a quantity less by 545,944.93 acres than that disposed of the preceding year.

The cash receipts were $1,747,215.85; a sum less by $32,400.42 than that received the previous year.

During the year 21,806,517.25 acres were surveyed, making, with the quantity previously surveyed, 702,059,611.47 acres, and leaving yet to be surveyed 1,132,665,244.53 acres.

The quantity of land taken up under the homestead and timber culture acts is 661,966.68 acres greater than that reported last year. As these entries are generally by actual settlers, the increase is at once gratifying and encouraging.

The Commissioner, in his report, ably discusses various questions relating to subjects placed by law under his control. I would especially commend to the consideration of Congress his views, which were those of his immediate predecessor, as to the disposal of lands west of the one hundredth meridian of longitude; of pine and other timber lands; as to the consolidation of the pre-emption and homestead laws; the correction of errors in the Revised Statu es; the publication of maps; the furnishing his office with a law library; as to the land offices at Chillicothe, Ohio, Indianapolis, Ind., and Springfield, Ill.; the Osage ceded lands; and the clerical force in his office.

RAILWAYS.

The facts and figures herein set forth are compiled from the annual reports of the companies.

Stock of the Union Pacific Railroad Company to the amount of $36,783,000 has been subscribed, of which $36,762,300 has been paid. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, were, from transportation of passengers, $4,201,807.89; of freight, $6,923,614.85; and from miscellaneous sources, $988,567.95; total, $12,113,990.69. These figures include "the amounts earned from, but withheld by, the United States, for transportation of its passengers, freight, and mails." The expense of operating the road for the year was $5,447,819.27, leaving net earnings $6,666,171.42. The cost of the road has been $114,465,652. The Omaha bridge cost $2,866,463.72. The total bonded indebtedness of the com. pany is $79,072,312, of which $27,236,512 is due to the United States. The amount of stock subscribed in the Central Pacific Railroad Com

pany of California is $62,603,800, of which $54,275,500 has been paid. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, from transportation of passengers were $5,448,769.04, and of freight, $9,161,631.15; total, $14,610,400.19. The operating expenses of the road for the year were $6,889,945.58, leaving net earnings to the amount of $7,720,454.61. At the close of said year the indebtedness of the company amounted to $89,061,508.43, of which $27,855,680 is due to the United States. This company embraces, by consolidation, (besides the original Central Pacific Company,) the Western Pacific, the California and Oregon, the San Francisco, Oakland and Alameda, and the San Joaquin Valley Companies.

Stock of the Central Branch Union Pacific Railroad Company to the amount of $1,000,000 has been subscribed, of which $980,600 has been paid. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, were, from transportation of passengers, $34,946.28, and of freight, $79,467.84; total,' $114,414.12. The amount expended in said year for running expenses and repairs was $131,500.67. The road and fixtures have cost $3,763,700. The company's indebtedness, in addition to the Government loan, and first mortgage of $1,600,000 and interest unpaid, is $148,739.94.

The amount of stock of the Kansas Pacific Railroad Company allowed by law is $10,000,000. Of this $9,992,500 has been subscribed, and $9,689,950 paid. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, were, from transportation of passengers, $1,085,199.70; of freight, $2,120,009.17; miscellaneous, $29,945.67; total, $3,235,154.54. Total expenses of the year, $1,827,980.40; leaving net earnings, $1,407,174.14. The funded debt of the company is $27,247,100, of which $6,303,000 is due to the United States. There are other liabilities to the amount of $3,554,525.13, making the entire debt of the company $30,801,625.13.

Stock of the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company to the amount of $4,478,500 has been subscribed, of which $1,791,400 has been paid. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, from transportation of passengers, were $80,779.39; of freight, $200,987.30; from express, $2,657.83, and from miscellaneous sources, $8,064.62; total, $292,489.14. The expenses of the road and fixtures during said year were $264,194.83, leaving net earnings $28,294.31. The bonded indebtedness of the company is $3,256,320, of which $1,628,320 is due to the United States. The floating debt is $70,395.78.

