The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1886-01-06

OPENED TO SETTLEMENT
and increase by so much the material pros
perity of the Nation. When it is attempted
to deal with this subject more in detail the
difficulty is at once encountered, in that
neither the actual area of the various reser-
vations has been accurately determined nor
the population of the Indians occupying
them known within more than ap-
proximate limits. 1t will, there
the exact workings OF the method pro-
posed, but only Il general summary cover
ing the cases of the larger res ervatiOns in
each Territory and most populous OF
the different tribes. Similar statistics for
the smaller reservations are, however. in
cIuded in the accompanying tables. Since
the appropriations for the support OF the
Indians are not in every case made spe-
officially for those upon any particular
reservation, but rather collectively for
those inhabiting some State and Territory:
in making q comparison with the sum now
required for
THE SUBSISTENCE OF INDIANS
and annuities allowed them by treaty, the
aggregate for Territory or for several
Territories, has necessarily been considered
rather than for each tribe or reservation.
In Dakota the principal reservations are
the Fort Berthold and those inhabited by
the various bands OF Sioux The Fort
100000 acres, has population OF
1900 people, the Others an area
Of nearly 22,25O,OOO acres and a
population of about 25,8OO. Carrying
out the proposals OF my report it would,
in the former case, afford an annual in
come of over $4,000, and in the latter
case the surplus unoccupied by the Indians
of over 20, 500, 900 acres, or an extent OF
territory equal to the combined area OF
the States of New Hampshire, Vermont,
Massachusetts and Connecticut, the pro-
ceeds OF which. at per cent. per annum,
would yield an interest Q! over one
million dollars. On two OF the smaller
reserv rvations-Devil's Lake and South
Mountain-an area Of 276, ,4SO acres and
population of over 1,SOO) nearly one-half
of the land would be required by the In
dians. In this case their income from the
surplus would be small, being little less
than 5000 per annum.
IN MONTANA
the Blackfoot reservation contains over
21.5OO,OOO acres, and population OF less
than z. 900 Indians. The surplus land,
equal to the area Of the State OF Maine,
would then return an income OF 81 ,OoU,ooo.
The Crow reservation, mentioned in my re-
mort. could in a similar manner be made to
produce an annual sum of 1928 900. Cor
siderng all of the Indians and reservations
in the Territories OF Dakota and Montana,
we have an aggregate area OF over % 4,o'O,-
900 acres and Il population OF less tnan
45.OuO. This surplus area of nearly Sl,Ooo
square miles would produce an annual IN
terest of over $2' ,5OO,OOO. me appro-
nriations for the fiscal year ending June
20. 1884, for fulfilling the treaties
with these tribes and for their subsistence
and civilization, and the payment OF EN-
nloves incidental to such undertaking
amounts to about 500, 900 less than this
sum.
the Shoshones are located upon the
Wind River Reservation. One hundred
! and seventeen thousand dollars per
wear could be derived from their surplus
| land, In Idaho, the Fort Hall reservation,
| occupied by Bannocks and Shoshones.
would in the same way produce each year
! $4,000. The CGur d'Alene, S2S,OOo. IN
/ these two Territories - Wyoming and
| Idaho-the total area OF reserva-
tions is nearly 100000 acres and the
nonulation nearly 5000. This, an area OF
nearly I 200 square miles almost equal to
| the State OF New Jersey would not be re-
ouirsd for the Indians, and an income
would be yielded OF about S235, 600, a
snm more than 100000 in excess OF the
appropriation for the current year.
! IN OREGON,
the most populous reservations is klamath,
with 900. 900 acres, but less than ,Ooo
;nha bitants. It would yield $5O,OOO a
year. .,,o vol;m.s
about 3, 200 in number, occupy reserVa'
tion OF 100000 acres OF the same name
| Here the surplus land wouid give
about $50, 900 per year. In TINS ota1e any
Territory these reservations, with tota an
population Of 900. embrace o'4oo.poo
| acres. or about 335 900 acres more tnan
would he required by them under the plan
nronosed, which would produce per an
pum s37O, 900, or about S3OO.OOo more
than is appropriated for these Indians.
THE DIFFERENT BANDS OF UTEs
:, Itch and Colorado number about .,
65O and their reservations include over
,OoO. 900 acres, OF which the surplus
norton would produce yearly an income O
about S24O. 600. or about 81 1000 more
than is being disbursed this year 1ol
their benefit. In New Mexico, the Navalos
On the reservation of the same name, naV'
now over s. .OOO, 900 acres for populatloi
of % 600 people. Here the surplus lane
would Weld over $3.50, 900 per year. From
anrnlus lands the Mescalero Apaches reser
vation income would be nearly $2O,ooo.
the principal reservation Is the VIM
Mountain, with an agency at san Caf'os
r. embraces more than 2,oOO,OOO acres
Considerable uncertainty exists as 20 ~
nopulation, but probably about 5'ooo IL
the vicinity OF the agency, an am
. 600 more, who have removed lno'
! the northern part and are now engaged II
farming. and efforts to make themselVe
self supporting. The latter would, now
over he entitled to all the benefits obtalne'
hv the agency Indians in any scheme LOOK
mo to the promotion OF their general pros
: perity.
Carrying out
THE PROPOSALS OF MY REPORT.
t wonld leave balance OF considerably owe
600. 900 acres, with, according to tn
nisn advocated, about Sl1o.Oo
her % wear. Considering collectivel.
, | fbe Indians of New Mexico
and Arizona. we have reservations en-
hracing 16,5OO,OOO acres. inhabited o
nearly 53 600 people. The surplus Ian
. would include about 13,75O,OOO acre
yhich would yield according to II
nlan proposed, nearly $64O, 900, su
t greater by $3.50, 900 than that appropr
|. ated for the current year for the suppol
Of these Indians. In the Indian Terrltol
:, the CHEYENNE and Arapahoe, klo~
and Conanche and .Wachita reserv
t;on. embrace over 100000 acre
The nonulation is in the neighborhot
n Z 760. The income from the surp'