Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-09-02
NEWS FROM THE CAPITAL
Decision Against the Hastings and Da-
kOta Railway sustained by Secre-
tary Lamar.
Indian Supplies Being Shipped Early
to 0bviate Suffering on the Res
erYatiOnS.


Dakota Railroad Company from the de-
clslon Of the Commissioner of the General
land Office made March 10, 1886, rejecting
its application for the REIMBURSEMENT of
the west half of the northwest quarter of
section 2S, township 116 north, range 80,
Benson Land District, Secretary Lamar
sustalns the Commissioner in the follow
ing words: "The tract is within the ten
mile limit of the grant in aid of said COM
pany made under the provisions of the
act of July f. 1866, of the right of which
attached by definite location June 20,
1867. 1t was, however, excepted from
the grant by reason of it's having been
embraced in the homestead entry No.
1889, of Robert M. Mears, made May 3,
1866, and Cancelled Sept. 30, 1872. On
April Z, 1888, the company filed in the
local office its REIMBURSEMENT of this
tract under said act of June %, 1884, but
your Office by the decision herein appeal
ed from, refused to accept said rellnquish-
ment- In this l fully concur. The tract
having been excepted from the grant to
the railroad company, it never had any
claim to the REIMBURSEMENT, consequent
| ly the said act of June %, 1876. is not APP
pIicable to the case" The Secretary also
refused the re-opening of the railroad
homestead entry of the same company VS..
| George r. Perfect, of Benson, which was
appealed from the decision of the Com
missioner of the General Land Office of
Nov. 10, 1885, giving the same reasen for
the refusal as in the case, of Whitehall VS..
the same company; which was decided a
| year ago.
Assistant Indian Commissioner UpshaW
returned to-day from New York, where
| he has been engaged in experimenting
the shipment of Indian supplies, largely
| clothing and farming utensils, to the
| West. This work is about one month
ahead of time this year, but heretofore
the slow process of trans pOrtation has
prevented supplies reaching the agencies
until after cold weather has already set
and as a result much suffering is entailed
upon the Indians, and creates great dis
satisfaction among the treaty tribes.
| The Commissioner is determined this
year that these goods shall reach the In
| dams in time to allow the Indians to pre-
pare for winter. The Indian Office will
recommend to Congress legislation that
will allow the letting OF contracts for sup
! plies in March, hereafter, so that the con-
| tracts can be carried out earlier in the
year. The purchase of supplies for the
Indian Office is no light matter, the goods
needed being of such varied character
that the most experienced buyer can only
become expert in the little details, and
as a consequence the most careful atten-
ton to samples and supplies in bulk is
exacted. The quantities purchased are
exceedingly large, the amount being
about the same this year as last. There
is reason to believe that if Congress had
granted Mr.. Atkins requested for $4,000
with which to take cencus of the various
reservation, considerable saving might be
effected in the purchase of these supplies
There is every season to believe that the
Indians in many localities are.
DECREASING RAPIDLY.
This is known to be the case among the
Sioux, who are especially susceptible to
the pulmonary complaints, and have an
aggravating climate to deal with. AT
none of the agencies, however, has the
number of rations been reduced. Thus
at Pine Ridge agency McGiilicuddy has
for years been issuing 1000 rations to
the bands that monthly come up to col
lect for Indians credited to that agency
yet there is reason to believe that less
than two-thirds the number exist in that
parG OF the great OlOux reSerVat1On
Major Bell, when he assumed control of
the agency, after McGilIicuddy was sus-
pended, had a secret census of the Pine
Ridge Sioux taken, and reports to the
Indian Bureau that instead of 1000 he
has but $500 Indians there. There was
talk of reducing the rations, but the
bands assumed hostile attitude at once,
and became so hostile that Commission
er Atkins was forced to telegraph the
head men that the rations should not be
reduced. It is stated at the Indian Bur-
eau that there has been some slight re-
ductiOn in rations at Pine Ridge but it
does not constitute any great saving as
| yet. On the great Sioux Reservation in
| 1880 there was said to be 10000 Indians,
yet there is good reason to believe that
if a census was taken to-day a saving of
fully 5000 rations in that vicinity could
be effected. The "pennywise and the
pound foolish policy" of Congress in re-
gard to the Indians is probably the most
reprehensible of any of the demagogical
! economical schemes practiced by either
! party VIII en- in control of the House.
NEWS THROUGHOUT THE STATE.