The teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1876-1878, 1878-02-09
Indian Inspectors Report.

w AoHlNdIoN, Jan. ZO.--In c0mpll
ance with resolution adopted by the
senate, Secretary Schurz has sent t.
that body a copy Of the report recently
made by Indian Inspector E. G. Wat
kins, enlbodying certain highly Import
ant recommendations for the consolda.
tlon of the Indians of Oregon and
Washington Territory, and restoration
to the public domain of vast areas OF
valuable land embraced in most OF
their present reservations. These rec
anmen iatiops, divested of the explana-
tery statement and argument with which
Inspector Watkins supports them, are
al follows:
! First--That all Indians west of the
! Cascade mountains in Washington Ter.
ripry be consolidated at Neah Bay and
! P9yallup reservations F.; the fish eating
lnlians On the former and the agricul-
tu al class on the latter. .|
second--That the Warm Spring and
/ Unatilla Indians of Oregon be removed
to Yakima reservation, Washington
Territory.
1hird--Ihat all bands Of Indians In
the northeastern portion of Washington
Territory be consolidated on the Colum-
bia river above the mouth of the Spok.
ane
NoTE-Watkins recommends that all
of the Co.ville reservation be restored
to the public domain except small
strip 10 or II miles wide adjacent to
the Columbia river as above indicated.
He says the indians now there should
not be disturbed. They number about
5000, and any attempt to move them
at present would lead to serious trouble
perhaps, and cause large expense. He
also remarks that they occupy a coun-
try not now needed by the whites, and
which will not probably be needed for
years.
Fourth--That the Siletz and other
indians on the coast Of Oregon be con-
solidated on Grand Ronde reservation.
Filth-That before the reservations
thus vacated are restored to the public
domain such Indians as arc qualified
for citizenship and de2ire it should be
permitted to select homesteads from the
lands to be vacated. @
Watkins states that the Yakima res
ervation embraces 800, 600 acres, one
half OF which is excellent agricultural
land, and that all the Indians on it are
located on separate forty acre farms cul-
tivatlng the soil and entirely self-sup-
porting. The new commissioner Of In.
dian Affairs, Mr. Hoyt, disapproved
Watkins recommendations that Indi-
ans who are farming and self-support-
ing on reservations to be vacated should
be allow ed and encouraged to remain in
their present locations by giving them
a title to their lands under an Indian
homestead act.
Commissioner Hoyt does not concur
however, in the recommendation for
consolidation accompanied with pro-
vision for giving agricultural Indians
individual proprietorship with titles alb
solutely inahenable, without which
their general improvement cannot be
anticipated. Secretary Schurz in trans
hitting Watkins report aud Hoyt's let
ter takes occasion to express his own
opinion that the proposed consolidation
of agencies would be of advantage to
the government and to the Indians and
he therefore suggests that Congress
should enact such appropriate legisla-
ton as will enable the department to
carry it into effect. Watkins estimate
OF. the total expenses of removing and
settling the various Indians in accord. |
ance with his plan is s2l0, 900. Tel. |
to Oregon'aa.