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G. Statement of descriptive notes sent to local land offices since the date of my last report.

H. Tabular list of townships surveyed since the date of my last report, showing the area of public lands, &c.

I. Names, nativity, &c., of surveyor general, clerks, &c., for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872.

The surveys of the past year were the exterior and subdivision lines of the northern part of this Territory, to the Cœur d'Alene Lake. Several thousands of acres of the most fertile land in this neighborhood is claimed by the Cœur d'Alene and other Indians, as a reservation, subject to an anticipated treaty.

The grazing lands in the central part of the Territory were surveyed to the extent of the appropriation.

The surveys for the present fiscal year will be confined to the grazing and agricultural land, in the central and southern portion of the Territory, mostly in Oneida County, and to the country in the vicinity of the Pend d'Oreille and Coeur d'Alene Lakes.

The northern part of Idaho is rapidly filling up with settlers. Some hundred claims have been taken up the past year. The genial climate, (although in a high latitude,) and fertility of soil; the proximity of the Northern Pacific Railroad, and the navigation of the Columbia River, affording an egress for the transportation of produce, give this part of the Territory an advantage over the central and southwestern portions, and the land will be entirely settled within a short period.

The placer mines of Shoshone, Nez Percé, Idaho, and Lemhi Counties have yielded each within the past year about $500,000 in gold. Lemhi County has some fertile valleys, where settlers have claims, cultivating vegetables, &c., to supply the mining camps. The difficulty of access to the mines of this county is its great drawback.

The mines of Boise County are making the most of an extensive flow of water, owing to the great quantity of snow that covered the mountains the last winter. It is estimated that over $1,000,000 in gold dust will be taken from the placer mines this summer. Some mines of quartz gold have been opened and tunneled; the rock taken out in the excavation paying all expenses. These mines, when thoroughly opened, will be for sale.

The mines of Owyhee County have more than averaged their yearly supply of silver ore, in addition to new mines being discovered and opened. These mines have their agencies in San Francisco, and rise and fall in prices with the fluctuations, or bulling and bearing, of that market. Galena mines, rich with argentiferous ores, have been discovered in the southern part of this county. The ore is easily melted, and furnaces are being erected to run the metal into bars for transportation.

The valuable silver mines of Alturos County, at Atlanta and Rocky Bar, are almost in statu quo, owing to the want of capital to develop them. Exertions are being made to induce capitalists to come to the rescue; and could the mines be fairly opened, they would, without doubt, find ready sale. About one hundred thousand dollars in gold dust have been taken from the placer mines of this county the past year.

The farmers of Ada County have had a favorable year, their crops bringing remunerative prices, the demand equaling the supply.

The raising of cattle and sheep is entered into extensively, and all who have turned their attention to stock, in full or in part, are rapidly accumulating wealth. Some parties own thousands of head of cattle and sheep, the extensive grazing grounds and mild winters offering inducements which are not found elsewhere.

The boundary between Idaho and Utah was established last year. Several large settlements are found to be in this Territory, the people having heretofore paid taxes and tithes to Utah. The southern portion of this county is now the most populous in Idaho. The inhabitants have possessed claims here for years. Most of them are in good circumstances, and many are wealthy. Nine-tenths of the entire population are farmers and stock raisers. All the valleys are susceptible of cultivation, and in many instances are exceedingly rich and productive. The principal crop is small grain. Apple and peach trees have been planted with fair success. For the last three years the grasshoppers have destroyed a large percentage of the grain crops, but the present year, so far, seems to be a favorable one, and it is thought these pests have left for good.

The addition to the population to this county, and to the Territory, by defining the boundary, is at least twenty-five hundred. The settlements are Franklin, Weston, and Malade City, in the valley, and Fish Haven, Ovid, Bloomington, Paris, and Saint Charles, on Bear Lake. Bear Lake is about fifty miles long and ten wide, the largest portion of which is in this county. There are some fertile valleys still unsettled, and immigrants could find no better place to settle, it being in the vicinity of the Pacific Railroad and Salt Lake City, Corinne, and Ogden, and in a populous neighborhood. They would here have advantages which are not often offered to pioneers.

The Oneida Salt Works, at Soda Springs, manufacture yearly about fifteen thousand bushels of salt, nearly all of which is disposed of in this Territory and in Montana.

Silver ore has been discovered near the borders of Utah, and the mines are being prospected.

