National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-04
SURPLUS INDIAN LANDS.
GEN. SHERIDAN AMPLIF1Es HIS AN
NUAL REPORT.
How the Red Mans Extra Real Estate
May be Made to support Him-Half n
Section for Each Family and I7O,-
900 Square Miles TO Spare.

the Indian question, Lieut.. Gen. Sheridan
has written the following statement;
HEADQUARTERS ARMY or THE UNITED |
STATES WASHINGTON, ID. c., Jan. 9, 1885, |
In nv annual report for 1885 recommended |
that each Indian family be given, and To- |
Gated upon, the 800 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 II for |
81 .25 per acre and with the proceeds pur- |
chase government bonds, to be held In trust |
by the Interior Department, giving to the
Indians each year the interest on the bonds |
for their support. / cited in illustration Of
what would be the practical workings Of
this suggestion the case of the Crows, the
Cheyennes, Arapahoes, and the Utes, but
the limits Of my report did not permit full
calculation Of the advantages that would
accrue TO the Indian, nor even an Illusion
TO the large amount Of land now lying idle
that would thereby be opened to settlement
and increase by so much the material pros
peTity of the nation.
When IL is attempted TO deal with this
subject more in detail, difficulty is a.
once encountered, In that neither the ac-
tual area Of the various reservations has
been accurately determined, nor the pop
ulation Of the Indians occupying them
known within more than approximate linn
its. It will, therefore, not be possible to
show the exact workings of the method
proposed, but only general summary COW
ering the cases OF the larger reservations
in each territory, and the most populous of
the different tribes Similar statistics for
the smaller reservations are, however, In
cluded In the accompanying tables.
Since the appropriations for the support
Of the Indians are not in every case made
specifically for those upon any particular
reservation, but rather collectively for
those inhablting some state, or territory, in
,,,fNl tl,a
required for the subsistence of the Indians
and the 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
Berthold reservation, with an area Of over
100000 acres, has q population Of 1900
people; the others-the Crow Creek, Old
Winnebago, and SiouX-an area Of nearly
22,250, 600 acres and population OF about
25,s0O Carrying out the proposals Of my
report would, in the former case, afford an
annual income Of over $4,000, and in the
latter case, surplus unoccupied by the
Indians Of over 20, 500, 900 acres lover $1,000
square miles) or an extent Of territory equal
TO the combined area Of the states Of New
Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts,, and
Connecticut, the proceeds Of which at per
over 81, 100000. With two Of the smaller
Teservations-the DEVILS Lake and South
Mountain-area 216,4S0 acres, population
over 1880, 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 $1,000 per
annum.
In Montana the Blackfeet reservation
contains over 81 100000 acres and a popu-
lation of less than 1000 Indians; the sur
plus land, equal to the area Of the state of
Maine, would then return an income of
S,O6O,OOO; the Crow reservation mentioned
in my report could in similar manner be
made to produce an annual sum Of
sos, ZOO.
Considering all the Indians and reserva-
lions in the territories Of Dakota and Mon
tana, we have an aggregate area OF over
54,500,000 acres and a population OF less
than $4,000. The surplus area Of nearly
81 900 square miles almost equal to the
entire state 81 Ramsay would produce an
annual interest Of over S2,500,00 The
appropriations for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1856, for fulfilling treaties with
these tribes and for their subsistence and
civilization and the pay Of the employees
incident to such undertaking, amount to
about 100000 less than this sum.
In Wyoming the Shoshones are located
upon the Wind river reservation. One
hundred and seventeen thousand dollars
per year could be derived from their sur
plus land.
In Idaho the Fort Hall reservation, occu-
pied by the Bannocks and Shoshones,
would In the same way produce each year
500, 600; the CGur d'Alene reservation $2S,-
600. In these two territories of Wyoming
and Idaho the total area of the reservations
is nearly 100000 acres, the total popula-
sonare miles. almost eouaI to the state of
New Jersey, would not he reouired for the
Indians, and an income would be Welded
of about s235, 0O0-a sum more than SlO0,.
600 in access of the appropriation for the
current year.
in Oregon the most populous reserva.
tion is the Klamath. with over n million
acres, but less than 1000 Inhabitants, II
would Weld nearly So. 600 wear.
In ,Washinpton territory the Yakamas.
abont a. 900 IN number. occupy the reserva.
ton of 100000 acres of the same name.
Here the surplus land would bear but
$4,000 year. In this state and territory
about 10000, embrace s, 100000 acres, or
about seven and one-third million acres
more than would Inc reouired by them under
the plan proposed, which would produce
per annum S3IO. 600. or about 5000 600 more
than Is appropriated for these Indians.
The differept bands of ITtes I'm Utah and
Colorado humber about $3.50. and theiI
reservotions inclnde over 400 oO0 acres. oi
which the snrplns norton would produce II,
YEARLY income of $40, 900. or about SI75 ,0OC
more than is being disbursed this wear fol
their beneGt.
In New Mexico the Nayaios, ON the res
ervation ~ the same name have now owe,
5000 0oll acres for n nomination Of o. O0c
people. Here the surplus land would Weld
over S83O, 900 wear.
For the surplus lands of the Mescalerc
Apache reservation the income would be
nearly son 000'
~ s,Ivnno tbo ,r,roiro, rosoryo,,or I,
tho White Monntain i WITH th vs ageucv AZ !,