The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1873-12-27

Our ssadsss 10 Nisseala cosnty win b
pisassd b noeies ths sssppeasaace q ~
adve,tiseuent By The Register 81 Recsdves
u Helens, under instsuetions from u
Commissioners Of The Geoesal Land OAce,
throwing fifteen towpships In Bitter Root
valley open 70 entry BY actual settlers. The
notice WAS inserted about the let Of July
Of this year, but owing 70 the failure Of TIE
Superintendent Of Indian Affairs to report
to the Commissioners Of Indian Affairs .
schedule Of TIE Indians entitled to pre-
emptioa rights under The oct Of Juns 6th,
1879, - required BY tie terms Of that act
it was revoked until such schedule was fur
nished. Altsr what seems 70 have been IN
unnecessarily proeractsd delay, the schedale
appears TO have been received and acted
upon, and On December 9Th, 1873, the Com.
missioner again instructed the insertion Of
the notice. Tho list of Indians transmitted
numbers fifty -four, (5l) all told. The re-
suit Of this delay ID, unless there should bo
some subsequent extension Of time granted
by act If Congress or the construction Of
the old law by the Commissioner should be
Of liberal character; that settlers only
have two months from January 8, 1874, to
file their declarstory statements and pay
for their land. However; two months 10
sufficient time for those who have the funds
10 pay for their lands. We notice by 'Rule
T." that certain Indians arc held to be en-
titled without cost to 100 acres Of land
which they have cultivated. In view Of =
recent discussion ~ to how much lands
these Indians can prc-empt, and the fact
that there may be conflicting claims We
give below section Sd Of the act Of June 5,
1872:
SEC. 3. That any Of said Indians, being
the head VI family, or twenty-Ono years
Of age, rho shall, at tie passags cf Mis aet,
be actually reading upon and cWlticatlnQ
any portion Of said lands, shall be permit
ted to remain in said valley and pre- empt
without cost tho lasds % occupied aAd esl-
Treated, not exceeding in amount ono hum
dred and siAty acres for each Of such Inli-
ans, for which he shall receive . patent
without power Ut alienation: Preceded,
That such Indians shall, prior to August /,
1872, notify the Superintendent Of Indian
Affairs for Montana Territory that he
abandOns his tribal relations with said tribe
and intends to remain In said valley: And
proridsd further. That said Superintend-
cnt shall have given such Indians at least
one months notice prior to the date last
above mentioned Of the provisions Of this
act and Of his right 20 TO remain, ~ pro-
vided in this section Of this act.
It being provided by section I'd Of the
above act that lands hall be surveyed and
"sod in legal Subdivisions to actual set
tiers only" and such legal subdivisions
being forty.acre lots, it seems to u these
Indians having elected to remain, arc en-
titled only to the presumption Of only such
fosty-acre subdivisions a. they have occ,,.
pied and cultivated, and that the occupation
and cultivation Of only = portion Of
one forty-acre subdivision does not entitle
them to more laud than the forty acres Of
which such cultivated land is . portion. II
would he well, anyhow, to have this matter
determined.