t 1 delit peculiarly susceptible of danger from fire. Hence the selection another office became imperative; and in making it I have had in view armanent location, and one which should render another removal un Iesary. Abstantial fire-proof building, of ample dimensions, divided into e and convenient rooms, finely finished, and occupying an isolated n, has been built this season, at my suggestion, by a gentleman Owns the contiguous lands upon every side, and who agrees not to nor permit to be erected, any building within a stated distance of Ece. Into this building I removed the office at the commencement e present quarter. With this removal are associated safety from fire, ousness, a more healthful atmosphere, and increased quietude. ernally every requisite precaution is believed to be observed. The * under and around the stoves is covered with zinc, the flues are proprotected and cleaned, and neither gunpowder, friction matches, other substance likely to cause accidental fire, is allowed within the re. The furniture is all. portable, and such parts as require them are nished with strong iron handles. The records and papers that may been in use during the day are all returned to their proper deposiat night, and the office is never entirely deserted, Boundary of Green Bay and Chippewa land districts. the first section of the act of 3d of March, 1847, entitled "An act eate.an additional land district in the Territory of Wisconsin," etc., Wisconsin river, from the line of townships 29 and 30 to the north dary of the State, is the line of division between the Green Bay and ppewa land districts. I respectfully request that this boundary may changed, so that a range line, instead of the said river, will divide se districts. In conforming to the present boundary, it will be necesto construct an additional plat for every township rendered fractional this river, and every entry of land lying upon the respective banks of e river will have to be made at two offices, now, by any practicable te, three hundred miles apart. Separation of the surveys in Wisconsin from those in Minnesota. The act for the discontinuance of the office of the surveyor general, 2., approved June 12, 1840, requires that whenever the surveys and ords within any State shall be completed, the surveyor general shall liver all the records and papers pertaining thereto to the officer appointed y the proper authorities to receive them. In order to comply with this law, it is incumbent upon the surveyor eneral to cause separate returns of surveys, numbering from the same ise, but lying in different States. Compliance with this requirement is ithout difficulty or expense, when the boundaries are defined prior to e survey of the contiguous lands; but when the surveys precede such andaries, much difficulty may be experienced and expense incurred in using the requisite separation. An instance of the latter case has ocrred in this district. During the year 1847-'48, and before the boundy of Wisconsin and Minnesota was fixed upon, the surveys were ished rapidly forward, the subdivision surveys being extended along the St. Croix river, from its junction with the Mississippi river, ver nearly or quite to the point where the meridian boundary, as defined by act of 6th of August, 1846, will intersect it. The field notes and plat of these surveys consequently embraced lands upon either and both side of the boundary, wherever a township was traversed by the St. Croix. During the quarter closing on the 30th ultimo, I directed a part of the regular force of my office to the separation of the field-notes and plat above named. The field-notes of three large districts of township lines the subdivision and traverse of thirteen townships, and the original plat of the same thirteen townships, had to be, and now have been, copied examined and certified. Office work. The following notice of work performed within the year omits wha has been mentioned in this report, and simply states the leading divi sions of work to which the attention of the office has been addressed: 1. A large correspondence, to which has been given the most punctua and faithful attention. 2. The original field-notes of the survey of thirty-six hundred and eighty-six miles of township lines, and of ten thousand two hundred and eighty five miles of sectional lines, have been received of the deputie and subjected to a careful and critical examination. 3. The original field-notes of the traverse of seven hundred and thirty miles of lakes and navigable rivers have been platted, the anomalous are: of the adjoining lots calculated, and tables of the courses and distances fo each township respectively entered upon the original, and copied to the Commissioner's plats. 4. One hundred and seventy-seven original township plats, upon a scal of two inches to the mile, have been projected from field-notes, colored and the fractional area adjoining the north and west boundaries com pleted and entered; two copies of each of these plats have been made one for your own and another for the proper district land office, making an aggregate of five hundred and thirty-one plats. 5. Five hundred and seventy index diagrams have been made, to pre face the records and transcripts of original field-notes. 6. Original lists, descriptive of the land and corners in two hundred and ninety townships, have been prepared, copies thereof made, and trans mitted to the officers having charge of the sales in the respective lane districts. 7. The original field-notes of two hundred and seventy-four township: have been recorded and placed on file in this office. 8. Transcripts of original field notes for preservation at the capital, o two hundred and eighty-one townships, have been made and transmitted to your office. List of accompanying papers. A-agram of the State of Wisconsin and a part of the Territory of Aesota, showing the location and aggregate of the public surveys Tn each, and the action of this office thereon. I-tagram of the State of Iowa, embracing similar data to that expresspon diagram A. (-osing statement of surveys contracted for out of the appropriation 12th August, 1848, which, with statement No. 9 of my last annual t, forms a complete history of the surveys out of this appropriation. -Statement of the surveys out of the appropriation of 3d of March, -Summary of my salary account for the fourth quarter of 1849, and first, second and third quarters of 1850. -Summary of my disbursement account for the periods indicated in E. -Estimate of requisite appropriations for salaries and clerk hire, and continuing the public surveys in this district, during the year ending ane 30, 1852. -Explanation of the causes of delay in completing the surveys out the appropriation of 3d of March, 1849. -Report of the deputy upon the township lines of upper St. Croix. -Copy of so much of my correspondence with the United States logist for Wisconsin and Iowa, as is necessary to show the number i maps and diagrams furnished him. have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, C..H. BOOTH, Hon. J. BUTTERFIELD, Commissioner of the General Land Office, Surveyor General. Washington, D. C. |