,131,037 square miles, or about 37 per cent of the entire country. In addition 6,460 square miles of revision or resurvey were completed, making the total area of actual surveys for the season 29,732 square miles. Topographic surveys were also carried on in Hawaii, the area mapped during the focal year beiug 224 square miles. The field force included 145 geographers and topog- raphers with 68 temporary technical assistants.
Water Resources Branch, — The increase of $50,000 in the appro- priation for investigations of water resources permitted a consider- able extension of this work during the focal year, although it was necessary, in order to perform important public-land classification work, to allot 82 per cent of the total appropriation for work west of the one-hundredth meridian. The investigation of water-power sites, rights of way, etc., on the public lands was first performed by the engineers of the division of surface waters in connection with their measurements of stream flow. This is now assigned to a new division of water utilization.
At the end of the year the total number of stream-gauging stations maintained was 1,105. In addition to the foregoing, records ready for pubUcation were received at the end of the year from private parties for about 100 stations. Underground waters were studied in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
Examinations under the Weeks Act, — The act approved March 1, 1911, which provides for the acquisition of land for the purpose of conserving the navigability of navigable streams, imposed a new duty on the Geological Survey. Section 6 of the law provides for an examination by the Geological Survey of land whose purchase is under consideration and the submission of a report based thereon to the Secretary of Agriculture "showing that the control of such lands will promote or protect the navigation of streams on whose water- sheds they He."
This work was prosecuted in Georgia, Tennessee, and New Hampshire in May and June, resulting in the submission of reports favoring the acquisition of lands in two locaUties before the end of the focal year. These reports covered tracts in Fannin and Union Counties, Georgia, and in Blount and Sevier Counties, Tennessee, comprising 31,377 and 58,213 acres, respectively.
Publications Branch, — ^The Survey's success in reaching the pub- lic with the results of its scientific work may be measured by the distribution of its pubUcations. In spite of the organization of the Bureau of Mines and the consequent elimination of its popular bulletins from the Survey's publications, the total number of reports and maps distributed by the Geological Survey in 1911 was
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32 BEPOBT OP THE SECEETABY OF TJ^E INTEBIOB.
1,208,797, an increase of 6 per cent over the corresponding figures for
1910. An even larger percentage of increase is shown in the number of letters received containing remittances for such publications as are sold, while the receipts for topographic maps increased about 10 per cent. The total distribution of topographic maps, which includes congressional distribution, exchanges, and issue for departmental use, as well as the half miUion maps sold, increased 15 per cent. The total distribution to the public of books and maps is equivalent to more than 99 per cent of the number of copies received during the year from the Government Printing Office and the Survey's engraving and printing division. The total pubUcations included 136 volumes, 91 topographic maps, and 5 geologic folios.
Administrative Branch. — The mails showed increases over the business of the preceding year. The roll of Survey members holding secretarial appointments numbered at the close of the fiscal year 862 persons, compared with 958 the year before. The principal change was the transfer of employees to the Bureau of Standards and the Bureau of Mines at the beginning of the year. The Survey Ubrary now contains 86,000 books, 100,000 pamphlets, and about 100,000 maps, and the collection is restricted to publications bearing upon the scientific work of the Bureau.
RECIiAMATIOK SERYICE.
The act of Congress approved June 17, 1902, known as the "recla- mation act," set apart as a fund for the reclamation of arid lands all moneys received from the sale of public lands in certain of the Western States and Territories, excepting the 5 per cent of the pro- ceeds of such sales set aside by law for educational and other pur- poses. The actual receipts from this source to June 30, 1910, were $65,584,801.32, and the estimated total receipts to June 30, 1911, including $213,998.57 from sale of town-site lots, are $71,717,990.16. The net investment of this fund in reclamation works on June 30,
1911, amounted to $60,940,834.08.
The act requires the Secretary of the Interior to determine and return to the reclamation fund the estimated cost of construction, and entrymen and private landowners receiving water from reclama- tion projects are therefore required to contribute their proportion of the cost of construction, operation, and maintenance of the project wherein their lands are situated. The cash receipts from this source to June 30, 1911, were:
Cash returns to reclamation fund to June SO, 1911.
Water-light building charges $1, 533, 175. 63
Water-right operation and maintenance charges 51 7, 393. 86
Total /T- 2, 050, 569. 48
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EEPOET OF THE SEGBETABY OF THE INTBRIOE.
33
In addition, sales of water to towns and cities, leases of power developed in projects, rentals for irrigating water, miscellaneous services and sales, etc., have produced an additional revenue of $3,288,719.07, which, under the respective laws authorizing these transactions, is credited as a reduction of the cost of the projects from whence the receipts are derived.
No new projects have been undertaken since March 4, 1909, but prior to that date 32 primary projects had been undertaken, the net investment in which on June 30, 1911, amounted to $59,989,158.46, as is shown in the following table:
Net invutment in redanuaUm projeeU to Juru 30, 191J,
Btete and project.
Net
ment
Arlioiia: Salt River
ArisoiukGallfomia:
Colorado River
Yama
Callfoniia: Orland
Colorado:
Grand Valley
Unoompahgre
Idaho:
Boise
Minidoka
Kanaas: Garden City
Montana:
Huntley
Milk River
Son River
Lower YellowsUme
Nebiaaka-Wyominx: North PUtte
Nevada: Tmekee-CarBon
New Mexico:
Cailshad
Hondo
NewMeadco-Texae: Rio Grande
North Dakota: Miaeoori River pumping
Oklahoma: Cimarron
Oregon:
Central Oregon
Umatilla
Oregon-California: Kalmath
Sooth Dakota: BeUefoiuche J..
Utah: Strawberry Valley
Washington:
Okanogan
Yakima
Wyoming: Shoshone
Total
19,104,437.06
48,«fl0.7S
4,813,868.31
400,004.53
88,083.71
4,609,607.03
4,S16,83&06
8,741,210.87
38a,08a00
868,478.76
911,487.99
768,498.86
2,928,448.00
6,180,906.76
4,108,840.71
671,181.87 349,212.30 200,746.76 846,474.78 8,873.17
40,416.67 1,206,891.31 1,812,478.07 2,683,34&04 1,214,411.90
639,866.49 4,005,181.88 8,580,349.28
69,989,168.40
In addition, there had been invested in secondary projects, June 30, 1911, $586,988.94; in town-site development, $12,997.05; in Indian irrigation (reimbursable), S317,392.23; and for general expenses, $34,297.40, making a grand total of $60,940,834.08. In view of the immense areas of land included, the magnitude and e3cpense of the engineering work necessary to provide for their reclamation, and of the importance to the waiting settler and land- owner that water be applied to the land and reclamation effected as soon as possible, the efforts of the Department have been directed toward the completion of projects already undertaken rather than
11355"— INT 1911— VOL 1-
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34 BBPOBT OP THE SECBBTABY OF THE INTERIOB.
the search for or undertaking of new projects. The following table contains a summary of the results of the reclamation work from Jime 30, 1902, to June 30, 1911:
Summary ofremlU of redamaiian vxjrh, June 30, 1902, to Jutu SO, 1911.
Material excavated cubic yards.. 77,148,712
Class 1 cubic yards . . 67, 658, 616
Class 2 do.... 5,136,331
Class 3 do.... 4,353,765
Volume of storage dams cubic yards. . 7, 192, 787
Volume of dikes do 3,338,532
Available reservoir capacity acre feet. . 4, 747, 770
Number of tumiels 68
Aggregate length of tunnels feet. . 101, 365
Canals carrying less than 50 second-feet miles. . 4, 341
Canals carrying from 50 to 300 second-feet , do 942
Canals carrying from 300 to 800 second-feet do 387
Canals carrying more than 800 second-feet do 291
Canal structures costing less than |500 22, 226
Canal structures costing from |500 to $2,000 847
Canal structures costing over $2,000 529
Number of bridges 2,223
Aggregate length of bridges feet. . 47, 310
Riprap cubic yards. . 336, 056
Paving square yards. . 344, 891
Cement used barrels. . 1, 245, 827
Conciete cubic yards. . 1, 066, 310
Roads miles. . 570
Telephone lines do 1, 694
Telephones in use 724
Buildings erected 548
Offices 65
Residences 258
Bams and storehouses 225
Area of lands for which water can be supplied acres. . 1, 025, 609
Acreage included in projects now imder way 3, 101, 450
BUBEAn OP MINES.
The Bureau of Mines was established by an act of Congress ap- proved May 16, 1910 (36 Stat., 369), and effective July 1, 1910. Its main object is to aid in lesseniag the loss of life and waste of resources in the mining, quarrying, metallurgical^ and other mineral industries of the country. The enabling act not only outlined the Bureau's duties, but transferred to it from the Geological Survey the work of analyzing and testing coals, lignites, and other mineral fuel sub- stances, and investigating the causes of and means of preventing mine explosions. The headquarters of the Bureau were established in Washington, D. C, on Eighth and G Streets Northwest. Its director was appointed September 3; 1910.
