and 162 were acted upon. At the close of the year 137 petitions were pending, most of them awaiting reports on uncompleted field examinations. There is hereto appended (p. 75) tabular statements showing progress of coal classification and valuation, oil land withdrawals, phosphate land withdrawals, power site withdrawals, designations under the enlarged homestead act in the various States and Territories, and metalliferous classification of Northern Pacific Railroad grant lands in Montana and Idaho. Geologic Branch.-Geologic surveys and investigations were continued in 39 States and Territories by a force of 129 geologists. Over 76 per cent of the appropriation was expended in the 16 States and Territories containing the large areas of public lands. Systematic detailed surveys of important mining districts were continued in Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California, Idaho, Montana, and Arizona, and general geologic and paleontologic investigations were conducted in all parts of the country. In Alaska 12 field parties covered 13,815 square miles by reconnoissance topographic surveys and 36 square miles by detailed topographic surveys. Detailed geologic surveys were made of 321 square miles and geologic reconnoissance surveys of 8,635 square miles. Considerable time was also spent in studying special problems connected with the mineral deposits. The investigation of the water supply in placer districts covered an area of approximately 6,500 square miles, and included 69 gauging stations maintained and 429 measurements of stream volumes. Fifteen of the 30 mining districts of Alaska which are being developed were visited by members of the staff. The subdivisional survey of public lands in Alaska was begun. The work accomplished in the short season after the appropriation became available included two astronomical determinations of latitude, longitude, and azimuth, measurement of a base line and establishment of a system of triangulation, the survey of 108 miles of meridian and base lines and township extensions, with some section lines. During the fiscal year the work of the Mineral Resources Division consisted of the preparation of reports on mineral resources of the United States for the calendar years 1909 and 1910. The statistics for 1909 were collected in cooperation with the Bureau of the Census. The field work of collecting the statistics was done by the Bureau of the Census through personal visits of a large force of agents, and it was thought that this plan would greatly expedite the work. Experience showed, however, that it took very much longer to get the data in this way than it would have taken by correspondence, the usual method pursued by the Survey. Topographic Branch.-The total new area topographically mapped was 23,272 square miles, making the total area to date in the United States 1,131,037 square miles, or about 37 per cent of the entire country. In addition 6,460 square miles of revision or resurvey were completed, making the total area of actual surveys for the season 29,732 square miles. Topographic surveys were also carried on in Hawaii, the area mapped during the fiscal year being 224 square miles. The field force included 145 geographers and topographers with 68 temporary technical assistants. Water Resources Branch.-The increase of $50,000 in the appropriation for investigations of water resources permitted a considerable extension of this work during the fiscal year, although it was necessary, in order to perform important public-land classification work, to allot 82 per cent of the total appropriation for work west of the one-hundredth meridian. The investigation of water-power sites, rights of way, etc., on the public lands was first performed by the engineers of the division of surface waters in connection with their measurements of stream flow. This is now assigned to a new division of water utilization. At the end of the year the total number of stream-gauging stations maintained was 1,105. In addition to the foregoing, records ready for publication were received at the end of the year from private parties for about 100 stations. Underground waters were studied in California, Arizona, and New Mexico. Examinations under the Weeks Act.-The act approved March 1, 1911, which provides for the acquisition of land for the purpose of conserving the navigability of navigable streams, imposed a new duty on the Geological Survey. Section 6 of the law provides for an examination by the Geological Survey of land whose purchase is under consideration and the submission of a report based thereon to the Secretary of Agriculture "showing that the control of such lands will promote or protect the navigation of streams on whose watersheds they lie." This work was prosecuted in Georgia, Tennessee, and New Hampshire in May and June, resulting in the submission of reports favoring the acquisition of lands in two localities before the end of the fiscal year. These reports covered tracts in Fannin and Union Counties, Georgia, and in Blount and Sevier Counties, Tennessee, comprising 31,377 and 58,213 acres, respectively. Publications Branch.