The boundary of the Shoshone and Bannock Indian reservation, in this county, which embraces one million eight hundred thousand acres, should be surveyed without delay, for reasons heretofore given.

Referring to a letter from the Department of March 18, 1868, on the subject of reclamation of "barrens" and "deserts," and to my annual report of that year on this subject, I would ask that the attention of Congress may be called to the importance of having some bill passed whereby these sage brush plains may be rendered of some use to the community. With but few exceptions, under a general system of irrigation the whole waste of millions of acres could be brought into extensive cultivation, producing from twenty to forty bushels of grain to an acre. The soil is mostly decomposed granite, and where irrigation has been resorted to, has in every instance proved a success in raising heavy crops. The system of ditching in Utah has redeemed the land under its influence, and has made what was apparently a "barren" to "blossom as the rose." The settling of our sage plains would probably induce a company to build a railroad through this Territory from the Pacific Railroad to the Columbia River. As it is Boise City, the most beautiful town in trees and shrubbery between Portland and Salt Lake, is as isolated as was Palmyra of old.

The expense of reclaiming these plains would be millions of dollars. I would recom mend that every alternate section of land between the Snake and Boise Rivers be donated to a company who would builda canal or ditch at the most practicable point for the largest flow of water. The Snake River flows through a rocky cañon, the was of which are perpendicular, and from one hundred to two hundred feet high. By drawing off the water from above Shoshone Falls it could be turned upon the sage plains. Many streams course through these plains, having cut deep channels, or ran ning through rocky cañons; these will require flumes or aqueducts to convey the water on a level, frequently of half a mile long. If a company could be organized to accept this immense undertaking, the public interests would be benefited.

The operations of the United States assay office at this place have been of much ad vantage to the miners, saving them an average of twenty per cent. where they former's sold their gold dust to brokers and bankers. Three thousand seven hundred our of gold dust have been assayed since the 1st of March, valued at sixty thousand do lars. The amount for the next two months will be greater. If a bullion fund e't be established in connection with the assay office it would save the miners still more as they are compelled to sell their bars to the bank at a heavy discount. Application is expected soon to be made to this office to have the mineral lands a Boise County surveyed. The villages of Centreville, Placerville, Pioneer City, and Quartzburgh, situated in the “basin,” are all mining towns, and numerous quartz ast placer mines are in close connection for several miles. As the country is exceed 22 rough and mountainous, the deputy surveyors cannot, without loss, extend the surv to this part of the Territory at the prices now allowed. I have, in consequence, asid in my estimate that $15 per mile be paid for exterior lines and $12 for subdiv 28,008. for the purpose of surveying the mineral lands of this county.

But one application has been made in this surveying district for the survey of quarti lodes, and the survey was made, and notes and maps transmitted to the proper oft No application has ever been made for any other surveys beyond the regular extelor © of the public surveys.

I wish particularly to call your attention to the estimates made for the fiscal yest ending June 30, 1874. They are really less than the public service imperative y mands, owing to the large extent of country to be surveyed in order to reach a fertile valleys where the settlers are very anxious to have the surveys made, and the cannot understand why their particular section is the one not to be first surveyed. W have used great care to have the surveys extended as rapidly as our small approna tions would permit, and hope, after another season's work in the field, there wil little cause for complaint on the part of agricultural claimants.

It is a mistaken policy to forbid the commencement of work in the field unt: if the beginning of the fiscal year for which the appropriation is made. If an app f ation is made, for instance, in February, the surveys cannot be commenced until a the 1st day of July, thus losing to the surveying service three or four months of best season of the year, and the time also that the deputy surveyors can do work as economically. It should be left with the Commissioner of the General Land One order the commencement of field work under the appropriations at such time as his judgment may think most advisable for the benefit of the public service. I wo recommend a modification in the land laws applicable to this Territory, and have doubt it would be found equally so in most of these mountain Territories.

The timber is mostly located in the rugged mountain sections, and situated se miles from the farming lands. These mountain lands are being stripped of their i ber, and the time is not far distant when there will be great scarcity of timber not for building purposes, but even for fire-wood, when the land will be rendered wort

to the Government. If the land law could be so amended as to allow every freeholder to enter at the proper land office, say, eighty acres of wood land, by paying the prices fixed by law, the Government could dispose of all the timber lands, and it would then be for the interest of the parties to protect the young growth of timber for future use, as well as to endeavor to prevent fires in the timber regions.