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BEPOBT OF THE SEGBBTAET OP THE IKTEBIOR. 35
Tbe investigaiire work of th» Bureau during this first year of its existence has related mainly to two subjects: The study of fuels belonging to or used by tbe Government and inquiry into the causes and means of prevention of mine accidents. The first of these, for which Congress made an appropriation of $100,000; has had to do primarily with the pmrchase, for the use of the Government, of coal, aggregating in cost about S8,000,000; the most efficient methods of usiE^ this coal at the various heating, power, and lighting plants of the Government and on board Government ships; and the safest and most ^cient methods of storing coal at naval stations, army posts, etc. In addition to the large number of f umace-fuel tests that this work involved, more than 10,000 samples of coal were analyzed in the laboratories of the Bureau. Investigations relating both to the efficient storage of coal and to the causes and [Hrevention of spon- taneoin combustion of coal stored in bins or in the bunkers of ships have been conducted by the Bureau in the navy yards at Key West, Norfolk, and Portsmouth and on the Isthmus of Panama. The fuel investigations have also included the testing and analyzing of a large number of samples of fuel oil and the preparation of specifications for use by the Govenunent in the purchase of both oil and coal for fuel purposes.
The investigati<ms into the causes and means of prevention of mine accidents have been extended as rapidly as circumstances would permit, but so far have not progressed to^the needs of the coal- mining industry. Their chief aim has been to determine the causes of mine explosions; to make safer the use of explosives and elec- tricity in mines; and to reduce the risks through falls of roof, the use of open lights, and other mining conditions.
In carrying on these investigations the engineers of the Bureau have used every variety of laboratory equipment available; they have examined the coal mines in many parts of the United States; and they have opened near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a small mine, where experiments are conducted to determine, under working con- ditions, how gas and dust explosions are caused and how such explo- sions may be prevented.
Early in the examinations of mine disasters it was found necessary to provide in the di£Perent important coal fields facilities for use by the engineers of the Bureau in entering mines in which disasters had occurred while these mines were still full of poisonous explosive gases, in order that the examinations mi^t be made while the evi- dences of the disaster were still fresh. Such prompt examinations are also useful in rescuing entombed miners. To meet this inmie- diate need, and with a view to the development of future agencies, there have been established by the Bureau six mine-rescue or mine-
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safety stations; one each at Pittsburgh, Pennsylyania; Ejioxville, Tennessee; Birmingham, Alabama; McAlester, Oklahoma; Urbana, Illinois; and Seattle, Washington. There have aIso been purchased seven mme^safety cars, which have been equipped as far as practi- cable with mine-rescue and fire-fighting apparatus. These seven cam have headquarters as follows: One each at Billings, Montana; Trini- dad, Colorado; Evansville, Indiana; Huntington, West Virginia; Pittsbui^h, Pennsylvania; andWilkes-Barre, P^msylvania; and one at Rock Springs, Wyoming, and Salt Lake Citj, Utah, Each one of these cars has been moving from point to point, carrying a mining engineer and two experienced miners.
With a view to recommending proper regulations to prevent acci- dents in American mining, quarrying, metallurgical, and other mineral industries, it has been necessary to noake a study of the laws, rules, and regulations existing for this purpose in other important mining countries. This work is now well under way.
Notwithstanding the newness of the work and the many prelimi* nary difficulties in the way, the progress made in behalf of greater safety in mining has been gratifying. The Bureau is gradually win- I ning the hearty cooperation of mine workers, mine owners, State mine iospectors, and manufacturers of explosives and mine equip- ment. In coal mines black powder is rapidly giving place to safer explosives; safety lamps and other appliances are being increasingly used ; improvements in electrical installations are under investigation; mine explosions are being better understood and are becoming less frequent; mine safety demonstrations, in connection with the work of the stations and cars, have been witnessed and participated in by more than 100,000 miners; over 14,000 miners have received some training in rescue and first-aid methods; and more than 500 sets of mine rescue equipment have been installed at the larger coal mines located in different parts of the country.
I There are some urgent needs in connection with the continuance and extension of this work. Two or three additional mine safety cars are needed, and the work of all the cars should be continued through- out the entire year. The investigations looking to the prevention of accidents, should be extended to include metal mines, quarries, and metallurgical plants. There are 1,500,000 men associated with these hazardous occupations who need to be reached and enlisted in this movement for greater safety, and there should be no unnecessary de- lays in doing this. The testing of explosives, the fees from which go to the miscellaneous receipts of the Treasury, should be more ade- quately provided for, in order that such testing may be kept current. The statistical data concerning accidents in the mining, quarrying, and metallurgical industries have been far from complete in the past, and there have always been serious delays in their collection and
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BEPORT OF THE SECRETABY OF THE IKTERIOB. 37
publication. In many parts of the country no such statistics are collected, but the assembling of the data is essential to the formu- lation of intelligent plans for preventing mine accidents. There is, therefore, serious need that the Bureau of Mines be empowered to collect and publish statistical data with a degree of thoroughness commensurate with the importance of the subject.
There is also serious need for the enlargement of the work of the Bureau to include a thorough investigation into various branches of the mining industry, with a view to lessening the waste of essential mineral resources. Such investigations would unquestionably prove beneficial to the countiy . The results of carefully conducted inquiries show that the present losses in coal mining approximate 250,000,000 tons of coal per annum; and that the waste in metal mining and metallurgical industries ranges from 10 to 50 per cent of the total possible production. This waste of mineral products — ^many of them destroyed or lost beyond the possibility of future recovery — ^means a serious drain on the Nation's supply. In dealing with mineral resources, in contrast to rainfall, forests, or agricultural products, it should be understood that of mineral wealth the Nation has only one supply, which, when exhausted, it can not replace.
The buildings and grounds at Pittsburgh now occupied by the Bureau of Mines for its investigations are inadequate for its needs, unsuited to its purposes, and are held subject to the wishes and needs of another department of the Government. This' situation should be remedied in a manner commensurate with the importance of the work that the Bureau is required to do.
OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.
The Indians in the United States number slightly more than 323,000, of whom about one-third are members of the Five Civilized Tribes in Oklahoma. All are in process of absorption with the gen- eral mass of American citizenship. When the process is complete with respect to any individual Indian he will have lost his tribal status, received in severalty his share of the tribal property, and been freed of all restrictions in dealing with it. He then has the same status as any other citizen and the guardianship of the Federal Grovemment over him is at an end.
The Indian Service is engaged in the work of helping the Indians to fit themselves for American citizenship and in preserving and developing their property until they are able to take full charge of it. This work calls for administrative business ability, knowledge of practical sociological movements, and effective sympathy. The per- sonal interests under the care of the service are of the greatest importance and are mainly concerned with three subjects — health and morals, industrial training, and general education. The prop- Digitized by VjOOQ IC
88 BEPOBT OF THE SECBETABY OF THE INTEBIOB.
erty interests involved are of great value and complexity, including lands allotted to the Indians in severalty and held by them under resUictions which in effect make the Government the guardian of the Indian. The unallotted Indian lands are in part agricultural and in part consist of undeveloped forests^ minerds, water power, and other natural resources which involve the general social and legal problems presented by like resources on the public domain, together with peculiar difficulties due to the beneficbl ownership of the Indians.
HeaUh amd moraU. — The Indian Service is earnestly endeavoring to imiNTOve living conditions and to prevent disease among the Indians. More than 62 gatherings of Indians and service employees for instruction in hygienic living have been held during the past year, with an aggregate attendance of more than 10,000. Such subjects as ventilation, disposal of garbage, care of milk, water supply, the prevention of tuberculosis and trachoma are considered. The service is endeavoring whenever new buildings are erected to see that they are built in conformity with modem ideas of sani- tation. Eighty-eight field matrons are employed to work among the homes of the Indians. Their work has proved very effective in reducing infant mortality, and in helping the children to sound health. Vigorous efforts are being made to stamp out existing disease. One hundred physicians give their whole time to schools and agencies, and are assisted by 60 physicians who are under contract to give a part of their time to attendance upon Indians. The four sanitoria for tubercular patients have been enlai^ed, and the hospital for tra- choma at Phoenix, Arizona, continued. The urgent necessity for the health propaganda is patent from returns of the physicians ; they report 961 deaths from tuberculosis under their notice, attendance upon over 16,000 cases of tuberculosis, and treatment of 7,400 cases of trachoma, a disease which three years ago was practically unrecog- nized.
