Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-01-04
WASHINGTON NEWS.
Lieut. Gen. sheridan Gives a Statement
Concerning the Reservation System
Which He Recommends Congress to
Act Upon.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3.
In response to a request for additional in
formation explanatory of the recommenda-
tions of his last annual report in regard to the
Indian question, 1t. Gen. Sheridan has writ
ten 4 statement in which he saws: recon-
mend that each Indian family be given (sni
located upon) $40 acres now provided for
them by law in case OF actual settlement
that the government then condemn the re-
mainder OF each reservation and buy in at
81 % per acre, and with the proceeds pur-
chase government bonds to be held in t.ust
by the interior department, giving to the In
dians each year the interest on the bonds for
their support. In Dakota the principal res
ervations are Fl. Berthold and those inhabit-
ed by various bands of the Sioux. Ft. Ber-
thold reservation, with an area of over q.
000, 900 acres, has a population of 1900 peo-
pie. The others, (Crow Creek, Old Winnie
bago and Sioux have an area of -. 250, 900
acres and a population of about %. 800. Car
rying out the proposals of my report it would
In the former case afford an annual income
of over $4,000, and in the latter case a
surplus unoccupied bv the Indians of over
20, SOC, 900 acres, or an extent Of territory
equal TO the combined area of the
states of New Hampshire, Vermont.
Massachusetts and Connecticut, the proceeds
Vi " uiSH AT ! per cent per aunum Woulu
yield an interest of over 81 200, 900, with two
of the small reservations, the Devils Lake
and South Mountain, area 276,4S0 acres.
population over 1900, nearly half the land
would be required by the Indians. In this
case then the income from the surplus would
be small, being little less than $4,000 per
annum. In Montana the Blackfeat reserva
tion contains over twenty and a half mil
lion acres and population of less than 1000
Indians Surplus land, equal to the area OF
the State of Maine, would then return an
income of Sl,060,000. Crow reservation,
mentioned in my report, could in a similar
manner be made to produce an annual sum
of 1928, 900. Considering all the Indians and
reservations in the territories of Dakota and
Montana we have an aggregate area of over
54,500,000 acres and population of less
$4,000. The surplus area of nearly 81 900
square miles (almost equal to the State of
Kansas would produce an annual income OF
S2,500,O0O. The appropriations tor the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1886, for the fulfillment
| OF treaties with these tribes and for subsist-
ence and civilization and pay of employees ill.,
cldent to such Undertakings, amount to about
$1,000 less than this sum In Wyoming
the Shoshones are located upon Wind river
reservation. One hundred and seventeen
thousand dollars per year could be derived
from their surplus land. In Idaho the Fort
Hall reservation, occupied by the Bannocks
and Shoshones, would in the same way pro
duce each year S55, 900; Occur D'Alena res
revaton, S2s, 900. In these two territories
of Wyoming and Idaho, the total area of the
reservations is nearly 10000 acres; total
population nearly 5000. An area of nearly
200 square miles. almost equal to the State
of New Jersey, would not be required for the
Indians and an income would be Welded of
about S235, 900, sum of more than $780,
600 IN excess of the appropriation for the
current year. In Oregon the most populou.
reservation is klamoth, with over 1000, 900
but less than one thousand inhabitants
1t would yield nearly $4,000 year
In Washington Territory the Yakamas about
5000 in number, occupy a reservation of
$4,000 acres of the same name. Here the
surplus land would bear but $50 900 a wear
The different bands of Utes in Utah number
about $3.50, and their reservations include
over 5000, 900 acres, of which the surplus
portion would produce yearly an income of
about 10000, or about $4,000 more than
is being disbursed this year for their benefit
In New Mexico, the Navajos, on a reserva-
ton of the same name have now over ,0O0,-
600 acres tor population of % 900 people.
Here the surplus land would yield over
$3.50, 900 year. For the surplus lands of
the Miscalero Apache reservation the income
would be nearly $4,000. In Arizona the
principal reservation is the White Mountain.
with an agency at San Carlos II embraces
more than 2, 800, 900 acres, with population
of 5000 in all. The plan proposed would
leave balance of considerably over 2,0O0- :
600 acres, with about $4,000 per year
In Indian Territory, the Cheyenne, Arapahoe.
Kiowa, Comanche and Wachita
| N
population of about II 800 and the income
from the surplus land (S375 000) would
come within $4,000 of eQualling the amount
of appropriation. The Indian reservations
of the United States contain about 1000, 900
square miles, their population being about
260,0o0. Twenty-six thousand square miles
would locate each family upon half section
of land leaving a surplus of about lac, 900
square miles which, according to the plan
proposed, would produce annually 81, ,4SO, 900.
This amount exceeds by about $500 900 the
entire sum appropriated for payment of their
annuti,s and for their subsistence and civil.
zstion. The policy suggested ia my report
would be most advantageously applied grad
ually to the general government of Indians,
being continued according to the methods now
in vogue OF such Improvements of them as
time and experience may suggest. The ulti-
mate development of the suggested policy
would as the Indians advance in civilization
and intelligence, result in the return to them of
the principal derived from the sale of their
lands, which, until such measures were au.
thorized by an act of Congress- would be
held as trust for their benefit and the income
applied to their support
JORDAN BREAKS THE SEALS.