Arizona silver belt., 1888-02-25
MINERAL BANDS oN aEsalsg sgATI0Ys.

q provide for the sale of mineral lands on Indian reservations and also allow ing the use of timber on such reserva- ton for mining purposes. While there is not one chance in ten of such a measure receiving favorable consld- eration by the present Congress, yet it is well to agitate the matter and bring to the attention of the Government the fact that there are mineral lands of great value located upon many of the Indian reservations in the West. and which in a great majority of cases are perfectly useless to the Indians, being available for nc other purpose than mTnlng.
 The White Mountain, or San Carlos, reservation furnishes an example III point, having within its boundaries gold, silver and copper deposits of known richness, as well as valuable coal veins which, if their development were permitted by the Government, would result in untold benefit to Ari zona, bring to us a large increase of population. and capital for the deVel- opment of our latent resources, of winch we stand SO much in need. Most of these mineral lands, too, are near the boundaries of the reservation, in mountainous regions, of no practl- cal use to the Indians and little ire quented by them; and it would be no loss to the Indians were these sections cut of from the reserve and thrown open to settlement by whites.
 The richest silver ledge in this county, for instance, is probably that running through what is known as McMillen, just inside the western line of the reservation, and upon which the Stonewall, the Hannibal and other partially developed claims are located, and winch have already-worked un- der the existing disadvantages-yield- ed several hundred thousand dollars in bullion; and if this small area, a l few miles square in extent, could be cut of from the reservation, mining operations would be actively begun there by a company with ample capi- tai, and new life would be infused into mining in this section. An ef- fort is now being made, through in- fuential men at Washington, to have thls done.
 Then there are the Deer creek coal fields near the southern line of the reservation, and coal deposits of per haps much greater value north, near Apache. A coal mine that would yield a fair amount of coal of good quality, located in the interior of the Territory, would be of more benefit than several gold or silver mines, as it would insure the immediate con- struction of railroad traversing the Territory from north to south, be- tween the Atlantic < Pacific and Southern Pacific roads, opening up a region of vast richness which, isolated as it is, now lies undeveloped.
 As we have already said, it IS not likely that Mr. Hermanus bill will re- ceiva favorable action from Congress as it would not be practical to permit the invasion of reservations by white; simply upon the pretext of prospect. ing and developing mineral lands, but where the deposits lie at or near the boundary lines, they should be cut of in jrstlce to the white population ot the Territories, who labonng under many hardships, are developing the public domain, which without theil excrtions would ba valueless to tue 1 Government; and especially should this be granted when, as is the cast with the White Noun ain reservation the land devoted to the use of the In dians is of far greater extent thar necessity requires.