In the past year 1,473 cases of persons charged with selling Uquor to Indians, or introducing it into the Indian country, were dis- posed of. One thousand one hundred and sixty-eight convictions resulted, 265 dismissals, 6 disagreements of the jury, and there were but 34 acquittals. There is a steadily increasing tendency on the part of local authorities to assist the officers of the Government in the work of suppressing this liquor traffic.
Indtutry. — Industrially the Indians are making much progress, particularly in farming. Reports from all parts of the field show that Indians who had not cultivated land have begun to farm, that Indian farmers are extending the acreage they work, and that they are raising larger and more diversified crops than before. The commissioner reports that during the year Indians farming for them- selves had under cultivation at least 700,000 acres o^^^hmd^^i^t 22
BEFOET OF THE SECBETAET OF THE INTEBIOE. 39
reseryations demonstration farms were used that Indians might havB practical illustration of what they can expect to do with their land. In the Southwest, experiments were conducted with the cooperation of the Bureau of Plant Industry of the Department of Agriculture, to determine the most satisfactory crops for Indian lands and to intro- duce profitable new crops.
Apart from farming, Indians all over the country are enteriqg gradually into ordinary industrial activities. During the past year Indians in Arizona and New Mexico were paid wages amounting to $260,000. Two thousand of the 6,000 regular emjdoyees in the Indian Service are themselves Indians.
EAiualion. — ^The work of the Indi»i schools is largely industrial. Each boy or girl spends half of each day in farming, in machine shope, in the bams, or in the laundry, sewing room, or Idtchen. This plan is carried out not only at boarding schools, but also at the 223 day schools maintained. One of the results is that it usually takes an Indian child two years to do the class-room work of an ordinary school year, but it is beUeved that the increase in industrial knowledge more than compensates for this slowness. It has been so well demon- strated that in cases where the Indian is capable of being educated with white children he profits from contact with them, that the service has made every effort to increase the nmnber of Indian chil- dren who get an education in white schools,, and this past year showed more than 11,000 Indian children so educated. Careful investiga- tion in the past year has shown that there are some 9,000 Indian children who are not as yet going to any school, but for whom the Indian Service is now trying to provide facilities. The total number of Indian children in schools of every character during the past year was about 39,800, showing an increase over the former year of about 2,000.
The approximate value of school and agency plants is $8,500,000. In the fiscal year a total of $785,000 was spent for repairs and new construction.
Property. — Allotment of Indian lands in severalty has continued. During the past year approximately 2,000,000 acres were allotted to 13,000 Indians.
The act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat., 855), requiring the Secretary of the Interior to ascertain the heirs of deceased allottees and their competency has greatly increased the work of the Indian Office. Many allotments are now of 20 years' standing, and through diffi- culty in obtaining reliable testimony questions of fact have become hard to solve. During the year the heirs of 800 deceased allottees have been ascertained.
The question of the extent to which leases of allotments should be permitted involves difficult questions. Only for the relatively small class of allottees who are incapacitated for farming or other work is
40 BBPOBT OF THE SECEETABY OF THE IKTEBIOB.
leasing advisable. During the year the sale of 340^000 acres was con- sidered by the Indian Office, and 150,000 acres were sold for a total of almost $2,500,000, an average of $16 an acre.
There are some $10,000,000 on deposit in banks throughout the country to the credit of individual Indians, but only subject to dis- bursement under the supervision of the Indian Service. Able-bodied Indians who can get work are not allowed to use their money for ordinary expenses, but fure Uberally encouraged to use it for build- ing houses, buying stock and farm implements, and generally improv- ing their lands.
Protection of Indians agmnst fraud. — Most of the long-pending suits to annul deeds of their allotted lands made by the Mexican Kickapoo were settled in the Indians' favor. Out of 75 allotments 69 are to be restored with mesne profits, and the Government will use its influence to secure the return of such consideration as the Indians had received. Similar settlements are expected in the remaining sjx cases.
Since the close of the fiscal year prosecutions ia Seminole County; Oklahoma, for frauds against minor and full-blood Indians have resulted in the conviction of 5 of the 6 principal defendants and their sentence to the State pentientiary for terms of from 7 to 14 years, and recently 21 additional indictments were returned against 7 individuals. In McCurtain County, Oklahoma, concerted efforts by State, Federal, and tribal officials resulted in an investigation of probate matters that brought about the resignation of the county judge and the recovery for Indian minors of over 4,100 acres of land and about $65,000; furthermore, State officials have secured an agreement by which three of the largest purchasers are to submit to a special board of arbitra- tion the titles to all lands acquired from Indian minors through the local probate court.
As the outcome of 207 suits involving town lots fraudulently acquired in the Creek Nation $85,000 have been recovered, together with 94 lots worth about $60,000. Twenty-five suits are still pending.
On the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota vigorous action has been taken to annul deeds unlawfully procured from full-blood and minor Indians and to punish the guilty persons. In the fiscal year 901 suits in equity were filed and the total number will be 1,086. Complete success in these suits will mean the recovery of 142,000 acres of land valued at over $2,000,000 and timber estimated to be worth $1,755,000 on behalf of more than 1,700 Indians, forming almost 34 per cent of the White Earth allottees.
Irrigation and drainage. — For the year 1911 Congress appropriated slightly in excess of $1,300,000, all but $259,000 of which was made reimbursable to the United States, for irrigating and draining Indian
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BEPOBT OP THE SBCKETAIIY Of THE tlTTEBIOft, 41
lands. In the State of Washington the Indian Service is very eco- nomically draining 30,000 acres of swamped land. In the course of newirrigation construction under this appropriation the Indian Service during the year provided facilities for irrigatiag about 25,000 acres and through the use of other funds it placed 7,300 acres under ditch Furthermore, the Reclamation Service has had under construction for the Indian Service four extensive projects; the Pima project in Ari* zona, the Blackfeet, Flathead, and Fort Peck projects in Montana.
AIt<^ther, more than 300,000 acres of Indian land have been placed under ditch at a cost of about $6,000,000. The bulk of the money appropriated by Congress for this irrigation is, under the various statutes, to be reimbursed when the lands are in successful cultivation. In constructing irrigation works, care is taken to employ Indian labor as much as is possible. Only a small portion of the acreage placed under ditch has as yet been cultivated by the Indians. There is need of persistent effort to persuade the Indians to use the irrigation facilities provided for them.
Timher. — ^The timber on Indian land is now estimated at 34 billion feet, worth approximately $76,000,000. The work of taking proper care of this timber and disposing of the mature trees is furnishing employment for a veiy considerable number of Indians, as well as increasing the revenue of various tribes and thus fumidiing means for development of the Indian lands. In the past fiscal year no large sales were made. The two most extensive logging operations continued under contracts were at the Bad Kiver Reservation, Wisconsin, where 84,000,000 feet were cut, yielding $503,000, and upon the ceded Chippewa lands in Minnesota, where 80,000,000 feet were cut, yielding $578,000.
The Neopit lumbering and milling project on the Menominee Beservation, in THsconsin, for the first time showed a clear profit — $11,200; the total receipts from sales of manufactured lumber were $424,000. On an average 205 Menominees, slightly in excess of 38 per cent of the male members of the tribe over 18 years of age, were employed, together with 56 Indians of other tribes. Thus the project has become an important school of industry for the Indians.
nVB OIYIUZBD TBIBB8.
Much progress has been made in the matter of closing out the tribal affairs of each of the Five Civilized Tribes. The work of enroll- ment of citizens and allotment of lands has been practically finished.
In the Cherokee Nation some deeds are yet to be delivered, and there remain small amounts of surplus lands which are now being offered for sale. There is also still pending litigation affecting the claims of some 5,600 newborn Cherokees, and another case involving the rights of about 1,720 freedmen who claim to be entitled^to enroU-
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42 BEPOET OF THE SECfifiTABY OF THE INTEBIOB.
ment. Until these suits are disposed of it will be impossible to com- plete the closing out of the affairs of the Cherokee Nation.
In the Creek Nation there are also some deeds yet to be de- livered and some surplus lands yet to be sold^ which it is hoped to close out very shortly. Under the Creek agreement, each citizen was entitled to the allotm^it of land at the appraised value of $1,040. The land actually subject to allotment fell short of this valuation to the amount, in all, of $6,913,291. The funds and resources of the Creek Nation fall far short of this sum. It will therefore be impossible to dose out the affairs of the Cre^^ Nation until additional legislation can be had.
