Estimates of appropriations required for the office of the surveyor general of New Mexico for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868. Public surveys-continuing survey of base, meridian, township, and subdivisional lines in New Mexico Public surveys-survey of base, meridian, township, and subdivisional lines $7,500 00 in Arizona.. Fuel, office rent, stationery, and incidental expenses 10,000 00 1,000 00 200 00 Annual report of United States surveyor general for California and Nevada, 1865-'66. UNITED STATES SURVEYOR GENERAL'S OFFICE, San Francisco, California, September 1, 1866. SIR In compliance with instructions from the department, I herewith submit my annual report, in duplicate, in reference to the surveys executed in the States of California and Nevada, and other operations of this office, during the year ending June 30, 1866. I also forward statements of the business appertaining to this surveying de partment, to accompany the report, as follows, to wit: A.-Statement of contracts during the year 1865-'66. B.-Statement showing the number of miles surveyed in California and Nevada to June 30, 1866. C.-Statement of account of appropriation for surveys of public lands in the States of California and Nevada to June 30, 1866. D.-Statement of account of appropriation for the compensation of surveyor general and clerks, 1865-'66. E.-Statement of account of appropriation for rent of office and other incidental expenses, 1865-'66. F-Statement of field-notes of public surveys sent to Washington during the year ending June 30, 1866. G-Statement of descriptive notes, decrees of court, &c., relative to private land claims, to accompany plats for patent, compiled for transmission to the department at Washington, 1865-'66. H-Statement of plats made in office, 1865–’66. I.-Statement of examinations and reports made to the department for patent, of all subdivisional surveys heretofore pre-empted or selected under acts of Congress relating thereto. L-List of lands surveyed in California and Nevada, 1865–66. K.-Statement showing the number and present condition of surveys of private land claims, under instructions from this office, 1865-'66. M.-Estimate for surveying service in California and Nevada, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1868. In addition to the office-work, as set forth in the foregoing statements, the employés have been engaged in the following duties, viz : 1. Copying the correspondence of this office. 2. Making out contracts, in triplicate. 3. Making out instructions for surveys of private lands claims in duplicate. 4. Examination of field-notes of public surveys returned by deputies. 5. Examination of field-notes of private land claims returned by deputies, as surveyed under instructions from this office. 6. Examination of location of surveys of private land claims. 7. Making sketches to accompany contracts of public surveys and private land claims. 8. Keeping in order the records, plats and field-notes of public and private surveys. 9. Keeping in order the Spanish and Mexican archives and records of the late board of land commissioners. 10. Making out quarterly accounts and certificates to vouchers. 11. Making out accounts and bonds of deputy surveyors, for surveys executed. 12. Posting the books of accounts and records appertaining to the business of the office. 13. Exhibiting the archives and commission papers, records and plats to parties interested, and making the necessary explanations. 14. Making out, in triplicate, the annual report, with accompanying state ments. The estimate for the year ending June 30, 1868, with regard to the survey of lands in California and Nevada, is for running and establishing the lines necessary for subdivision work, within the grant to the Central Pacific and the Western Railroad companies, and such other work as may be suggested by the department, under the act referring to mineral lands. The amount asked for pay of clerks and draughtsmen is placed at the lowest possible estimate. It is found that the work on township plats of subdivisions is becoming more complicated; many of the plats of Deputy Freeman's work occupied twelve days for the original copy. Although it will be seen, from the statements herewith forwarded, that the force of the office has been fully employed, yet work is accumulating, and I have found it impossible to execute the necessary plats for the different land registers. The surveys of the past year, executed under the appropriation for the public work, have been principally confined to the belt of country embraced within the limits of the Central Pacific railroad, and lying between Sacramento city and the Big Bend of the Truckee river. The fourth standard north and east Mount Diable meridian has been extended east one hundred and fifty miles, by Deputy William Epler. The line extends through and over the following deserts, valleys and mountain ranges, viz: Hot Spring (desert,) the Great Humboldt and Carson (desert,) the Silver mountains, Augusta mountains, New Pass (mountain range,) Mount Airy (range,) Zoi-Ya-Be (mountains,) Simpson Park (mountain,) Augusta (valley,) Reese river (valley,) and Key's valley. Deputy Epler has given all the information in his power, and his work bears the marks of intelligence and capability. This standard line, running through and near many mining localities, and extending far enough to reach the Reese River country, was particularly needed as a base for operations for settlers desir ing surveys under the act of Congress of May 30, 1862, and becomes of great importance, looking forward to the segregation of quartz and other vein mines, under the late act of Congress, referring to mineral lands. Subdivision work to the amount of nearly seven thousand dollars has been executed under the act of Congress permitting settlers on public lands to deposit the necessary funds to the credit of the appropriations. The surveys of private land claims during the past year, as set forth in the statement marked K, have been made under the act of Congress of July 1, 1864, and the expenses of such surveys have been defrayed from the funds deposited by the owners thereof. The lines of the public surveys have been extended over the "Bolsa de Tomales," a private land claim rejected by the Supreme Court of the United States, and the land which each settler had reduced to possession has been protracted on the plats of township subdivisions, so as to enable coterminous proprietors to make joint entries in accordance with the subdivision lines. This work was executed under the authority of "An act to grant the right of pre-emption to certain settlers on the rancho Bolsa de Tomales,' in the State of California," approved June 17, 1864. A survey has been made in favor of the occupants of the lands of the "ExMission of San José," heretofore claimed as a private grant from the Mexican government and included in the map and survey made in October, 1864, by E. H. Dyer, deputy United States surveyor. Several amendments were allowed to be made by Deputy Dyer, before the expiration of the year from the passage of the act, in order that the tracts as proved before the land officers should be shown according to such proofs. The original and supplemental plats are now ready and will be promptly forwarded. The lines of public surveys have been extended over all portions of said lands, for which no proofs were laid before the register of the United States land office. The duties appertaining to this office under "An act for the relief of the occupants of the lands of the Ex-Mission of San José,' in the State of California," approved March 3, 1865, are therefore completed. From the annexed statements, the department will be enabled to judge of the work executed both in the field and office, by myself and the deputies and employés under my charge. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. COMMISSIONER L. UPSON, United States Surveyor General. of the General Land Office, Washington, D. C. A.-Statement of contracts entered into by the United States surveyor general for California and Nevada with deputy surveyors during the fiscal year 1865-'66. Remarks. B.-Statement of number of miles surveyed in California and Nevada to June 30, 1866. Ms. chs. lks. Ms. chs. lks. Ms. chs. lks. Ms. chs. lks. Ms. chs. lks. J. S. Murray, contract December 31, 1864.. J. B. Stratton, contract May 17, 1865 J. E. Freeman, contract May 13, 1865. J. E. Freeman, contract November 20, 1865.. Miles surveyed in 1865–66. Miles surveyed to June 30, 1865, as per last report..... Total miles surveyed to June 30, 1866. 18 48 05 201 18 65 |