LANDS, PUBLIC. 



467 



an incumbrance of reservations, which was 

 equivalent to adding nothing to the puhlic do- 

 main. To the State of Georgia was paid, in 

 all, $6,200.000 in settlement of all claims, and 

 a strip of land from the United States contain- 

 ing 1,500 square miles was added to her north- 

 ern boundary. The reservation of Virginia 

 Military Lands " in the State of Ohio, an area 

 of 6.570 square miles, occasioned much litiga- 

 tion and legislation by Congress prior to 1871. 

 From the territory thus ceded by States were 

 formed the present States of Ohio, Indiana, 

 Illinois, Michigan, "Wisconsin, and Tem. 

 that part of Minnesota lying east of the Mis- 

 sissippi river, and all of Alabama and Missis- 

 sippi lying north of the thirty-first parallel of 

 latitude. 



The following are purchases of the United 

 States: From France, April 30, 1803. 1 

 752 square miles, at a cost of $27,267,621. US. 

 From this was formed the remaining portion of 

 the States of Alabama and Mississippi south of 

 the thirty-first parallel, Louisiana, Arkansas, 

 Missouri. Iowa. Nebraska, and Oregon, all of 

 Minnesota west ot' the Mississippi river: al- 

 most all of Kansas, and Dakota, Montana. Ida- 

 ho, Washington, and Indian Territories, with 

 a part of Wyoming and Colorado. From 

 Spain, Feb. 22. 1819, the provinces of East 

 and West Florida, an area of 59.268 square 

 miles, costing $6,489,768. The province of 

 Florida constitutes the present State of 

 that name. West Florida (including the terri- 

 tory of Alabama and Mississippi south of the 

 thirty-first parallel, with parishes in Louisiana) 

 revolting from Spain in 1810, declared itself an 

 independent State and framed a constitution, 

 desiring annexation by the United States. It 

 was occupied and held by proclamation of the 

 President under the treaty of 1803. but the 

 claim of Spain was recognized by purcL 

 1819. From Mexico, Feb. 2, 1848. by treaty 

 stipulation (at a cost of $15,000,000) 522. 563 

 square miles. On Dec. 30, 1853 (the Gadsden 

 purchase) the Mesilla valley, 45.535 square 

 miles, at a cost of $10,000,000. The States 

 formed are California, Nevada, and part of 

 Colorado; Territories, Arizona, Utah, and 

 New Mexico. From the State of Texas, Sept. 

 9, 1850, 96,707 square miles, at a cost of $16,- 

 000,000. These lands are included in Kansas, 

 Colorado, and New Mexico, in addition to the 

 ' Public Land Strip." From Russia, March 

 30. 13^7, Alaska, containing 577.390 square 

 miles, for |7 I '. The sum total paid by 



the United States for purchased territory, in- 

 cluding the Georgia cession, is 33.157.389.38. 

 The ordnance of July 13. 1787 (Congress of 

 the Confederation), provided for the govern- 

 ment of the territory northwest of the Ohio 

 river (bounded by the Mississippi river), with 

 provisions for the formation of States, and also 

 with exclusion of slavery. On May 26, 1790, 

 an act of Congress made similar provision for 

 the territory south of the Ohio river (also 

 bounded by the Mississippi;, with the condition 



"that no regulations made or to be made by 



-hall tend t<> emancipate si.. 

 Both acts became obsolete by the absorption 

 of territory into States. The territory \\ 

 the Mississippi river was explored, settled, and 

 organized into States and Territories by snc- 

 e legislation. All business of adminis- 

 tration and survey of the public lands is per- 

 formed by the Secretary of the Interior, 

 through the General Land Office. 



Surveys. The first surveys of public lands 

 were conducted by the Geographer of the 

 United States, appointed by ordinance of May 

 20, 1785. Thomas Hutchins was the first and 

 only incumbent of that office. The act of May 

 18, 1796, for the sale of lands in the Northwest 

 Territory, created the office of Surveyor-Gen- 

 eral. Surveying districts, under the control of 

 surveyors-general, were created from May 7, 

 Surveys within these are executed by 

 contract, the surveyors-general employing 

 deputies, with compensation fixed by Coi .. 

 A State, a Territory, or two or more of any of 

 them joined together, constitute a surveying 

 district. Mineral lands are surveyed by deputy 

 mineral surveyors. There are fifteen surveying 

 districts at present, and sixteen surveyors- gen- 

 eral, one ex orlicio of Alaska. 



When all lands within a surveying district 

 have been surveyed, the office of the Surveyor- 

 General is closed by act of Congress, the ar- 

 chives, plats, field-notes, etc., being transferred 

 to the State authorities. Surveys of islands 

 and keys on the sea-coast are made, under spe- 

 cial laws, by the Coast Survey. Indian Reser- 

 vations, by act of April 8, 1864. are surveyed 

 under direction of the General Land Office. 



Surveys of public lands in the United States 

 have been uniform under the " Rectangular 

 System," reported to Congress May 7. 

 from a committee headed by Thomas Jefferson. 

 By this system lands are divided into town- 

 ships six miles square, and subdivided into sec- 

 tions one mile square, or 640 acres. These 

 sections are again subdivided into half, quarter, 

 and quarter-quarter sections, of 320, 160, and 

 40 acres. The number of principal surveying 

 meridians and base lines intersecting at an equal 

 number of initial points is thirty viz.. First, 

 Second, Third. Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Prin- 

 cipal, Michigan. Tallahassee, St. Stephens, 

 Huntsville, Choctaw, Washington, St. Helena, 

 Louisiana, New Mexico. Great Salt Lake, Boise, 

 Mt. Diablo. San Bernardino, Humboldt, Wil- 

 lamette. Montana, Gila and Salt River. Indian, 

 Wind River. Uinta (special). Navajoe (special), 

 Black Hills. Grand River, and Cimarron. Town- 

 ships are numbered north and south of the 

 principal base lines, and ranges, or series of 

 contiguous townships, are reckoned east and 

 west from the surveying meridians. The ne- 

 cessity for enduring monuments of iron or stone 

 to mark corners and lines of public surveys is 

 obvious, and has been repeatedly urged upon 

 Congress. The deficiency is serious. Plats of 

 surveys are prepared in triplicate, and filed 