In the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, the distribution of funds to equalize allotments has been continued during the fiscal year. Beside the necessity for completiiig this, there are still four matters to be disposed of. There are 1,142,071 acres of unallotted lands not reserved or segregated which are now being offered for sale at public auction. There are 1,333,324 acres of land reserved from allotment on account of timber. The timber on this land has been reestimated and appraised, and regulations for offering the land and timber for sale at auction are now almost completed. There are also 445,000 acres of segregated coal and asphalt lands in the Choctaw and Chickasaw Nations, considerable portions of which are under coal and asphalt leases. The nations are anxious to have these lands disposed of so that the proceeds may be divided. On this subject the Department has made reports to you and to Congress. Nothing can be done by the Department until appropriate legislation is enacted. There have also been reserved from allotment about 16 sections of matured tim- ber. These lands have been repeatedly offered for sale, but no bid has ever been received equal to the appraised value. If the lands are to be disposed of, apparentiy either lower bids must be accepted or the Department must be authorized to sell the lands upon credit.
The establishment of district agents to aasbt in handling the affairs of restricted members of the Five Civilized Tribes has proven of the greatest benefit both to the Indians concerned and to the Department. The work of these agents has made it possible for the Department to perform its work both more efficiently and more promptiy, and I believe that the questions affecting individual Indians are now being thoroughly well handled.
More than 20,000 suits brought to set aside conveyances of allotted land on the ground that the Indians were incompetent to convey are still pending, awaiting the decision of a case in the United States Supreme Court, which has been submitted and which it is expected will soon be decided. In the meanwhile, however, equitable settie- ments have been reached in a large number of such cases, and the work of settling is steadily progressing.
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BEPOBT OF THE SECBETABT OF THE INTEBIOB. 43
A great deal of work has been done, largely with the aid of the district agents, in protecting the rights of minor Indians who have suffered from negligent and, in some cases, dishonest guardians. Much land and large sums of money have already been recovered.
PENSION OFFICE.
At the beginning of the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, there were 921,083 pensionms on the roll. There were added thereto during the year 26,200, made up of original allowances, restorations, and renew- als. There were dropped therefrom 56,186, occasioned by death, remarriage, minors attaining the age of 16 years, failure to claim f<H: three years, and all other causes, making a net reduction in the roU of 28,986, and leaving the total number on the roll at the close of the year of all classes 892,098, of whom 670,060 were soldiers and sailors, 321,642 were widows and depend^its, and 406 were Army nurses.
The unexpended balances of the appropriations at the dose of the fiscal year covered into tlie Treasury were as follows:
For pensions $182,199.39
For medical examinations 43, 284. 67
For salaries and clerk hire, pension agencies 15^ 492. 85
For rent and contingent expenses 10,027.98
For inepection of agencies 1« 331. 05
For salaries, Bureau of Pensions 16, 430. 04
For salaries, per diem, and expenses of special examiners 22, 780. 66
Total 291.496.64
The amount expended for pensions during the year was $167,325,160.35, a decrease as compared with the previous year of $2,648,895.73. The cost of administration in connection with the adjudication of claims and the payment of pensions was $2,517,127.06, a reduction in the running expenses of the Bureau and agencies in one year of $140,546.80. This is the smallest amount paid in any one year for such administration for 29 years.
The appropriations for the current expenses of the Bureau of Pen- sions and agencies for the fiscal year 1912 show a reduction of $629,650 as compared with similar appropriations for 1909.
There was disbursed for pensions from July 1, 1790, to June 30, 1865, $96,445,444.23. From July 1, 1865, to June 30, 1911, the total disbursements for pensions were $4,183,936,285.93. The expenses and cost of maintenance for the same period were $120,879,861.74, making a total of disbursements since July 1, 1865, of $4,254,816,147.67.
At the beginning of the year the number of applicatiiHis pendiiig of all kinds was 47,295. At the close of the year tiiere were pending 36,793 applications, exclusive of a laige number placed in the aban- doned files. The total number of applications filed during the year
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44 HEPOM 61^ THE SECBETAftY OF THE INTEMOB.
was 120,814. There were admitted during the year 92,274 daims; rejected, 30,980; adjudicated where no benefits were derived 'other than those rejected, 1,065; making the total number of claims of all classes adjudicated 124,319.
Allowances of accrued pension were made in 20,618 cases, being issues for payment in cases of deceased pensioners from date of last payment to date of death.
There have been granted since 1861 by special acts 35,987 pensions, of which number 22,323 are now on the roll with an annual face value of $6,611,357. Only a part of this amount, however, is properly chargeable to special acts, as most of the beneficiaries had been pre- viously pensioned under the general laws at lower rates. During the third session of the Sixty-first Congress 3,586 persons were included in special acts.
Ilie largest number of pensioners on the roll at the close of any fiscal year was on June 30, 1902, when the total was 999,446. There has been a net decrease of more than 100,000 in the last six years, and the number is now less than at any time since 1892.
Since the passage of the act of March 3, 1899, providing for division of pensions of resident pensioners of the United States who shall desert their wives or minor chUdern? or who are inmates of National or State soldiers' and sailors' homes, 13,423 claims have been filed thereunder, 7,209 of which have been allowed and 5,987 rejected, leaving 227 pending.
Three bounty land warrants were issued dining the year, granting 480 acres of land. The total number of such warrants issued to the close of the fiscal year 1911 is 598,685, granting 68,791,550 acres.
On June 30, 1911, there were also pending 1,427 claims for expenses of last sickness and burial of deceased pensioners. There were dis- posed of during the year 7,574 claims, of which number 5,808 were allowed, 1,166 disallowed, and 600 abandoned.
There were 59 new cases presented to the Department of Justice on account of offenses against the pension laws, and indictments found in 57 cases. There were 53 cases brought to trial during the year, in 51 of which convictions were secured. Only three of these cases were against persons who had rendered military or naval service. At the close of the year there were 109 cases pending in the hands of United States attorneys. Two civil suits were instituted; one was disposed of and a judgment for $538.54 obtained, and one dismissed by reason of a heavy fine being imposed upon the defendant in a criminal case. There was recovered $2,407.94.
As a matter of historical interest it is noted that the last pensioner of the Revolutionary War died during the past year. The last sur- viving pensioned soldier of that war died ia 1869, and the last widow pensioner of that war died in 1906. The last surviving pensioned
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REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. 45
soldier of the War of 1812 died in 1905. There are now 279 widows of that war on the roll.
The law now requires each pensioner to present a voucher to the pension agent, executed after the pension has become due, before a check may be issued in payment thereof. This system is very expensiye to the Goyemment as well as to the pensioner. The Com- missioner of Pensions, in response to a provision contained in the last appropriation act directing him to formulate a simplified plan for the payment of pensions, recommends that discretionary authority shall be granted whereby pensions may be paid without vouchers. The plan recommended provides for payment by check mailed to the last-known address of the payee. Postmasters are to be required to return the check for cancellation if the pensioner has died or remarried if a widow. The unpaid pension to the date of death of the pensioner will then be disposed of in accordance with the law, which provides specifically for tiie payment of accrued pension. The plan also provides that postmasters shall be required to report promptly to the proper office the death of any pensioner or the remarriage if a widow, in order that checks may not be issued in such cases. The check to be used will contain a provision to the effect that it is void if the payee shall have died or remarried if a widow prior to date of issue. It will be payable only when person- ally indorsed in ink by the payee, in the presence of two responsible witnesses, who shall certify to the identity of the payee with the pensioner named in the check and pension certificate. The plan further provides a penalty for forgery in the indorsement of the check, receiving payment of check upon a fo^ed indorsement, or receiving payment of pension for any period subsequent to reenlistment, remarriage, or termination of period of dependence.
Under the plan proposed checks would be prepared and ready for mailing on the 4th of the payment month, many pensioners receiv- ing their checks on that date. The pensioners will be saved the expense of the execution of pension vouchers and the delay often due to the return of faulty vouchers for correction. It is estimated that the cost to the pensioners in the execution of their vouchers is nearly $1,000,000 per annum.
The plan proposed will save to the Government the expense of printing, preparing, and mailing about 4,000,000 vouchers and the furnishing of 4,000,000 envelopes each year in which to return the vouchers for payment.
The Government will likewise be saved the expense of employing a large number of temporary clerks at the agencies during each quarterly payment.
The plan recommended by the commissioner shows that great care has been observed in working out the details to insure its sue-
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46
REPOBT OF THE SECRETABY OF THE INTEBIOE.
cessful operation. As it is shown to be along the line of economy and efficiency in the public service and will undoubtedly be greatly to the advantage of the pensioners, the same meets with my most hearty approval.
APPBAIiS IK PENSION AND BOUNTY IiAND CIiAIMS.
