D.-Estimate of appropriation required for the salaries of the surveyor general and the regu lar clerks in his office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868.

E.-Abstract statement of the incidental expenses of the surveyor general's office from June 30, 1865, to June 30, 1866.

G.-Statement of townships surveyed from the 1st day of July, 1865, to June 30, 1866.

No. 11 C.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFice,
Yankton, D. T., August 23, 1866.

SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of the field and office work performed in this surveying district since the date of the last annual report, together with the usual statements relating thereto, and marked from A to D, inclusive:

SURVEYS.

1. The proper standard parallels, township, and subdivisional lines of all the fractional townships situate within the Sioux Indian reservation, in the Territory of Dakota, and described as follows, viz: Fractional townships Nos. 120, 121, and 122 north, range 46 west of the fifth principal meridian; fractional townships Nos. 120, 121, and 122 north, range 47 west of the fifth principal meridian; fractional townships Nos. 121, 122 and 123 north, range 48 west of the fifth principal meridian; fractional townships Nos. 122, 123, 124, and 125 north, range 49 west of the fifth principal meridian, and fractional township No. 125 north, range 50 west of the fifth principal meridian, amounting to 62 miles, 38 chains, and 76 links of township lines, and 358 miles, 87 chains, and 52 links of subdivisional lines.

2. That part of fractional townships 124 and 125 north, range 49 west of the fifth principal meridian, in the State of Minnesota, that is between the Minnesota river and the western boundary of the State, amounting to 5 miles, 64 chains, and 9 links. The above-described townships being a small portion of the Sioux Indian reservation, were included in a contract to survey the part of said reservation situated in Dakota Territory, by authority of the surveyor general of Minnesota, dated July 22, 1864.

OFFICE-WORK.

1. The field-notes of all the above described surveys have been carefully examined and approved, and a diagram of the township lines made and transmitted to the General Land Office. The field-notes of each township thereof have been protracted, tiplicate maps constructed, filed, and transmitted as required by law. Transcripts have been prepared and transmitted of the entire field-notes, all of which have been carefully compared with the original, and each township prefaced by an index diagram. Lists descriptive of the land and all the corners have been made, carefully compared with the original field-notes, certified and transmitted to the local land office.

2. The usual amount of miscellaneous business has been performed, such as making out and recording accounts, the general correspondence of the office, and recording the same, together with other work, all of which occupies an amount of time, but of which no regular or detailed statement can well be given.

MISCELLANEOUS.

As there was no appropriation for surveys in this district for the last fiscal year, the operations in the field have been confined to the survey of the Sioux Indian reservation near Big Stone lake The necessity for extending the public surveys as stated in my predecessor's last annual report still exists, but in an increased ratio, the emigration to the Territory having been very large. I believe, from reliable information, that the population of Dakota Territory has during the past year been increased by emigration one-third; also, that the twenty thousand dollars now appropriated and unexpended for surveys of public lands in this Territory should be expended this year to meet the wants of incoming emigration. What my predecessor stated in his last annual report in relation to soil, climate, and the adaptation of each to the various kinds of stock-raising and ultimate ag

ricultural growth of this Territory, in my opinion, is strictly true, and need not be by me repeated.

The line of military posts which have been established during the past year to protect the people of this Territory against Indian encroachments and depre dations has given quiet and confidence to the people here, and thereby induced emigration from all of the eastern, middle, and western States, as well as foreign countries. The continuance of the military posts within this Territory, and the Indian treaties which have recently been made with the Indians by the late Indian commissioners, have inspired renewed confidence in the people, and infused new life into all departments of industry.

In relation to Montana Territory, which is a part of this district, my instructions from your office, dated May 25, 1866, were, to take no action appertaining to surveys in Montana until further instructions; and no further instructions having as yet reached me, I can only report that no surveys have yet been made in that Territory, although I am informed that surveys are very much needed in that locality, of which you have without doubt been fully advised by parties being there who are more immediately interested.

I am about closing a contract to survey that section known as the Pease settlement, along the Missouri river, and north of the Yancton Sioux Indian reservation, with the five thousand dollars in relation to which I have instructionssurveys in my judgment being needed here first, this part of the Territory having been for some time settled. Not having yet received instructions in relation to the fifteen thousand dollars appropriated for surveys in Dakota Territory by the present Congress, I can only add that demand for lands contiguous to timber require that the last named appropriation be expended this season, and as soon as the work can be done

Papers accompanying and forming a part of this report:
A.-Sketch of pub ic surveys in Dakota Territory.

B.-Estimates for the surveying service in this district.

C.-Statement showing the number of townships surveyed in Dakota, and area of land therein.

D.-Abstract account of the incidental expenses for the surveyor general's office for the year ending June 30, 1866.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. J. S. WILSON,

WILLIAM TRIPP, Surveyor General.

