of the representatives of certain Indian tribes through whose lands the projected lines of road would pass. After a most careful examination, I reached the conclusion that existing laws and treaties authorized the construction of but one such road on certain conditions, which neither company had then performed. On a subsequent hearing, it was shown that the first-named company had completed its road to the designated point on that boundary, and I held that it was entitled to extend its line through said Territory. My action in the premises received your approval, and the companies were duly notified thereof.

The semi-annual accruing interest, paid by the United States, and not refunded or otherwise discharged by a railroad company, on the bonds issued in aid of the construction of its road, forms a part of its just debts. The companies furnished no statement of it. I called their attention to this obvious omission, but in no instance was it supplied, except by the Union Pacific Railroad Company. On the 30th of June last there was due from the other companies, on account of such interest, $3,131,891 37.

CAPITOL.

The Capitol may be said to be completed, though its grounds should be largely extended to correspond with its majestic proportions. The Architect's report contains the details of numerous repairs and improvements during the past year, to promote the comfort and conven ience of the legislators and others who occupy or visit the building. Arrangements have been made to warm the rotunda and improve the ventilation of the Senate chamber. It may be deemed inexpedient to enlarge the area of the Capitol grounds by the purchase of adjacent private property, but no one can seriously question the propriety of suitably improving those which now belong to the United States.

The paving of G street in front of this Department has been unavoidably deferred. The funds on hand will not cover the cost of completing it. The deficiency was caused by transferring to the treasury the unex pended balance of last year's appropriation, which was available when I submitted the last estimate. An appropriation of $2,500 will be required to replace it, and to meet the expense of certain indispensable repairs upon the Interior Department building.

The work on the City Hall has been completed without exhausting the appropriations made for the purpose.

I submit an aggregate estimate of $30,000 embracing sundry items for repairing the Capitol, and continuing the improvement of the sur rounding grounds. This sum is $59,000 less than that voted for such purposes during the present fiscal year.

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.

During the year ending June 30, 1870, there were under treatment at the Government Hospital for the Insane, 549 patients, of whom 294 were

from the Army and Nayy; 404 were males; 77 were discharged, and 18 died. At its close there remained under treatment 454, of whom 256 were from the Army and Navy. The recoveries were 53 per cent. of the discharges excluding, and 43 per cent. including, deaths. The rate of mortality was lower than in any previous year since the foundation of the hospital. At the date of the report of the board of visitors, there were 470 patients in the institution.

The expenditures the past year were $116,199 68. The products of the farm and garden were estimated as worth $10,468 30. The institution has 400 acres of land.

The board submit the following estimates:

For support of the institution during the year ending 30th

The number of patients who received treatment during the year ending June 30, 1870, in the Columbia Hospital for women and lyingin asylum, was 1,012. The number of deaths, during the same period, was 15. The estimates for the next fiscal year are as follows: For support of the hospital, over and above the probable amount to be received from pay patients, $15,000; for rent and repairs, $3,000; and for books and instruments, $500; making an aggregate of $18,500, being $500 in excess of those submitted for the current year.

There were 90 pupils in the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, at the date of its annual report. Half of them were in the collegiate department, and represented twenty-one States and this District; 100 have received instruction since 1st July, 1869, of whom 72 were males. Of these, 5 completed the course of study and received their first degree at the commencement in July last. The receipts for the support of the institution the last fiscal year exceeded the disbursements $4,895 83. The disbursements for the erection and fitting up of buildings exceeded the receipts $4,897 19, as they did also for the improvement of grounds $1,453 41.

The board submit the following estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1872:

Support of the institution...

Erection and furnishing of buildings

Improvement of grounds..

Extension of grounds..

Total....

$40, 500 00

30,992 00 6, 673 37 21,075 00

99, 240 37

The board have purchased 82 acres of the Kendall Green property for $85,000, payable in four years, and the estimate which they submit for the extension of grounds is to meet the first installment. They renew the offer to vest in the United States the title to all the property of the institution.

The first of these institutions belongs to the Government, and is eminently worthy of its continued patronage. The others are private corpo. rations, over which Congress has no efficient control. I have submitted the estimates furnished by the directors for such action as may be deemed expedient.

JAIL AND REFORM SCHOOL.

There are 123 prisoners in the custody of the warden of the District jail. During the year preceding this date 1,261 persons were com mitted, of whom 162 were females; 392, of whom 52 were females, were convicted of various misdemeanors; 11 were convicted and new trials granted; 55 were sent to the reform school; 56 were sentenced to the penitentiary at Albany, New York; 1,267 were released; and 3 died in jail. The expenses, including the cost of the transportation of pris oners, salaries, &c., were $43,591 67.

