On June 30, 1883, the amounts remaining in the United States Treasury, uninvested, were as follows:

Credit of the Union Pacific...

Credit of the Central Pacific

Total.....

$858,532 16

844, 652 13

1,703, 184 29

That the sinking fund has not accomplished the result anticipated is quite evident, and may be regarded as a failure for want of suitable investment. The last investment for the Union Pacific was made April 6, 1881, at which time a premium as high as 35 per centum was paid, but the company repeatedly protested against such high rates of premium. Reference to the foregoing table will show that the sum of $650,100 has been invested at a cost of $124,065.43, or an average premium of nearly 20 per centum. On June 30, 1882, the amount in the sinking fund uninvested was $407,441.99, and on June 30, 1883, it had increased to $858,532.16. This is a manifest hardship to the company, as this large amount should be drawing a fair rate of interest.

The last investment for the Central Pacific was made November 27, 1882, the sum of $541,800 having been invested in the funded loan of 1881 continued at 34 per centum, at a premium of 2 per centum. The sum of $1,379,800 has been invested for this company at a cost of $179,563.73. On June 30, 1883, the amount in the sinking fund uninvested was $844,652.13.

Section 3 of the act of May 7, 1878, provides that the "sinking fund shall be invested by the Secretary of the Treasury in bonds of the United States," and directs that preference be given the 5 per cent. bonds, but it evidently was not foreseen that the 6, 5, and 4 per cent. bonds might be called in or extended at a lower rate of interest.

In his report for 1882, page 12, the Commissioner recommended: That section 3 of the act of May 7, 1878, be so amended as to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to invest the sinking funds in the first-mortgage bonds of the companies, or such bonds as have been issued to them by the United States, or in other good and sufficient securities, and to convert the bonds now held by the Treasurer of the United States in said sinking funds into money at the market rates, and reinvest the same in like securities.

He renews this recommendation, but suggests that it would be a better plan to have all amounts covered into the Treasury bear a certain rate of interest per annum (say 3 per centum), thus avoiding all questions of investments, premiums, &c.

The Commissioner also urgently renews his suggestion whether it would not be wisest and best for Congress to commute the present mode of payment by the roads which have been aided with bonds into one of fixed amounts not dependent upon the fluctuations of net earnings, or the contingencies of competition which might cause net earnings to disappear, substituting securities having the same lien and of fixed amounts, and payable at fixed periods, for the present book-account indebtedness.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEYS.

The act making appropriations for the fiscal year 1882-'83 provides for a geological map of the United States. It is proposed to publish this map in atlas sheets, each being composed of one degree of longitude by one of latitude in area, bounded by parallels and meridians. In making this map the Director will avail himself of the surveys heretofore made, either by State or national authority. For the convenience of administration, the area of the United States has been divided into seven districts, as follows:

I. District of the North Atlantic, comprising Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and the District of Columbia.

II. District of the South Atlantic, comprising Virginia, North Caro lina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, and West Virginia.

III. District of the North Mississippi, comprising Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, and Missouri.

IV. District of the South Mississippi, comprising Indian Territory, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas.

V. District of the Rocky Mountains, comprising Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, part of Utah, New Mexico, and part of Arizona.

VI. District of the Great Basin, comprising parts of Washington Territory, Oregon, California, Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho.

VII. District of the Pacific, comprising part of Washington Territory, part of Oregon, and the greater portion of California.

During the past year the work of the Survey has been vigorously prosecuted in the Western States and Territories, especially in the regions producing the precious metals. An examination has also been made of the valuable coal-fields, and especially of the valuable fields of anthracite and bituminous coals of Colorado. It is believed that great good will result from a careful examination and accurate report on the mineral productions of the yet but partially explored regions of the Rocky Mountain country. It is doubtless desirable that all sections of the country should be thoroughly examined with reference to their hidden wealth, and it is of the utmost importance that the results of such examination shall be attainable by all the people at little or no expense. I therefore suggest that a liberal appropriation be made for the publication of the reports of the Survey. Such reports ought not to be indiscriminately distributed, but should be as far as possible placed in the hands of those whose interest or taste leads them to an examination of the subject of such reports.

GOVERNMENT FOR ALASKA.

The necessity for a government for Alaska is becoming very apparent. The report of the discovery of gold on the Yukon River and in other sections has stimulated immigration, and already quite a large number of people are prospecting and developing mines. A mining district has been formed at or near Harrisburg, and quite a number of citizens of the United States have attempted to secure mineral claims in that vicinity by observing the provisions of the United States laws concerning the location of mineral lands.

In a communication dated March 10, 1883, addressed to the Secretary of the Interior by the Jeannette Mining Company, the Alaska Mill Mining Company, the General Miller Mining Company, and others, it is alleged that the companies had located mineral claims, complying with all the laws of the United States applicable to the location and maintenance of quartz-mining claims, and that certain miners from the British possessions, without authority or right, took possession of such claims, and have held the same ever since by force, taking therefrom not less than $350,000. I am informed that some of the parties above named have expended considerable money in the erection of a quartzmill and other improvements for mining purposes. The petition further says:

Alaska has never been organized by Congress into a Territory. It has no government, no laws (excepting those pertaining to customs and to intercourse, and with the Indians), no court, no judicial or executive officer; and therefore the undersigned have no means whatever of enforcing their rights, or protecting or developing their property, or of preventing its spoliation at the hands of unauthorized persons. Under the treaty with Russia, by which the Territory was ceded to the United States, the United States guaranteed, at least as far as the Russian subjects were concerned, protection to life, liberty, and property; and the undersigned are led to believe, and are so advised, that in the absence of any government or any other method of redressing their wrongs, the Department of the Interior, with its general jurisdiction over the lands of the United States, has the jurisdiction to determine the rights of the undersigned, as citizens of the United States, and to enforce these rights.

