a veritable alkali desert. What little water existed was alkaline and very muddy. This work was finished about the middle of May, and a report, containing a contoured map of the boundary line, was rendered to the assistant adjutant-general of this department in June.

Surveys and reconnaissances-Miscellaneous.-During the months of June and July, 1883, Lieut. James Parker, Fourth Cavalry, was, at my request, engaged in making a reconnaissance in Northwestern New Mexico. His general route lay from Fort Wingate to Horse Springs; thence, via Acoma and Cañon Largo, to Fort Lewis, Colo.; thence, via Fort Defiance, Ariz., to Fort Wingate. His report, accompanied by a carefully executed map, gives valuable information concerning this portion of the Territory.

Second Lieut. R. G. Hill, Twentieth Infantry, surveyed the reservation and post of Fort Reno, Indian Territory, in September, 1883, and he is now engaged on the survey of the enlarged military reservation at Fort Supply, Indian Territory.

A new survey of the military reservation at Fort Bayard, N. Mex., was begun in March, by Maj. E. B. Beaumont, Fourth Cavalry, but his work has not yet been completed.

The timber reservation at this post, situated in the State of Missouri, was surveyed under my direction, in June, by Topographical Assistant A. I. Cooper, and the boundary lines re-established.

Quite a number of valuable scout notes have been received during the year.

OFFICE WORK.

An outline map of this military department, in four sheets, has been completed in this office and lithographed in the Office of the Chief of Engineers. Three hundred copies of this map have been received and distributed to officers serving in the department. The map has been carefully compiled, and embodies all information on file in this office and all that could be obtained elsewhere, as well from private as from public sources.

Work has been continued on the topographical map of Northwestern New Mexico, although the absence of the draughtsman in the field for a considerable period has materially interfered with the progress of the work.

Maps of my reconnaissance in Western Colorado, and of surveys and explorations in Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, while in the Navajo country, have been completed.

All information of value comprised in scout notes has been compiled and distributed, or entered on the progress map of the department. Plans of military posts have been made, as well as maps of the reservations, when enough new information has been received to warrant such work.

Blue prints of these and other maps have been made and distributed. The usual routine work of the office has been carefully attended to; and the correct time furnished to department and post headquarters during the year.

PERSONNEL.

Topographical Assistants A. I. Cooper and William Kilp, and First Class Private Louis Seidel, Battalion of Engineers, have been on duty in this office during the year.

Private Eugene Rudolph, Twentieth Infantry, was on duty here until

September 5, 1883, and Private William H. Fud, Twenty-second Infantry, from the 31st of October, 1883, to the 13th of December, when he was relieved and sent to his regiment.

The services rendered by these assistants have been valuable, and they deserve credit for their faithful attention to duty.

MISCELLANEOUS.

The engineer office of the District of New Mexico, Sante Fé., N. Mex. was, at my request, abolished on November 1, 1883. Various causes have combined to render this office of less value than heretofore, and, at present, whatever engineer operations are to be done in the department can better be done from these headquarters than from the headquarters of the district.

It was hoped that a building suitable for a photographic laboratory could have been secured before this date. Plans were even submitted for one, and its erection begun by the Quartermaster's Department, but during my absence in the field these plans were altered and the building rendered worthless for photographic purposes.

As no money whatever has been available for surveys, or for any other purpose, since I assumed charge of this office, much work remains undone from the lack of a few dollars to defray the expenses attendant upon its execution. Even the performance of the routine work of the office is due to the liberality of the Quartermaster's Department, since by it the purchases of all necessary materials have been made.

Inasmuch as all information in this office has been embodied in maps recently published or now in course of preparation, the routine office work in the future will be of limited extent, and, that this office shall have some raison d'être, it is earnestly requested that a small amount of money be allotted for surveys, &c., in this department. Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

O. M. CARTER,

First Lieutenant of Engineers,
Chief Engineer of Department.

The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS,
United States Army.

5908 EN

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APPENDIX Z Z.

EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS IN THE DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA.

REPORT OF CAPTAIN H. S. TABER, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1884.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF DAKOTA,

CHIEF ENGINEER'S OFFICE,

Fort Snelling, Minn., July 1, 1884. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of engineer operations in the Department of Dakota for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.