-The Survey's success in reaching the public with the results of its scientific work may be measured by the distribution of its publications. In spite of the organization of the Bureau of Mines and the consequent elimination of its popular bulletins from the Survey's publications, the total number of reports and maps distributed by the Geological Survey in 1911 was 1,208,797, an increase of 6 per cent over the corresponding figures for 1910. An even larger percentage of increase is shown in the number of letters received containing remittances for such publications as are sold, while the receipts for topographic maps increased about 10 per cent. The total distribution of topographic maps, which includes congressional distribution, exchanges, and issue for departmental use, as well as the half million maps sold, increased 15 per cent. The total distribution to the public of books and maps is equivalent to more than 99 per cent of the number of copies received during the year from the Government Printing Office and the Survey's engraving and printing division. The total publications included 136 volumes, 91 topographic maps, and 5 geologic folios. Administrative Branch. The mails showed increases over the business of the preceding year. The roll of Survey members holding secretarial appointments numbered at the close of the fiscal year 862 persons, compared with 958 the year before. The principal change was the transfer of employees to the Bureau of Standards and the Bureau of Mines at the beginning of the year. The Survey library now contains 86,000 books, 100,000 pamphlets, and about 100,000 maps, and the collection is restricted to publications bearing upon the scientific work of the Bureau. RECLAMATION SERVICE. The act of Congress approved June 17, 1902, known as the "reclamation act," set apart as a fund for the reclamation of arid lands all moneys received from the sale of public lands in certain of the Western States and Territories, excepting the 5 per cent of the proceeds of such sales set aside by law for educational and other purposes. The actual receipts from this source to June 30, 1910, were $65,584,801.32, and the estimated total receipts to June 30, 1911, including $213,998.57 from sale of town-site lots, are $71,717,990.16. The net investment of this fund in reclamation works on June 30, 1911, amounted to $60,940,834.08. The act requires the Secretary of the Interior to determine and return to the reclamation fund the estimated cost of construction, and entrymen and private landowners receiving water from reclamation projects are therefore required to contribute their proportion of the cost of construction, operation, and maintenance of the project wherein their lands are situated. The cash receipts from this source to June 30, 1911, were: Cash returns to reclamation fund to June 30, 1911. Water-ight building charges..... Total..... $1,533, 175. 63 517, 393. 85 2,050, 569. 48 In addition, sales of water to towns and cities, leases of power developed in projects, rentals for irrigating water, miscellaneous services and sales, etc., have produced an additional revenue of $3,288,719.07, which, under the respective laws authorizing these transactions, is credited as a reduction of the cost of the projects from whence the receipts are derived. No new projects have been undertaken since March 4, 1909, but prior to that date 32 primary projects had been undertaken, the net investment in which on June 30, 1911, amounted to $59,989,158.46, as is shown in the following table: Net investment in reclamation projects to June 30, 1911. In addition, there had been invested in secondary projects, June 30, 1911, $586,988.94; in town-site development, $12,997.05; in Indian irrigation (reimbursable), $317,392.23; and for general expenses, $34,297.40, making a grand total of $60,940,834.08. In view of the immense areas of land included, the magnitude and expense of the engineering work necessary to provide for their reclamation, and of the importance to the waiting settler and landowner that water be applied to the land and reclamation effected as soon as possible, the efforts of the Department have been directed toward the completion of projects already undertaken rather than 11355°-INT 1911-VOL 1- -3 the search for or undertaking of new projects. The following table contains a summary of the results of the reclamation work from June 30, 1902, to June 30, 1911: Summary of results of reclamation work, June 30, 1902, to June 30, 1911. The Bureau of Mines was established by an act of Congress approved May 16, 1910 (36 Stat., 369), and effective July 1, 1910. Its main object is to aid in lessening the loss of life and waste of resources in the mining, quarrying, metallurgical, and other mineral industries of the country. The enabling act not only outlined the Bureau's duties, but transferred to it from the Geological Survey the work of analyzing and testing coals, lignites, and other mineral fuel substances, and investigating the causes of and means of preventing mine explosions. The headquarters of the Bureau were established in Washington, D. C., on Eighth and G Streets Northwest. Its director was appointed September 3, 1910. |