Stock of the Southern Pacific Railroad Company of California to the amount of $28,585,300 has been subscribed, of which $27,227,200 has been paid. The amount received from transportation of passengers in the year ending June 30, 1876, was $949,945.42; of freight, $1,186,673.30; total, $2,136,618.72. The expenses of the road and fixtures for said year were $1,140,329.63, leaving net earnings $996,289.09. The bonded indebtedness of the company is $19,984,000.

On the 16th June last you accepted the seventh section (of 20 miles. each) of the main line of this road, and, on the 21st July last, the third

section (of 50 miles each) of its branch line, authorized by the twentythird section of the act of March 3, 1871.

The Northern Pacific Railroad Company has been re-organized, and provision made for the conversion of the outstanding bonds of the company into "preferred stock," and of its stock into "common stock." Up to June 30, 1876, of preferred stock there had been issued to bondholders, who had surrendered their bonds for conversion, 333,459 shares, of $100 each, and scrip for fractions of shares amounting to $198,234. No "common stock" has yet been issued.

The amount received from transportation of passengers for the year ending June 30, 1876, was $193,923.77; of freight, $424,061.96; from miscellaneous sources, $75,946.46; total, $693,932.19. The operating expenses for the year were $491,869.88; leaving net earnings, $202,062.31. The company reports itself free from debt, both bond and floating. Stock of the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company to the amount of $19,760,300 has been subscribed and paid. The receipts from transportation of passengers for the year ending June 30, 1876, were $338,674.06; of freight, $1,006,508.32; total, $1,345,180.38.

The operating expenses for said year were $719,614.52, leaving net earnings $625,565.86. The entire cost of the road and fixtures has been $37,368,789.64. The total indebtedness of the company is $17,348,400.

On the 9th February last you accepted twenty miles of the road constructed by the California and Oregon Railroad Company, (now by consolidation part of the Central Pacific Railroad Company of California,) extending from near Vina to near Red Bluff, Cal.

On the 23d June last I accepted a section of the Oregon Central Railroad, extending from the 20th mile-post to the Yamhill River, a distance of 271⁄2 miles.

Stock of the Texas and Pacific Railway Company to the amount of $50,000,000 is authorized by law, of which $6,073,000 has been issued. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, were, from transportation of passengers, $402,518.65; of freight, $1,137,900.17; from express service, $12,592.99; mail, $30,794.74; telegraph, $8,491.11; total, $1,595,156.10. The expenses for said year were, for conducting transportation, $308,011.33; motive-power, $231,015.18; maintenance of way, $219,085.65; maintenance of cars, $91,259.11; general expenses, $45,323.17; total, $894,694.44; leaving net earnings, $700,461.66. The entire indebtedness of the company is $18,127,427.81.

Denver Pacific Railroad stock to the amount of $4,000,000 has been subscribed and paid, being the total amount authorized by law. The receipts for the year ending June 30, 1876, were, from transportation of passengers, $167,812.78; of freight, $139,343.98; miscellaneous earnings, $6,392.99; total, $313,549.75. Expenses for said year were $129,848.87, leaving net earnings, $183,700.88. The cost of construction and equipment of the road has been $6,495,350. The indebtedness of the company is $2,524,091.73.

PATENT.OFFICE.

The work of the Patent-Office shows a gratifying increase in receipts and a decrease in expenditures, with a slight increase in the amount of labor performed.

From October 1, 1875, to September 30, 1876, the total receipts from all sources were $787,586.75, an increase over the previous year of $55,300.88. During the same period the expenditures were $661,637.76, or $47,236.59 less than those for the previous year. The number of applications for patents was 22,408, an increase over the former year of 919. The number of patents issued, including re-issues and designs, was 15,911, an increase over former year of 1,681. During the year two applications were filed for the extension of patents, and two were ex tended; 2,943 caveats were filed; 3,613 patents were allowed but not issued because of failure to pay the final fee; 1,037 applications were received for registration of trade-marks, and 1,029 trade-marks were registered; 644 applications were filed for registering of labels, and 499 labels were registered.

The work performed by the Patent-Office is highly satisfactory, and is due largely to the excellent clerical force employed, and to the fidelity of those officials charged with the supervision of its responsible duties.