The report is divided as follows, viz: "Personnel," "Work done," "Recommendations," and "Remarks."

PERSONNEL.

One engineer officer, two topographical assistants, one private of the United States Battalion of Engineers, and two privates, Twenty-fifth Infantry, U. S. Army, from Fort Snelling.

WORK DONE.

Order in which taken up: astronomical work, field work, office work, special work.

Astronomical work.-This was confined to the determination of the meridian at Fort Sisseton, Dak., with a field astronomical transit, and to a few sextant observations for time and latitude. As yet there has been no money appropriated, as called for in my last report, for a field observatory at these headquarters. By the direction of the department commander, plans and specifications, with estimates, prepared in this office, were submitted by the post quartermaster for such a building. Pending action upon these, the department commander has authorized the construction of a shelter over the pier. When this is completed, necessary tests of instruments can be made before taking them into the field. This will be completed early the next fiscal year.

The remark made in the report of last year in relation to the urgent need of an appropriation of $500 is here repeated.

Field work.-A topographical survey of a large plat of the Fort Snelling reservation was made by Topographical Assistant Summers, and a map made of the same.

A resurvey of the boundary of the Fort Sisseton military reservation was made in person, assisted by Topographical Assistant Summers.

Work upon the improvement of military road from Yankton to Fort Randall was completed during the season. This work was under the immediate charge of First Lieutenant H. P. Ritzius of the Twenty-fifth Infantry, whose zealous performance of duty assigned to him is worthy of special mention. He was relieved for a short time by Lieut. T. F. Davis of the Fifteenth Infantry.

As noted in my last annual report, Topographical Assistant Summers has proven himself to be a very valuable assistant, his aptness to acquire knowledge and his practical knowledge of the use of instruments enabling the office to accomplish much extra work during the season. Office work.-Much time has been given to map work and to arranging old tracings, so that a careful history may be had of each post, whenever called for, in a very short time. This work was performed under the supervision of Topographical Assistant Turner, and with so much fidelity that it is seldom data is called for that is on file at all that cannot be furnished inside of twenty minutes. Much time has also been given to getting the instruments in hand and putting them in order. So much trouble was experienced in calling in instruments that have been out a long time, that, as a last resort, authority was obtained from the department commander to require a quarterly return of engineer property sent in. This has had the desired result, but the instruments need so many little repairs that the want of a few dollars, to make them, seriously interferes with the interests of the service here. The boundary lines of the military reservations have been found to be very poorly marked and cared for, and steps have been taken to secure better care. This will involve, to begin with, a large number of surveys. In antici pation of this the maps of reservations and the descriptions of the same have been overhauled.

The usual routine work of an engineer office at department headquarters has been carried steadily on.

The

Much volunteer work has been done by officers serving in the department, which has added to the accuracy of the department map. new map of the territory of the United States west of the Mississippi is now being mounted as rapidly as possible, the design being to supply each military post with one copy of the same.

As mentioned in my last annual report, the very latest data upon the progress map goes upon every map of the department sent out, by means of the blue process, combined with a liberal use of Chinese white. By this means much enthusiasm in regard to map making has been created, and the following named officers deserve special mention for interest taken in this matter: Maj. W. H. Jordan, Third Infantry; Capt. R. P. Hughes, Third Infantry, A. A. I. G.; Capt. J. L. Fowler, Second Cavalry; Capt. Edmund Rice, Fifth Infantry; Lieut. L. R. Hare, Seventh Cavalry, A. D. C.; Lieut. H. L. Scott, Seventh Cavalry; Lieut. F. W. Kingsbury, Second Cavalry; Lieut. Alvarado M. Fuller, Second Cavalry; Lieut. H. Liggett, Fifth Infantry; Lieut. J. E. Wilson, Fifth Infantry.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

The recommendation of last year that $300 be secured for the repairs of instruments is renewed. I have used private funds the past year, that the public service might not suffer, and have not now good instruments enough to meet the actual needs of the department.

In view of the fact that there is now no field observatory at these headquarters, I would also recommend that an appropriation of $500 be secured to build one, and also a small room to store instruments in