Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-01-21
LANDSIN SEVERALTY.
en-. Sheriaau,s Indian Policy

~
Spouse to a request for additional IL
formation explanatory to the recon-
menbations of his last annual report
IN regard to the Indian question, Lieut.
Gen. Sheridan has written the follow
ing statement:
In my annual report for 1885 re-
commended that each Indian family be
given and located upon the $50 acres
now provided for them by law in case
of actual settlement; that the govern
ment then condemns the remainder OF
each reservation and buy it In at 81 %
per acre, and with the proceeds pur-
bhase government bonds to be held ia
trust by the interior department, Civ
ing the Indians each year the interest
on the bonds for their support. cit
ed IN ILLUSTRATION of what would be
the practical workings of this sugges-
ton, the case of the Crows the Cheyen-
mes, and Arapahoes, and the Utes; but
limits Of my report did not permit a
full elucidation of the advantages
that would accrue to the Indian, nor
even an allusion to the large amount
of land now lying idle that would
thereby be 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 difficulty
is at once encountered, in that Meth
er the actual area of the various res
ervations has been accurately deter
mined nor she population of the In
dams occupying them know within
more than approximate limits. 1t
will, therefore, not be possible to
show the exact workings of the
method proposed, but only q general
summary concerning the cases of the
larger reservation in each territory
ent tribes. Similar statistics for
the smaller tribes are, however, in
clHded IN the accompanying tables.
Since the appropriations for the sup
port of the Indians are not In every
case made specifically for those upon
any particular reservation, but, rath-
or, collectively for those inhabiting
some state and territory, In making
comparison with the sum row requir-
ed for the subsistence CT the Indians
and the annuities allowed them by
treaty, the aggregate for a territory
or for several territories, has necessar-
lily been considered rather than for
each tribe or reservation
In Dakota the principal reservations
are the Fort Berthold and those in
habited by the various bands of
Sioux. The Fort Berthold reservation,
With an area of over 1900, 900 acres,
has population of 1,300 people; the
others an area of nearly %, $50, 900
acres, and population of about 25,-
800. Carrying out the proposals of
my report would in the former case,
afford an annual income of ever
$40, 900, and In the latter case a sur
plus unoccupied by the Indians of
over 30, 100000 acres, or an extent of
territory equal I'd the combined area
of the states of New Hampshire, Yer
mont, Massachusetts, and Connect
cut, the proceeds of which, at 4 per
cent. per annum, woald yield an IN
terest of over $1,000, 900. With two
of the smaller reservations Devils
Lake and South Mountain-area 276.-
46C acres, population over 1900
nearly half the land would be requir-
ed by the Indians. In this case, then
the income from the surplus would
be small, being little less than S.
900 per annum. In Montana the
Blackfeet reservation contains over
10000 acres and population of
less than 1900 Indians. The surplus
land, equal to the area of the state of
Maine, would then return an income
$1,000, 900. The Crow reservation
mentioned in my report could, in
similar manner, be made to produce
ian annual sum of 1928, 900. Consider
ng all the Indians and reservations
n the territories of Dakota and Mon
tana, we have an aggregate area of
over 81, 00O, 900 acres and q population
of less than $4,000. The surplus area
of nearly 81 900 square miles would
produce an annual interest of over SOL
800, 900. The appropriations for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1854, for
fulfilling treaties with these tribes and
for their subsistence and civilization,
and the pay of the employees incident,
to such undertaking, amounts to about
800, 900 less than this sum.
In Wyoming the Soshones are To-
Gated upon the Wind river reserva-
ton. One hundred and seventeen
thousand dollars per year could be de-
rived from their surplus land. II
Idaho the Fort Hall reservation,
occupied by the Bannocks and Shosh-
ones, would In the same way produce
each year $4,000 and the Cnur
d'Alene $2S, 900. In these two terri
tories-Wyoming and Idaho-the to-
tai area of the reservations is nearly
100000 acres; the population nearly
5000. An area Of nearly 1900 square
miles, almost equal to the state of
New Jersey, would not be required
for the Indians, and an income of
about 1895, 600, sum more than $780,
600 in excess Of the appropriation for
the current year. In Oregon the
most popular reservation is the
Klamath, with over 100000 acres,
but less than 1000 inhabitants. It
would yield $780, 900 year. In Wash
lngton territory the Yakamas, about
5000 in number, occupy the reserva-
ton of 800, 900 acres of the same name
Here the surplus land would bear but