Page:Statesman's Year-Book 1899 American Edition.djvu/36

 xiv UNITED STATES

progress of education in the several States and Territories, and publislies such information as may be required.

Commissioner of Railroads. — James Lonystreet. Charged with the duty of prescribing a system of reports to be rendered by the railroads that have subsidies granted them by the Congress, and makes annual report to the Secretary of the Interior of the condition of said roads.

Geological Survey. — Charles D. Walcott., Director. Has charge of the classification of the public lands, and examination of the geological structure, mineral resources, and products of the national domain, and of the survey of forest reserves.

Census Office. — William R. Merricnn, Director; F. H. Wines^ Assist- ant Director. In accordance with provisions of the Constitution a census of the population is taken every ten years, and for the last few decades the enumeration has also comprehended production and many other features relating to the business of the country. Since 1850 the census has been conducted under the general supervision of the Secretary of the Interior. It is an office created just prior to the enumeration, and When the work is performed the office is abolished.

8. Secretary of AgriciiUure. — James Wilson of Iowa, born in Scot- land Aug. 16, 1835 ; elected to Congress in 1872, and served in the Forty-third, Forty-fourth, and Forty-eighth Congresses ; for six years was director of the agriculture experiment station and professor of agriculture at the Iowa Agricultural College ; was appointed Secretary of Agriculture March 5, 1897.

The Secretary of Agriculture is charged with the supervision of all public business relating to the agricultural industry, and he exercises advisory supervision over the agricultural experiment stations deriving support from the National Treasury ; he also has control of the quaran- tine stations for imported cattle, and of interstate quarantine when rendered necessary by contagious cattle diseases.

Assistant Secretary. — Joseph H. Brigham. Performs such duties as may be required by law or prescribed by Secretary.

Chief Clerk. — Andrew GecMes. Has general supervision of clerks and employees and of business and correspondence of Secretary's office.

Disbursing Clerk. — Frank L. Evans. Pays salaries of clerks and employees and settles accounts against Department.

Weather Bureau. — AVillis L. Moore, Chief. Has charge of the fore- casting of weather, the issue of storm warnings, the reporting of tempera- ture and rainfall, and all matters relating to meteorological conditions and observations.

Bureau of Animal Industry. — D. E. Salmon, Chief. Makes investi- gations as to the existence of contagious diseases of live stock, and superintends measures for their extirpation, etc. ; also has charge of the inspection of import and export annuals and the inspection of vessels for the transportation of the same.

Division of Statistics. — John Hyde, Statistician.

Division of Chemistry. — Harvey W. Wiley, Chemist.

Office of Experiment Stations. — A. C. True, Director.

Division of Entomology. — L. O. Howard, Entomologist.

Biological Survey. — C. Hart Merriam, Cliief.

Division of Forestry. — Gifford Pinchot, Cliief.

Division of Botany. — Frederick V. Coville, Botanist.

Division of Agrostology. ■ — F. Lamson-Scrihner, Chief.

Division of Pomology. — Gustavus B. Brackett, Pomologist.