The number of appeals and motions for reconsideration pending at the beginning of the fiscal year July 1, 1910, and those filed during the year, their disposition, and the number pending July 1, 1911, is shown by the following table:
|
Pending Julyl, 1910. |
FUed during the year. |
Rein- stated. 1 |
TotaL |
Di9. posed of. |
Pending |
|
|
Orieinal merit appeato |
233 4 |
78 |
78 |
3,916 46 77 |
m |
|
|
Fe© SPPfialif . r r , r |
1 |
|||||
|
Motion fiirraoonaidentioa |
1 |
|||||
|
Total |
337 |
3,313 |
1 |
8,570 |
8,088 |
833 |
In 186 cases the Pension Office was reversed^ and in 118 cases the Commissioner of Pensions reported that upon reconsideration the adverse action taken by the Bureau was receded from and asked per- mission to allow appellants' contention. The Department, after con- sidering such cases, decided that the action proposed by the Bureau was warranted under the law and the eyidence, and the papers therein were returned to the Bureau for final action and favorable adjudication. There were also during the year returned to the Bureau for further action and report 1 18 cases for the reason that upon review it was found that additional and material evidence had been filed which had not been considered by the Bureau, or that a special exam- ination or another medical examination was thought necessary, or for various reasons the claims had not been properly adjudicated. At the close of the year there were 12 of such cases pending, which are included in the total number of pending appeals as shown by the table.
Although there is a material increase in the number of appeals left pending and undisposed of at the end of the last fiscal year, and the total number finally disposed of by the board during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1910, largely exceeded the total number disposed of during the last fiscal year, this is fully accounted for by the reduction of the working force of the board and a comparison shows that the average number of cases disposed of per member during the last year was greater than during the preceding year.
The provisions of the legislative, executive, and judicial appro- priation act, approved March 4, 1911, having abolished the Board of Pension Appeals and transferred the duties theretofore performed
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sEPcmx or the secbetaby of the intebiob. 47
by it to the office of the Assistant Attorney General for the Depart- ment of the Interior, the present report shows the final work of the board and the termination of its labors.
The figures shown by the foregoing tabulated statements demon- strate that the rapid falling off in the number of pension cases pre- sented to the Dep^menton appeal which was anticipated when the legislation above referred to was enacted has not been realized, and the fact that there has been a steady increase during the past year in the number of cases left pending and undisposed of at the close of each month, and a gradual fatting behind in the docket notwithstanding the individual output of work by the members and employees of the board has markedly increased, would suggest that this work can not be successfully accomplished with less than the present workii^ force.
I would, therefore, recommend that the Board of Pension Appeals be reestablidied at the earliest possible date with at least the same working force provided for said board by the appropriation act for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911. Provision might be made, as heret(rfore, that any vacancies occurring on the board by death, resignation, or otherwise should not be filled, thereby anticipating the decrease in the number of appeals taken that may be expected in a few years.
PATENT OFFICE.
Ihiring the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911, there were received 65,154 applications for mechanical patents, 1,315 applications for de- signs, 206 applications for reissues, 6,857 applications for trade-marks, 879 applications for labels, and 266 applications for prints. There were 34,428 patents granted, including reissues and designs, and 3,791 trade-marks, 576 labels, and 181 prints were registered. The num- ber of patents that expired was 22,546. The number of allowed appli- cations which were by operation of law forfeited for nonpayment of the final fees was 7,098. The total receipts of the office were $1,987,778.58; the total expenditures were $1,957,001.85; and the net surplus of receipts over expenditures was $30,776.73. The total net surplus for all years of receipts over expenditures of all kinds Gncluding salaries of the force) is now $7,029,004.73. This surplus covered into the Treasiuy represents the net earnings of the Bureau, and it has all been paid by the inventors.
The commissioner calls attention to the great need for legislation providix^ for the elimination of one of the appeals within the Patent Ofi^oe. The commissioner states that, under the present law, appeab are considered twice by the tribunals within the office, which is not only a duplication of work, thereby causing great delay in the prose- cution of applications, but an additional and unnecessary burden of expense to inventors in the matter of a\)peals and attorneys' fees.
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48 BBPOBT OF THE SECEBTABY OF THE INTBBIOB.
He also recommends legislation requiring the filing of photographic copies of drawings to accompany applications for patents for the purpose of more fully safeguarding the records of the office from un- authorized changes and reducing the chances of attempted fraud during the prosecution of the application.
I concur in the conmiissioner's reconmiendation for legislation to authorize him to issue certificates of correction in certain cases where mistakes have been made by the office or by the Public Printer; also for provision by law that applications shall be completed and prepared for examination within six months after filing of the application.
The commissioner urgently reconmiends that provision be made for more room for housing the United States Patent Office. The present structure is not fireproof and is filled with tons of inflamma- ble material; comprising the secret archives of the office, which, if destroyed; would work untold damage to the commercial interests of the country. The District of Columbia fire department officials have pronounced the building unsafe as to fire, and the engineers of the War Department have said that the walls siiould be lightened of their load.
The oonmiissioner suggests that a suitable building be rented for the Patent Office, to be used until the present building could be thor- oughly remodeled, and if thought desirable when that is done the bureaus which are now in rented quarters, such as the Geological Survey, the Reclamation Service, and the Bureau of Mines, could be housed in the remodeled present building and a new building erected to accommodate the annually increasing force and volume of busi- ness of the Patent Office while that bureau was occupying temporary quarters. He urges that the Patent Office be given immediate and special relief and that part, at least, of the S7,000,000 in excess of the expenditures of the Patent Office be used to furnish larger and better quarters, with modem facilities for the force, which would then be in a position to accomplish the best possible results in the work for which the inventors pay the total cost.
BUREAU OF EDUCATION.
We have no national system of education. The several States have th^ own systems, and it has been and is the policy of the Fed- eral Government not to interfere in any way with their schools, public or private; but it has been just as clearly its policy to foster education in all the States, not only by appropriations of money and lands, but in other ways not contrary to Uie accepted theory of the relation of the Federal and State Governments. For this purpose nearly half a century ago the Bureau of Education was established and attached to the Department of the Interior for the purpose of "collecting such statistics and facts as shall show the condition and progress of edu- cation in the several States and Territories and of diffusing suchiinf or-
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KEPOBT OF THE SEGBETABY OF THE INTEBIOR. 49
mation respecting the organization and management of schools and school systems and methods of teaching as shall aid the people of the United States in the establishment and maintenance of efficient school systems, and otherwise promote the cause of education throughout the country." From year to year this Bureau has pub- lished statistical reports and many valuable studies of various prob- lems of education, by the help of which school officers and teachers in each of the States have been enabled to know the progress of education in other States and throughout the world, and legislatures have been able to consider educational measures in the light of the experience of other States and the world at large.
Much more than half the children in the United States Uve under rural conditions in small towns, villages, and open country. * All their education must be had in the rural schools. While the schools in the great cities are constantly the subject of study, there is no means of studying the comparative methods and development of rural schools in different conmiunities except through the Bureau of Edu- cation. I beUeve the work of the Bureau should, therefore, be espe- cially directed to this end, and that it should be afforded men and means sufficient to enable it to make such study of the needs of rural schools as will be a help to all parts of the country. The prob- lems of the rural school are admitted to be the most difficult of all school problems, but this Bureau has in the past been able to give very little direct help toward this solution. There is great need in the Bureau for a comparatively large group of competent men and women giving their entire time and energies to these problems, with freedom, under the direction of the commissioner, to study them directly or indirectly wherever they can be studied to best advantage, prepare bulletins on the various phases of these problems for the general information of the people, to cooperate with national. State, and local committees constituted for their study by governments and various organizations and societies, and to go to any part of the country to give direct and specific assistance whenever needed. Such a division in the Bureau might in a very few years add much to the effectiveness of all country schools.
Over all the world the demand for industrial or vocational educa- tion is growing. In this country teachers and laymen in urban and rural conmiunities alike are demanding that the schools shall do some- thing to prepare the masses of boys and girls for effective service in some industrial occupation, fit them to make a living, and to contrib- ute their part to the Commonwealth. How this shall be done and in what kind of schools is still uncertain. Experiments of many kinds have been tried in many places. Much money has been spent on these experiments and much more will be spent more or less wisely.
U355'— INT 1911--V0L 1 4
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50 REPORT OF THE SBCRBTABY OF THE INTERIOR.
I believe the Bureau of Education can render very valuable service in this connection^ and for that purpose it should have a group of competent specialists and assistants to study the various phases of the problem; bring together and digest the work and reports of socie- ties, committees, and commissionB; help toward the formulation of fundamental principles; and assist State, city, and county boards of supervisors in working out their practical appUcation.
Twenty million or more children and young people in the United States spend a good portion of their time in school every year. The indoor sedentary life required by the work and discipline of the school is more or less unnatural for childhood and youth, and unless the con- ditions under which the school work is done are intelligently con- trolled there is constant danger that the health of the pupils may be injured, their vitality lowered, and their happiness and their value as citizens diminished. The country is fundamentally concerned in the health of its future citizens and should give to it no less attention than it gives to its live stock. To this end the Division of School Hygiene and Sanitation recently established in the Bureau of Education should be strengthened by the addition of a sufficient num- ber of competent assistants and clerks to enable it to do its work effectively, studying principles of school sanitation, working out plans for their application, awakening interest in the subject among school officers, teachers, and patrons throughout the country, and assisting them in the care and health of the children in the schools.