Commissioner General Land Office, Washington, D. C.

B.-Estimate of appropriations required for continuing the public surreys in the Territories of Dakota and Montana; for the salaries of the surveyor general and the clerks in his office. (as per act of March 2, 1851, and act of July 2, 1864,) and for the incidental expenses of the office, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Yankton, D. T., August 23, 1866.

WILLIAM TRIPP, Surveyor General.

C.-List of lands surveyed in the Territory of Dakota from July 1, 1865, to June 30, 1866.

No.

Description.

Indian reservation.

Public lands.

Total.

1 Township 120 N., range 46 W., 5th mer.. 2 Township 120 N., range 47 W., 5th mer.. 3 Township 121 N., range 46 W., 5th mer.. 4 Township 121 N., range 47 W., 5th mer.. 5 Township 121 N., range 48 W., 5th mer.. Township 122 N., range 46 W., 5th mer.. 7 Township 122 N., range 47 W., 5th mer.. 8 Township 122 N., range 48 W., 5th mer.. 9 Township 122 N., range 49 W., 5th mer.. 10 Township 123 N, range 48 W., 5th mer..

6

Township 123 N., range 49 W., 5th mer.. 12 Township 124 N., range 49 W., 5th mer.. 13 Township 125 N., range 49 W., 5th mer.. 14 Township 125 N., range 50 W., 5th mer..

115 townships previously reported..

Total acres surveyed, (129 townships)..

*Indian reservation at Big Stone lake.

WILLIAM TRIPP, Surveyor General.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Yankton, D. T., August 23, 1866.

D.-Abstract statement of the incidental expenses of the surveyor general's office for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1866.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, Yankton, D. T., August 23, 1866.

No. 11 D.

SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFIce, Leavenworth, Kansas, August 25, 1866.

SIR: In accordance with your instructions of June 2, 1866, I herewith submit my annual report, in duplicate, showing the condition of surveys and the operation of this office in this district during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1866. 1. Names, du ies, and salaries of persons employed in the office of the surveyor general during the year ending June 30, 1866.

2. Sums expended for salaries of surveyor general and clerks during he year ending June 30, 1866.

3. Expenditures of the office during the year ending June 30, 1866.

4. Amount of revenue tax paid by surveyor general and clerks during the year ending June 30, 1866.

5. The extent and cost of surveys executed in Kansas during the year ending June 30, 1866.

6. The same in Nebraska.

7. Number and area of townships, of which plats and descriptive lists have been transmitted to the department and local land offices during the year ending June 30, 1866, in Kansas.

8 and 9. The same in Nebraska.

10. Estimated expense, number of miles, and character of work for which contracts have been entered into in Kansas, and chargeable to appropriation of April 7, 1866.

11. The same in Nebraska.

12. Estimate of sums required for the extension of surveys in Kansas during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868.

13. The same in Nebraska.

14 Estimate of sums required for office expenses during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868.

15. Maps of Kansas and Nebraska, showing the progress of the public surveys.

CONDITION OF PUBLIC SURVEYS.

All surveys contracted for out of appropriation of July 2, 1864, have been completed.

I have let four contracts in Kansas, and five in Nebraska, out of appropria tion approved April 7, 1866.

The contract of Messrs. Paul & Paul, No. 320, on the Republican river, was cancelled by the Commissioner of the General Land Office, on account of Indians in that vicinity, and the deputies being unable to procure an escort. A new contract, No. 322, was entered into with same deputies, changing the locality of their work from the Republican to the Elk Horn, which was substituted in place of said cancelled contract.

A portion of contracts 314, 315, and 318 have been completed and the work received at this office, and all of the exterior lines embraced in contract 315 have been transmitted to the department.

In letting said contracts I have endeavored to follow the instructions from your office, viz: The letting of contracts along the routes of the Pacific railroads, and where surveys were necessary to actual settlement. By this wise course I have every reason to believe that the most needed localities for surveys are now under

contract.

At the time deputies were making preparations for the field, rumors of Indian hostilities were daily received, which made the procuring of escorts essential for the protection of themselves and assistants. Most of the deputies were delayed from two to four weeks on this account. Nothing definite has been received by this office, since their departure for the field, of any serious damages resulting from Indians, except in two cases, where some of the assistants left their work; and it is supposed that this was more the result of fear than imminent danger. As the government had but few troops wherewith to furnish escorts, the number allowed each party was necessarily small; but as none have as yet been molested in their work, it is hoped they may be able to prosecute their contracts to a successful completion.

OFFICE-WORK.

Diagrams and transcripts of field notes of three hundred and fourteen miles, thirty-seven chains, and eighteen links of standard lines have been made aud transmitted to the department.