I alluded, in my last report, to the subject of a new District jail. The present one is a reproach to the age and to the country in which we live. It is not fit for the confinement of prisoners, whether their safe deten tion or their health and moral improvement be consulted. Difficulties exist in carrying into effect existing legislation, and I deem it advisable that Congress should amend it, so that the selection of a site for a new building should not be limited to one of the public reservations.

The Reform School of the District of Columbia was opened last Decem ber. Up to the 5th inst., 55 boys had been received and 9 discharged. Their ages range from seven to sixteen years, the largest number being fourteen years old. All but 8 were born in this District and the adjoining States; forty-one were of American parentage; thirty were committed for petit larceny. The criminal court committed 24, the police court 27, the mayors 2, and the president of the board 2; five had lost both parents, and 27 one. The board give a very favorable report of the behavior of the boys and their proficiency in their studies. They are in school half the day, and at work on the farm the other half. The law provides that six months shall be the shortest term of commitment. The board express the opinion that it should not, in any case, be less than one year, in order that the reformatory discipline may have a fair trial. They also suggest a change in the law so as to authorize them, on such terms as may be deemed proper, to admit boys whose parents reside outside of the District.

In view of the growing numbers in the school, the board recommend an appropriation of $20,000 for other buildings, as those now occupied will not furnish accommodations for many additional inmates.

The treasurer reports a balance in his hands the 6th inst., of $6,440 91, the expenditures having been $8,059 09.

METROPOLITAN POLICE.

The members of the Metropolitan Police force were diligent and faithful in the performance of their duties during the past year. Fifteen thousand six hundred and three arrests were made, of which 2,637 were females, 9,124 were unmarried, and 6,098 could neither read nor write; 5,748 were dismissed, 11 turned over to the military, 833 were committed to jail, and 103 were also thus committed in default of security to keep the peace; 354 gave bail for their appearance at court; 1,391 were sent to the workhouse; 31 to the reform school, and 563 gave security to keep the peace. Sixteen cases were not disposed of, and in 403 cases minor punishments were inflicted. Of the number arrested 10,232 were charged with offenses committed upon the person, and 5,371 with offenses against property. Fines were imposed in 6,150 cases, amounting to $23,607 61. During the year 3,696 destitute persons were furnished with temporary lodgings; 203 lost children were restored to their homes; 275 sick and disabled persons were assisted and taken to the hospital, and 230 horses, cattle, &c., found astray, were returned to their owners. The detective force made 382 arrests, and recovered lost or stolen property to the amount of $239,322 06.

JUDICIARY, AND TERRITORIAL PENITENTIARIES.

The fifteenth section of an act entitled "An act to establish the Department of justice," approved June 27, 1870, declared that the supervisory powers theretofore exercised by the Secretary of the Interior over the accounts of district attorneys, marshals, clerks, and other officers of the courts of the United States should be exercised by the Attorney General. These terms are, with the necessary variations, the same as those employed when Congress in establishing this Department transferred such powers to the Secretary of the Interior. The records and files in my custody relating to these accounts were sent to the Attorney General, and the fund commonly known as the "judiciary fund" was withdrawn from my control and made subject to his requisition. Certain laws have from time to time imposed upon this Department duties bearing a close relation to the service wherein these accounts accrue, and more appropriately falling within the general scope of the Department of Justice. The cost of executing these laws constitutes a part of the judicial expenses, and this was, no doubt, the controlling consideration for committing those duties to the officer then having supervision of the fund out of which such expenses are paid. The business of both Departments would be transacted with greater convenience and dispatch if the Attorney General were charged with those matters appertaining to the federal courts, which, notwithstanding recent legislation, remain under the cognizance of this Department.

The penitentiaries in Colorado and Montana are now ready for the reception of convicts. That in Idaho will be finished at an early day. The requisite preliminary measures have not been adopted by the legis lature of Washington, although the attention of the authorities of that Territory was specially invited to the subject. The work, therefore, has not been commenced. The act of July 15, 1870, appropriated $40,000 to be set apart from the proceeds of the internal revenue tax in Wyoming for a penitentiary in that Territory, but the amount realized from that source is not sufficient to justify entering into contract for the work. The buildings now completed or erecting were commenced under my predecessor. He required that the titles to their respective sites should be certified by the Attorney General and transferred to the United States. This was manifestly proper, in view of the joint resolution of September 11, 1841; but although these institutions are national property, there is no legislation providing for the Government and control of them. The penitentiaries in the several States belong to them, and the prisoners confined there, pursuant to the judgment of the federal courts, are subject to the same discipline as those sentenced by the local tribunals. I recommend that these institutions in the Territories be placed under the charge of the marshals, with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the Department of Justice, or that they be transferred to the local authorities, with such provisions as will secure, on reasonable terms, the custody, subsistence, and employment of con victed offenders against the laws of the United States.

I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

J. D. COX, Secretary of the Interior.

The PRESIDENT.