The increase of the interest throughout the country in secondary and higher education has been greater even than in elementary edu- cation. Appropriations for colleges, universities, technical schools, and normal schools for the training of teachers have increased nearly 200 per cent in the past decade, and the increase in appropriations for the agricultural and mechanical colleges has been still larger. With this increase in interest and expenditures has come an increase in demands on the Division of Higher Education in this Bureau, and it should be strengthened immediately by the addition of specialists in normal-school education for the training of teachers. There is par- ticular need for a specialist in agricultural education, who may give his time to the agricultural and mechanical coUeges for negroes in the Southern States and help them to a better use of the funds they receive from the Government. Because of lack of some such intelli- gent supervision and help many of these schools are failing to accom- plish the full purpose for which the Federal funds are appropriated.
Because of the peculiar nature of the work which this Bureau has to do it is especially important that the Commissioner of Education and the heads of the various divisions should be enabled to visit schools in all parts of the country, attepd meetings of educational associations, confer with school officers and teachers, and make the Bureau more directly useful. For this purpose there shauld be Mberal
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appropriations for traveling expenses, and an assistant commissioner should be provided to carry on the routine duties of the oflBlce during the absences of the commissioner.
The Bureau should be able to gather full and accurate statistics in regard to education and to publish them promptly. The recent increase in the number, size, and kinds of schools makes this a very difficult task and there is need of radical revision in the method of doing it. This can be done, it is believed, with little additional cost if the reconmiended enlargements in the Bureau are made.
The Bureau of Education now has one of the most valuable and complete libraries on education in the world, and it should be made more serviceable not only to the Bureau itself but also to students of education everywhere. To students and investigators in all phases of education it should become a chief soiu'ce of information, and all of its material should be made easily accessible to them. For this purpose there should be employed b man weU versed in the theory and practice of education, whose services would be at the dis- posal of such students and who might assist them in their studies and uivestigations.
During the year ended June 30, 1911, there were maintained 81 public schools for natives of Alaska, with an enrollment of 3,810 and an average daily attendance of 1,692. This average attendance b much lower than it should be. There is need of a law requiring the children of natives of Alaska between the ages of 6 and 15 to attend school at all times when the families of such children are in a village having a school. The appropriation for their education should be increased from S200,000 to $248,000, so that more attention may be given to instruction in sanitation and industries.
The experience of the Bureau of Education in endeavoring through its employees to furnish medical relief to the natives of Alaska demonstrated the desirability of authoritative study of the preva* lence of disease among the natives of Alaska and of the means for its prevention. During the sunmier of 1911 Dr. Milton H. Foster, detailed from the Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service, made a thorough investigation of the sanitary conditions among the natives of southern Alaska. As the result of his investigations. Dr. Foster recommended the following measures, which require action on the part of Congress: (1) The establishment of a sanitarium for cases of pulmonary tuberculosis requiring hospital treatment; (2) the estab- lishment of a home for destitute blind and crippled natives; (3) authority for the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health and Marine-Hospital Service to appoint one of the officers of that service to act as commissioner of public health for Alaska.
The reindeer in Alaska are being gradually turned over to the natives and they now own about 55 per cent of the total number, while the Qovenunent now owns only 14 per cent. Of the 42 herds, Z
52 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
36 are cared for entirely by natives, whose net income therefrom during the year 1909-10 was $24,656.09. During the past year 40 reindeer were delivered to the Department of Commerce and Labor for use in stocking St. Paul and St. Geoi^e Islands in Bering Sea.
TERRITORIES.
For the purpose of centralizing information regarding the Terri- tories, and, in so far as the law permits, to place their administration under the Department of the Interior, an order was issued by the President May 11, 1907, and subsequently amended to read as foUows:
It is hereby ordered that on and after May 1, 1909, all official communicatioDS or reports from and to executive officers of the Territories and territorial poesessioiiB of the United States, viz, Arizona, Hawaii, New Mexico, Porto Rico, Alaska, Samoa, and Guam, and all official communications or reports relating to territorial mattera from and to all executive officers of the United States stationed in such Territories and territorial possessions shall be transmitted directly to the heads of the depart- ments ef the Government as provided by law, and in all cases where the acts of Con- gress do not specifically designate the department to which reports shall be trans- mitted the same shall be forwarded to the Secretary of the Interior in such manner and under such regulations as he may prescribe.
By Executive order dated July 15, 1909, Porto Rico was transferred to the Insular Bureau of the War Department.
AI^ASKA.
Conditions in Alaska call for immediate action by Congress. Its proper administration and development can not be accomplished under existing laws. These laws neither promote development nor protect the public interest. After a careful examination of official reports and other publications, and a personal visit to the Territory during the past sunamer, I had occasion to present the opinions thus formed before the American Mining Congress at Chicago on Septem- ber 27, 1911. The general policy outlined in that address had been discussed with you and you have since given public approval to its specific reconamendations. With some modifications and with a map of Alaska indicating its present mineral development this address has been reprinted as Bulletin 36 of the Bureau of Mines and has received such general publicity that I do not deem it necessary to restate in detail the views therein expressed. It is available for all those who are interested in its suggestions. I do wish, however, to urge with great earnestness the importance of inmiediate relief for Alaska in the following particulars:
First. The construction by the Federal Government of a central trunk-line railroad from tidewater to the Tanana and the Yukon.
Second. The passage of a hberal but carefully guarded leasing law for the development of its mineral resources, and especially of its coal lands. ^ I
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Third. The reservation of a sufficient amount of these coal lands to provide for the future needs of the Navy, and the mining of this coal by the Grovemment for this purpose.
Fourth. More liberal appropriations for aids to navigation, such as lights and buoys.
Fifth. More liberal appropriations for the construction of roads and traib.
Sixth. The adoption of a form of territorial government better adapted to its remote situation and peculiar local conditions.
In the address to which reference has been made the advantages of and the justification for a Government railroad in Alaska were fuUy discussed, and the opinion was expressed that the Government should take over and complete the construction of the so-called Alaska Central or Alaska Northern Railroad, leading from Seward, on Resur- rection Bay, through the Matanuska coal field to the Tanana and the Yukon. Since then the official representatives of the present owners of this railroad have definitely stated their willingness to turn it over to the Federal Government at a fair valuation to be appropriately determined. The Department of Agriculture has also furnished a statement of the results of its experimental work at Rampart and at Fairbanks, showing the agricultural probabilities of these northerly portions of the Yukon and the Tanana Valleys. The letter con- taining this statement is reprinted as an exhibit to this report. The following quotation conservatively states the general conclusion reached:
As a result of 10 years' active work this Department believes in the possibility of developing an agriculture for Alaska that will be comparable with that of northern Europe, where conditions are somewhat similar, such as in parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. It is believed that agriculture will supplement any other industry that may be developed in Alaska, and it is possible that ultimately oats and barley can be gro^n in sufficient quantity to supply not only local demands but a surplus for exportation. It is probable that stock raising can be made a success and dairying become profitable, as the period of winter feeding and protection is not much, if any, longer than is now required in many other regions where these industries are cairied on.
The Secretary of the Navy states that there should be reserved in Alaska for the uses of the Navy for the next 50 years suflScient high- grade coal to supply an average of 400,000 tons a year. There are portions of both the Bering River and Matanuska fields from which the Geological Survey believes the high-grade coal needed for Navy use can be obtained. It is estimated that not less than 2,500 acres of this land should be reserved for this purpose, to be carefully selected after systematic prospecting and drilling.
Careful consideration of the provisions of an appropriate leasing law for the coal lands of Alaska is being continued through the Director of the Biu'eau of Mines, who is receiving the cordial and
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54 BBPOBT OF THE SBCBBTABY OP THE INTEBIOB.
helpful cooperation of men of wide practical experience in the busi« ness of mining coal^ with the view of suggesting such changes in or substitutes for bills on this subject which are now pending in Con- gress as may be found desirable. In this connection I invite atten- tion to the following paragraph from Bulletin 36 of the Bureau of Mines:
The statutes of Colorado, Montana, and Idaho provide for leasing State lands con- taining, stone, coal, coal oil, gas, or other mineral. Colorado and Montana require a minimum royalty of 10 cents a ton for coal mined on such land. Montana prohibits the sale of its coal lands but authorizes the lease of the surface for agricultural or graz- ing purposes. It also requires the locator of a mining claim for gold, silver, and other metals, at the expiration of one year from the date of the location, either to purchase the claim at |10 per acre or take a lease thereof at such price and upon such terms as may be agreed upon between him and the State Board of Land Commissioners. Idaho also authorizes leases of State land containing precious metals. Minnesota authorizes leases of State land containing iron ore. North Dakota provides for the leasing of coal lands at a royalty of 10 cents per ton . Oregon and Washington provide for leasing State lands containing gold, silver, lead, cinnabar, or other valuable minerals. Wyoming authorizes the State Land Board to lease on a royalty baeils State or school lands sup- posed to contain coal, oil, or minerals, the royalty not to exceed 10 per cent of the gross output of mineral or oil, and not exceed 10 cents per ton for coal. Some of the States above noted limit the leases to five years with provision for renewal, some to 50 years, and some to a period to be fixed in the discretion of the State, land officials.