As the Commissioner of Patents is required to make an annual report to Congress of the operations of his office, the brief abstract of the work of the year as above presented is deemed sufficient in this connection to show the condition of this important branch of the service.

PENSIONS.

The pension-roll has been diminished during the year by a greater number than during any year since 1873, when the maximum was reached; the number of pensioners on the 30th of June, 1875, being 2,684 more than at the close of the last fiscal year. The number of invalid pensioners on the 30th of June, 1876, was greater by 2,919 than at the close of the same month in the preceding year, while the roll of widows, dependent relatives, and survivors and widows of those who served in the war of 1812, contained 5,603 names less than it did on the 30th of June, 1875. In consequence of the large number of minors' pensions that will expire, and from other causes, it is anticipated that during the present year a still greater diminution will occur in this class of pensioners, while, on the other hand, it is reasonable to expect that the number of invalid claims allowed will exceed the number disposed of during any year since 1871. This presumption arises from the fact that the number of invalid claims filed during the last fiscal year far exceeds that of any year since 1866.

The whole number of names borne upon the pension-roll on the 30th of June, 1876, was 232,137. Of this number, 110,033 were pensioned as invalids, and 102,911 as widows and dependent relatives; 19,193 were pensioners of the war of 1812, 14,206 of whom were survivors, and 4,987 widows. There remained on the roll 6 widows of those who

served in the war of the Revolution who were married prior to January 1, 1800, and 314 who married subsequent to that date.

During the last fiscal year the following amounts were paid for pensions To Army invalids, $11,864,031.69; to Army widows, &c., $14,456,286.76; to Navy invalids, $182,788.96; to Navy widows, &c., $313,682.15; to survivors of the war of 1812, $1,089,037.18; to widows of those who served in said war, $445,772.95; making a total amount of $28,351,599.69, which includes cost of disbursement, and is $1,331,516.94 less than was expended for the same purpose during the preceding year. There were examined and allowed during the year ending June 30, 1876, 16,880 Army pension-claims, of which 5,225 were for invalid pensions, 6,828 for increased pension to invalids, 4,292 for pension to widows, dependent relatives, &c., 535 for increased pension to widows, &c.; 330 Navy pension claims, of which 135 were for pension to invalids, 81 for increased pension to invalids, 84 for pension to widows, 30 for increased pension to widows, and 241 claims for survivors and widows of those who served in the war of 1812, 73 of which were for pensions to survivors, and 168 to widows; making in all 17,451 claims which were examined and admitted during the year.

The annual charge to the Government involved by the allowance of said claims is as follows: For Army invalids, $324,407; increased pension to invalids, $309,938; widows, &c., $543,250; increased pension to widows, $32,968; for Navy invalids, $14,007; increased pension to invalids, $6,330; widows, &c., $16,222; increased pension to widows, $2,576; and for survivors of the war of 1812, $7,008; and widows of those who served in said war, $16,128; making an aggregate annual rate of $1,272,834, or $846,335.07 less than the annual value of the claims admitted during the year ending June 30, 1875.

There were on file on the 30th of June last 88,973 unadjudicated pension claims, 54,190 of which were for invalid pension, 34,053 for pension to widows, &c., 341 of survivors of the war of 1812, and 389 of widows of those who served in said war. At the close of the year ending June 30, 1875, there were on file 71,569 unadjudicated pension claims, or 17,404 less than at the end of the last fiscal year. There were received during the year 42,877 claims for pension, while during the same time 17,451 claims were admitted and 10,132 rejected; making in all 27,583 claims disposed of, or about 64 per cent. of the number filed. The claims for invalid pensions filed during the year were about 50 per cent. greater in number than those filed during the preceding year, and exceeded largely the number received during any year since 1866. The office has been greatly embarrassed in its labors by the delay in obtaining answers to calls upon the Surgeon-General for the medical history of claimants. during their military or naval service, without which it is impossible, with few exceptions, to properly adjudicate their claims. There are at present 13,000 unanswered calls upon the Surgeon-General for the hospital-record of claimants, and, in consequence of the paucity of clerks in