I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. WILLIS DRUMMOND,

Commissioner General Land Office.

L. E. CARTEE, Surveyor General of Idaho.

A.-Estimate of expenses incidental to the surveys of the public lands in Idaho for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.

Office expenses:

For salary of surveyor general

For salary of clerks

For rent of office, messenger, fuel, books, and other expenses

Surveying service:

$3,000

4,000

3,000

10,000

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B.—Statement of expenditure of appropriation for compensation of surveyor general and clerks in his office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872.

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C.-Statement of incidental and office expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872.

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D.—Statement of the expenditure of the appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872.

1871 To amount reported for payment, on contract No. 25, to Allen M. Thompson.

1871 By appropriation approved
March 3, 1871, as advised by
letter from the Department of
April 28, 1871..

$5,165 86

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 28, to Samuel
H. Thompson

Balance

5,079 50

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To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 25, to Allen M.
Thompson

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 30, to Allen M.
Thompson.

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 31, to Samuel
H. Thompson

Toamount reported for payment,
on contract No. 26, to Henry
Meldrum

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 27, to Isaac N.
Collard.....

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 30, to Allen M.
Thompson

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 29, to John B.
David

To amount reported for payment,
on contract No. 29, to John B.
David

Balance..

10.50

580 14

2,702 33

5,037 54

5, 110 52

4,935 47

1,302 85

1,013 08

30,937 79

937 79

E.-Statement of original maps and copies transmitted to the General Land Office and to the district offices since the date of my last report.

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E.-Statement of maps and copies transmitted to the General Land Office, &c.—Continued.

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Exterior lines of township 38 north, through range 1 west, townships 37, 38, and 39 north, through range 2 west, townships 38, 39, and 44 north, range 3 west, townships 43, 44, and 45 north, range 4 west, townships 43 and 44 north, range 5 west.

Township 37 north, range 2 west.. Township 38 north, range 2 west.. Township 3 north, range 3 west. Township 44 north, range 4 west.. Township 43 north, range 5 west. Township 44 north, range 5 west. Township 45 north, range 5 west. Township 2 south, range 11 east. Township 1 south, range 12 east. Township 2 south, range 12 east. Township 4 south, range 12 east. Township 5 south, range 12 east. Township 1 south, range 13 east Township 2 south, range 13 east. Township 4 south, range 13 east.

3 Dec. 14, 1871 Dec. 14, 1871

| Dec. 26, 1871

Dec. 26, 1871

3

Dec. 14, 1871

Dec. 14, 1871

3

Dec. 14, 1871

Dec. 14, 1871

3

Dec. 14, 1871

Dec. 14, 1871

2

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Township 1 south, range 14 east.

Jan. 15, 1872

Jan. 15, 1872

Township 1 south, range 15 east.

Jan. 15, 1872

Jan. 15, 1872

Exterior lines of townships 31 north, through

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ranges 3 and 4 east, and 2 west; and townships

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F.-Statement showing the condition of contracts entered into since June 30, 1871.

Name of deputy.

Date of Character, amount, and locality contract.

of work.

Rmarks.

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1871. May 15

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Exterior boundaries of town-
ships 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 sonth,
ranges 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13
east, and subdivisions of
townships 4 and 5 south,
range 8 east.
May 19 Eighth standard parallel north,
through ranges 4 and 5.west,
and exterior and subdivision
lines of townships 39, 40, 41,
and 42 north, ranges 4 and 5
west.

May 19 Ninth standard parallel north,
through ranges 4 and 5 west,
and the exterior subdivision
lines of townships 43, 44, 45,
and 46 north, of ranges 4 and
5 west.

May 26 Subdivisions of townships 1,
4, and 5 south, range 9 east,
townships 1, 2, 4, and 5 south,
range 10 east, township 1
south, range 11 east.

Sarveys completed, and notes returned and approved, and plats and transcripts transmitted.

Surveys completed, and notes returned and approved, and plats and transcripts transmitted.

Surveys completed, and notes.
returned and approved, and
plats and transcripts trans
mi ted.
NOTE.-Townships 37, 38, and
39 north, ranges 2 and 3
west, substituted for town
ship 44 north, ranges 4 and
5 west.
Surveys completed, and notes,
returned and approved, and
plats and transcripts trans
mitted.

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