The whole subject of the encouragement and regulation of ocean transportation between Alaska and the rest of the United States should be given careful consideration with a view to the prompt enact- ment of needed legislation and the appropriation of the necessary money. All doubt as to the jurisdiction of the Interstate Commerce Commission over this traffic, as well as over the railroads of Alaska, should be removed and the necessary steps should be taken to ensure adequate terminal facilities and the prevention of discrimination in their use. I call attention especially to the following quotation from the annual report of the governor of Alaska:
Although more aids to navigation have been installed on the Alaska coast in the last few months than in the whole history of the Territory heretofore, the number of these aids, relatively to the great expanse of the coast line, is still woefully small. Since April, 1910, there have been installed 41 lights, 1 fog signal, and 18 buoys. The first number given, however, includes 4 oil lights which were converted from oil burners to acetylene gaa burners. The adaptation of the acetylene light in recent years to the piurpose of lighting waterways has proved to be a great boon and has revolutionized the estimates of cost for aids to navigation in Alaska. In many situa- tions among the tortuous channels of the inland passages on the Alaska coast an acetylene lens lantern, which is inexpensive to build and to maintain, serves a better purpose than a costly lighthouse, requiring the constant services of resident keepers. No very large appropriation of money has been made for aids to navigation in Alaska, but the development of the acetylene apparatus has made it possible to accomplish a great deal in the last year and a half.
There is a crying need, however, for several high-order lights to mark dangerous points where minor lights will not serve the purpose, and where it is necesssry to have
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tog signals as well as li^ts * * *. These lights will be expensive, but the lack of proper aids at these and many other points in Alaska has caused the wreck of many fnasenger and freight steamships. Thirteen steamers of large tonnage, all of them carrying passengers, have been wrecked on the routes between Puget Sound and Alaska in the last three years and a half. Seven have been wrecked in the first nine months of 1911. The establishment of proper aids to navigation is a matter of as large economic importance, probably, as any otlxer project for the development of Alaska. It is not only imperative that the lives of thousands of passengers be protected by this means, but that valuable property be conserved; and, by making navigation leas hazardous, the rates of marine insurance, and hence of transportation and cost of supplies, reduced. It is probable that the sum of 1400,000 would defray the cost of every remaining lighthouse project in Alaska that has thus fax been examined and approved by the Lighthouse Establishment. It is earnestly urged that appropria- tions at least four times as laige as those made for the current year be authorized at the coming session of Congress.
To demonstrate the imperative need of additional roads and trails in Alaska, it is only necessary to call attention to the fact that, as reported in 1910, in a territory as large as one-fifth of the main body of the United States there had been constructed since the oi^anization of the board of road commissioners for Alaska a total of only 759 miles of wagon roads, 507 miles of sled roads suitable for 2-horse sleds, 661 miles suitable for single horse or dog sleds, 85 miles of trail staked permanently, and approximately 1,170 miles of trails temporarily staked. The maintenance cost of even this small system makes serious inroads on the total funds available for the construction of roads and trails. The subject is one calling for special consideration in connection with any modification of the territorial government. If Alaska is to be developed, adequate provision must be made for these primary means of transportation. I believe that Federal aid should be. continued and increased and indeed that the Federal Government should make liberal appropriations in addition to the revenues which can be derived from the Territory itself. The revenues derived from the leasing of its coal and other lands should be devoted to the development of the Territory after the necessary expenses of administration have been paid.
The fact that the Federal Government has heretofore made direct appropriation for the benefit of the Territory and that increased appropriations are needed constitutes one of the chief arguments against the extension of the principle of territorial independence and territorial responsibility to Alaska. Taken in consideration with the comparatively small and widely scattered population and the inadequate means for transportation and conmiunication, it would seem to demonstrate that a commission form of government would best meet the existing situation. Such a commission could consist of appointed representatives of the Federal Government and locally elected representatives of the Territory itself. To it could be trans- ferred under appropriate limitations the authority to make territo-
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56 BEPOBT OF THE SECBETABY OF THE INTEBIOB.
rial laws and regulations such as are now sadly needed. Among these needs are some of the fundamental requisites of modern civi- lized society, such as the regulation of the public health, sanitation, and quarantine; the registration of marriages, births, and deaths; poor reUef, compulsory school attendance; supervision of banking institutions, etc. The distance of the Territory from Washington and the constant demands of other affairs upon Congress make it practically certain that matters of this character will receive proper attention only from a local legislative body. The improvement of its transportation f acihties, the development of its natural resources, and the increase of its population — all of which seem certain to fol- low the enactment of remedial legislation — will enable the Territory to furnish the revenues needed for its local government, and will then entitle it to the same measure of territorial independence which upon the same basis has been given to other territories.
The annual report of the governor gives an account of the progress of the Territory during the year. The population haa remained prac- tically stationary and is now slightly less than 66,000, about equally divided between whites and natives. The improvement of the natives has not been as rapid as could be desired, chiefly because they are exposed to the temptations of intoxicating Uquor. The great extent to which municipal expenses are paid from funds arising from liquor licenses has added to the difficulties of restricting this traffic and illus- trates the unsatisfactory manner in which the local government is now carried on. The assessment of property for taxation is re- stricted to the incorporated towns. Several of these made no assess- ment of taxable property and levied no taxes during the year. One or two have never done so. However, action taken by the governor during the year has resulted in holding 20 white "whisky peddlers" for the action of the grand jury under the law making the selling or giving of Uquor to natives a felony. The appropriation of $12,000 for the enforcement of this law should be renewed, as it is beyond question that the sale of liquor to the Alaskan Indians, if continued, can not fail to destroy the race. From 3,500 to 4,000 natives have received substantial benefit from the action of the Government in 1892 in introducing reindeer, which now number about 35,000.
The Territory entirely lacks any adequate laws for the protection of public health. There is no provision for establishing quarantine to prevent the introduction or spread of contagious diseases except in the incorporated towns. In like manner there is no law to enforce any of the ordinary rules of sanitation. The result is disastrous to the natives and also a menace to the white population, chiefly on ac- count of the communication to it of diseases prevalent among the natives. There is no law in the Territory for the registration of mar- riages, births, or deaths. Such records are important tq the miblic
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BEPORT OF THE SECRETARV OP THE INTERIOR, 57
and to the protection of property rights, especially of widows and orphans. Some general law should be passed upon the subject without waiting for any change in the form of territorial government.
The Government expends about $240,000 annually for education in Alaska, and in addition the incorporated towns expend for schools a considerable sum. The public schools outside of the incorporated towns have been administered by the governor's office more efficiently than hitherto. Better methods of jfbcounting have been introduced and manual training departments have been established in some of the larger schools. The statutory limit of $1,000 for the construction of a school building is reported to be insufficient to cover the cost. The suggestion is made that the maximum should be raised to $2,500, so that buildings may be constructed at a cost varying from this maxi- mum to $1,200, which is the smallest amount for which a suitable building can be constructed in any of the towns. To make the system effective the law should compel attendance. This is especially neces- sary for the native children, for whom there are about 80 schools, administered by the Bureau of Education through a general superin- tendent and four district superintendents in Alaska.
Alaska's greatest resources are her minerals, and in the develop- ment of these the precious metals still hold the predominant place. The shipments of domestic gold and silver to the States during the last fiscal year amounted to $15,171,008, a sum greater than the value of the shipments of other commodities combined, and but slightly less than the importation of merchandise into Alaska from the States. The statistics of commerce have shown an increase in the value of the shipments other than gold and silver from Alaska to the States. Canned salmon and copper ore were the items which increased most. The increase in the copper shipments was largely in the last three months of the fiscal year, because of the completion of the Copper River Railroad and a larger increase is to be expected. The coal used in Alaska for all purposes during the year was 116,000 tons. The prices on the coast have ranged from $10 a ton at Juneau to $21.30 at Nome. The inadequate laws, the pending contests on private entries, and the general withdrawal of the coal lands have combined to prevent the development of Alaskan coal. The coal used has been imported and less than one-tliird of it has come from the United States. In the interior, wood is the fuel in general use for all purposes, while on the coast oil is supplanting coal, and the rail- roads and steamship lines of Alaska and the interior Pacific coast are being equipped for tliis fuel, the supply for which is drawn from the California oil fields. The fishing industry stands second to min- mg in its productiveness. It employs upward to 15,000 persons, and $20,000,000 has been invested. The finished product had an export value of over $10,000,000, which is an increase^of over
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58 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR.