The Department of the Interior could not, in the absence of legislation, afford the petitioners the relief sought. The reported discovery of very rich mines on the Yukon River will doubtless attract a large population there another year, and if there is not a stable government neither property nor personal rights will be respected. Several establishments for the canning of fish and the manufacture of lumber have been established in different parts of the Territory, and it is believed that the fisheries and forests will soon attract a large number of persons, even if the gold fields should not prove productive. The total population of the Territory of Alaska is not far from 30,000. Of this number about 5,000 are Aleuts, who are not barbarians if they are not of the highest order of civilization. Before the cession by Russia good schools were maintained among them, but since the cession the schools

have been discontinued, and the adult Aleut who received his education under the Russian Government and at its expense, sees his children growing up without education. Suitable provision should be made for the education of the children of the Aleuts, which can be done without great expense. Also an appropriation ought to be made for the maintenance of at least two manual-labor schools for the education of the children of the less civilized Indians.

Under the third section of the treaty of cession, it was provided as follows:

The inhabitants of the ceded territory, according to their choice, reserving their natural allegiance, may return to Russia within three years, but if they should prefer to remain in the ceded territory, they, with the exception of uncivilized native tribes, shall be admitted to the enjoyments of all the rights, advantages, and immunities of citizens of the United States, and shall be maintained and protected in the free enjoyment of their liberty, property, and religion. The uncivilized tribes will be subject to such laws [and regulations as the United States may, from time to time, adopt in regard to aboriginal tribes of that country.

The laws of the United States and the Territory of Washington should be, as far as applicable, extended over it, and this for the present would avoid the necessity of a legislature. There should be a governor, secretary, judges, marshal, and district attorney. The total expense of such a government could not exceed $40,000 per annum.

THE UTAH COMMISSION.

The Board of Commissioners appointed by the President under the act of March 22, 1882, entitled "An act to amend section 5352 of the Revised Statutes in reference to bigamy, and for other purposes," report, that by action of the Board under the provisions of said act, all persons practicing polygamy were excluded from the polls; that the legislature elected in August last is composed entirely of Mormons, none of whom, however, are polygamists. The legislature will convene in January next.

The Board reports also that at the August election there were elected, in addition to the members of the legislature, probate judges, clerks of county courts, assessors, sheriffs, county treasurers, county superintendents of schools, and officers, numbering in all 900, all of whom are monogamist Mormons. The elections were conducted in a quiet and orderly way. The vote in August last was Mormons, 20,708; liberals, or anti-Mormons, 1,453. This last vote, however, does not appear to represent the real strength of the liberal party, for in November, 1882, that vote was 4,884.

The Board report that the number of plural marriages has decreased since the passage of the act under which the Board is acting.

Ten suits have been brought against the members of the Board to test the validity of the act of Congress. Some provision should be made to defray the expense of the defense of the Board in these suits.

The Board renew many of the suggestions in their former report as to needed legislation; and, in conclusion, commend the zeal of the governor of Utah in his efforts to enforce the law.

Should the legislature to assemble in January next enact such laws as are provided for in section 9 of the act of March 22, 1882, necessity for such Board will cease, for it is provided that they shall continue in office "until the legislature shall make provision for filling said offices as herein authorized"; that is, until the legislature shall have enacted such laws as shall prohibit all polygamists from participating in the election of public officers, or from holding any such office. It is not provided who shall determine the question whether the legislature provided for the filling of said offices in accordance with the provisions of the said act or not. It is not believed that the legislature will take the steps required; for, while it is composed entirely of Mormous who do not practice polygamy, it is undoubtedly true that they are all believers in the system of plural marriages, and only abstain from its practice from economical or prudential reasons. Should the legislature fail to take the steps required by the act, the necessity still exists for the services of the Board, and it appears to be necessary that such legislation, if attempted, should be submitted to some tribunal to determine whether such legislation is a compliance with the provisions of said act. Congress would appear to be the proper authority for the determination of this question, and therefore I recommend that Congress require the submission of such laws for its approval before they shall be considered by any Department of the Government a compliance with the requirements of the provisions of such act.

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK.

Within the past year leases have been made in pursuance of the authority conferred by law upon the Secretary of the Interior, of sites within the Park for the erection of hotels and necessary buildings for the accommodation of visitors; one large hotel, at Mammoth Hot Springs, was opened to the public in August, and camps have been maintained during the summer at other points of interest. As a result of this provision for the comfort of tourists and the increased convenjence of access to the Park from the completion of railroad communication to within a few miles of its borders, the number of visitors has been much greater than heretofore. Stringent regulations have been established for the prevention of injury to the game and the natural curiosities, and effort has been made to protect visitors from any unreasonable charges for services rendered to them within the Park. The protection of the game and curiosities has not been so perfect as could have been desired, owing in a great measure to the inadequacy of the number of assistants to the superintendent for the proper supervision of so large an area as that embraced within the limits of the Park, and to the fact 6262 I-IV