Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1884-05-28
DUCK VALLEY INDIAN REsER.
WALTON.

settlers for their improvements.
For five or six years a bill has been pend
ing before Congress TO pay the settlers for
improvements made on the land now occu.
pied by the Duck Valley Indian Reserve
ton in Elko county. 1t seems that Mr..
Cassidy has been giving the matter atten-
ton in the present Congress, and a few
days since be called up the bill and sue.
ceeded in having it passed by the House.
We find the following In relation to the
subject in the Congressional Record Of the
10Th inst:
Mr.. O~assidy-I ask unanimous consent
10 take from the private calendar for
present consideration the bill III. r. 3,00e)
Tor the relief OF certain settlers on the
Duck Valley Indian Reservation in Nevada.
l Will state before 1t is read that 1t is Q De-
partment bill.
The bill was read as follows:
Be 1t enacted. etc., That the Secretary
OF the Treasury be, and he is hereby,
authorized and directed, out Of any money
to pay TO the settlers on the Duck Valley
A1oA"A sCoCA t3tiOnt ! ANCNoaa, tHO 8uln VI
s ,4O0, as follows, namely: To Levi
Harris, $500; to William Harris, 5000;
to Henry Boyle. 81 500; and to J. H. Babb.
5000, in full for their improvements on said
Reservation.
Mr.. Cassidy-Ia ask for the reading OF the
report. 1t is very short.
The report Of the Committee on Indian
Affairs (by Mr.. skinner of North Carolina)
was read. as followa.
This bill, with the affidavit and other
papers upon which the committee base this
report, was presented to Congress In q
message from the President Of the United
States. (Ex. Doc, No. 13, Forty-eighth
Congress.)
Prior to May /, 1878. j. II. Babb, Henry
Boyle, William Harris and Levi Harris
settled upon lands in Duck Valley, on the
Oyhee river, Elko county, New, which
lands were then open to settlement 90
other Government lands, and made valua-
BILE improvements thereon, but never per-
footed their title thereto.
On or about the said LIST day Of May,
1878, the said Duck Valley, including the
lands upon which these settlers had made
improvements, was set apart by Executive
order as an Indian Reservation for the
Shoshone Indians, who took possession OF
the same, and the said settlers were COM
PEELED to abandon their settlements and
improvements, which improvements they
estimated, in making claim for payment
for the same 10 the Department of the In
terror, rs follows: J.. H. Babb, $500;
Henry Boyle, $4,000; William Harris,
5000; Levi Harris, $4,000.
These claims were fully investigated by
the COMMISSIONS OF Indian Affairs, who,
in . report to the Secretary Of the Interior,
dated April l, 1880. appraises the value Of
permanent improvements made by these
settlers as follows: J.. H. Babb, 5000;
Henry Boyle, $1,000, William Harris,
$500; Levi Harris, $780,; which amounts
are the same a. those in this bill. These
settlers have made improvements upon
lands open to settlement, and have been
deprived OF their improvements by the
action of the GOVERNMENT, and are equita-
bly, entitled to payment for the same.
Your committee recommend the passage
of the bill.
The Speaksr-Is there objection to the
present consideration of the bill?
Mr.. Scales Reserving the right to OBJ
| ject, / should like to hear some explsna-
ton.
Mr.. Cassidy-I will state briefly for the
information of the gentleman from North
Carolina that this matter has been duly
investigated and the bill is recommended
by the Department Of the Interior. The
lands in Duck Valley were open to settlers
the same as other public lands in this
country, and certain settlers located there.
Afterward the valley was set apart for the
Indian Reservation, and the Government
took all the improvements these settlers
had made, their houses. wire fences,
bitches, and everything Of that kind, and
have since been using the lands for the
purpose Of a reservation.
The Interior Department sent out q
commission to investigate the whole mat
ter, and upon the report of that commits
sion has agreed to pay these people the
amount of money named in this bill. about
S., 1000. for their improvements which are
now being used by the Government as
quarters for the officers on the reserva-
ton, &c. This bill is well authenticated
by the Department. These people have
been kept out Of their money for some
years.
Mr.. scales-Were these improvements
assessed by the commission that was sent
out there?
Mr.. ~Cassidy-They were, and the only
compliant ~ tuat Tue b6ttloIs nave uot pooA
allowed the just value of their property.
Mr.. Scales-Is this q report from the
Committee on Indian affairs?
Mr.. Cassidy-It is unanimously reported
| from the Committee on Indian Affairs. has
| been twice recommended to Congress by
| the President, and is also backed up by
| the report Of the Secretary OF the Interior
| and the Indian Commissioner.
Mr.. George Wise-Wil these parties ac-
| cept these sums in lieu of all their claims 2
Mr.. Cassidy-The bill provides that they
must do so.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed for
q third reading, read the third time, and
passed.
Mr.. Cassidy moved to reconsider the
vote by which the bill was passed; and also
moved that the motion to reconsider be
laid on the table.
The latter motion was reed to.
The wild GarnlRn Liar.