$2,000,000. The recent season was the most prosperous ever experi- enced, due chiefly to an increase in the prices of the product, although it is probable that the pack of canned salmon was the largest ever produced. The halibut fishery quadrupled its output in 1910 and more than quadrupled the price received for it, which that year was over $800,000, The statistics for the season of 1911 when completed are expected to show a still further increase.
Many changes in the laws and regulations are necessary for the encouragement and protection of the fisheries. The effective co- operation of Federal and local authorities for this purpose could be brought about by such a commission as has been suggested. The governor's report, however, calls attention to some changes which should be made immediately, such as prohibiting the taking of herring for the manufacture of fertilizer and oil; the regulation of the number of salmon canneries; the readjustment of taxes; the mainte- nance of public fish hatcheries, and the discontinuance of the system under which tlie maintenance of private hatcheries entitles the canning establishments to tax rebates. The governor also calls attention to the need of additional legislation for the better protec- tion of the fur-bearing animals.
During the year $548,447 worth of lumber was shipped from the United States to Alaska, being about the same amoimt that has been shipped annually for the past five years. The record of timber cut from the national forests in Alaska during the past year shows over 28,000,000 board feet, for which approximately $30,000 was paid. Timber outside of the national forests is used for domestic and other local purposes and the regulations governing its use are now under- going revision with a view to making this timber more readily available.
The report of the governor contains many other suggestions and discusses conditions in detail. It should receive careful considera- tion by Congress.
ARIZONA AND NEW MEXICO.
The time draws near when the governmental affairs of Arizona and New Mexico will have no place in the annual report of the Secretary of the Interior. Under the enabling act of Congress approved June 20, 1910 (36 Stat., 57), a convention was elected in each Territory and framed a State constitution, which was approved by a vote of the people in January, 1911. On August 21, 1911, the President ap- proved a joint resolution (37 Stat., 39) authorizing him to issue his proclamation admitting Arizona and New Mexico into the Union on the following conditions:
That there should be submitted to and adopted by the voters of Arizona a substitute for Article VIII of the pending constitution excepting the judiciary from the operation of recall by popular vote.
REPOET OF THE SECRETABY OF THE INTEBIOE. 59
In that event the Territory will be admitted to statehood upon the completion of the necessary formaUties.
That there should be submitted to the electors of New Mexico for adoption or rejection a substitute for Article XIX of the pending con- stitution proyiding an easier method of amendment in the future. The governor reports that this substitute was adopted at an election held November 7, when State officers and Eepresentatives in Congress were also voted for. The issuance of the President's proclamation awaits the due certification of the results of this election.
Both Territories have developed sufficiently to fuUy justify their admission into the Union. Arizona's population is estimated at 225^000, an increase of approximately 10 per cent since the census of 1910 was taken. That of New Mexico was 327,301 in 1910, and is now estimated at 340,000. The increase of population is especially notable in the irrigated valleys, and therefore indicates not only pres- ent but permanent stability and prosperity. The annual revenues of each Territory slightly exceed $1 ,000,000. The annual expenditures of Arizona are slightly in excess of, and those of New Mexico slightly less than^ said sum. The assessed valuation of the taxable property of Arizona is $98,032,708.64 and that of New Mexico $60,048,880.75, an increase of $11,906,482.29 and $1,735,754.57, respectively, over 1910. The tax rate for each Territory is 10 mills, and the debt of each slightly less than $1,000,000.
HAWAU.
The jurisdiction of the Department of the Interior over Hawaii is exceedingly limited. While the governor and some other territorial officials are appointed by the President, the islands are largely self- governing, under authority and limitations contained in the acts of Congress. Under the joint resolution of July 7, 1898, providing for mmexing the Hawaiian Islands to the United States, Congress pro- vided that the existing laws of the United States relative to the public lands should not apply to such lands in the Hawaiian Islands, but that special laws for their management and disposition should be enacted by Congress. Certain changes were made by intermediate legislation, and in 1910 Congress, by the act of May 27 of that year, made many important changes in the laws relating to public lands in the Territory. It has been held by this Department that there is no appellate jurisdiction in the Secretary of the Interior respecting decisions of the territorial officers in regard to the pubUc lands, and this Department has never been called upon to administer those laws. It has occasionally been asked for advice by the territorial author- ities, and on one occasion an appeal was attempted but dismissed.
The annual report of the governor of Hawaii points out that imports and exports aggregated $69,451,163, which, although less by $2,173,796 than for the preceding year, was greater by ^22^^
60 REPORT OF THE eEORETARY OE THE INTERIOR.
than the largest amount before that; they have increased 125 per cent in the 11 years of territorial government. The imports were $27,512,580, an increase of $2,374,333, and the exports $41,938,- 583, a decrease of $4,547,829. About 90.5 per cent of the trade was with the mainland of the United States, the imports from which have practically doubled within seven years. The inward tonnage was 1,343,876, an increase of 35,075, and the outward tonnage slightly greater. The tonnage has increased 40 per cent during territorial government. Nearly 95 per cent in value of the freight was carried in American bottoms. The customs receipts were $1,654,761.34, an increase of $79,442.19, and lai^er than for any preceding year; the total thus paid into the Federal Treasury since the organization of territorial government is $14,913,460.86. The internal-revenue receipts were $218,739.14, an increase of $19,606.63, and lai^er than for any preceding year; they have aggregated $956,204.32 during the period of territorial government.
The current receipts of the territorial government were $3,482,- 560.84, a decrease of $158,684.51. The disbursements, including payments to counties and transfers to special funds, were $3,584,- 517.61, an increase of $320,153.41. The net cash balances in all revenue accounts aggregated $1,101,051.72 at the close of the year, an mcrease of $287,449.60. The counties collected $267,275.56 for themselves in addition to $1,184,564.11 paid to them by the Territory. Thus the total pubUc revenues, territorial and county, aggregated $3,749,836.40, of which $2,297,996.73 went to the Territory and $1,451,839.67 to the counties.
Bonds bearing 4 per cent interest were paid to the amount of $75,000, leaving at the close of the year a total bonded debt of $4,004,000, or 2.59 per cent of the assessed value of property. Such assessed value was $154,584,032, an increase of $4,315,565. There are no county bonds.
Bank deposits at the close of the year were $15,310,263.51, an increase of $1,985,957.97; 5 new banks were established. The capi- taUzation of domestic corporations was $156,873,028, an increase of $4,837,503; 51 new corporations were created and 7 old ones dissolved.
The population of the Territory is 191,909, an increase of 37,908, or 24.62 per cent since 1900; of Honolulu, 52,183, an increase of 12,877, or 32.76 per cent. The population by races is as follows: Hawaiians, 26,041, a decrease of 3,746; part-Hawaiians, 12,506, an increase of 4,658 (of these 8,772 are Caucasian-Hawaiians and 3,734 Asiatic- Hawaiians); Portuguese, 22,303, an increase of 6,628; Spanish, 1,990, and Porto Ricans, 4,890 (both new); other Caucasians, 14,867, an increase of 4,290; Chinese, 21,674, a decrease of 4,088; Japanese, 79,674, an increase of 18,559; and all others (including 4,533 Koreans, 158 blacks, 537 mulattoes, and 2,736 others), 7,964, an increase of
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KEPORT OF THE SECBETAEY OF THE INTEBIOR.
61
NATIOXAIi PARKS AND RESERVATIONS.
The policy of setting aside tracts of land in various sections of the United States as pleasure grounds for the people was inaugurated by Congress by the act of March 1, 1872, in establishing the Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, and thereafter from time to time other lands in various sections of the country were set aside for such pur- pose and as a practical means of preserving the wonders of nature therein from desecration. These reservations now aggregate 12 in number, embracing over 4,500,000 acres, to which should be added the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, for the creation of which as a national park recommendations have heretofore been submitted.
The areas of these parks, with date of establishment of each, are as follows:
Name.
Date of establishment.
Acres.
YeUowBtone, to. Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho..
Yosemite, In California
Seqaoia, m California
General Grant, in California
Mount Rainier, in Washington
Crater Lalce, in Oregon •. . . ,
Wind Cave, in South Dakota
Sallys Hm, in North Dakota
Piatt, in Oklahoma
Mesa Vorde. in Colorado
Five-mile strip for protection of ruins
Hot springs Beservation, in Arkansas
Glacier, in Montana ,
Mar. 1, 1872