The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-08-21
SIOUX LANDS BOUGHT.
Eleven Million Acres to be
Thrown Open to Settlers.
The Terms Upon Which the Indi-
ans Surrended Their Domain.

Secretary Noble received the following
telegram at the Interior Department In
Washington, announcing the successful COM
pletion Of the work of the Sioux Commits
sion:
FORT GATES
John W Noble, Secretary of the Interior.
Washington:
We have won the fight. We will leave
here tomorrow for Chicago. VIII write
you fully from Chicago.
CHARLES FOSTER, Chairman.
The commission, composed of Ex-Governor
Foster, Major General Crook ard Hon. Will
lam Warner, commenced their work among
the Indians some two months ago. Their OBJ
iect was to secure the consent of two-thirds
Of the Sioux Indians, numbering %, ,567, to a
surrender of about one-half of their reserva-
tion of q, ,0o0, coo acres Of land to the United
States Government. which it turn would
throw it open to public settlement.
According to the act of Congress under
which the agreement was made, the unre-
inquished portion of the Sioux Reservation
is divided into six reservations, as follows:
Standing Rock, Cheyenne River, Lower Brule,
Grow Greek, Pine Ridge and Rosebud.
The land thrown open to settlement will
aggregate about II, 600, 900 acres and viii be
disposed of by the United States to actual
settlers only, at the following rates: 81 .25
per acre for all lands taken within the first
three years, after the act takes effect; IS cents
per acre for all lands disposed Of within the
succeeding two years, and so cents per acre
for the residue Of the lands then undisposed
of. All lands still open to settlement under
the agreement at the end of ten years from
the taking effect Of the act shall be ac-
cepted by the United States at so cents per
ecre, which amount shall be added to and
credited to the Indians as part OF their
permanent fund.
The act provides for furnishing the neces-
sary seed to the Indians for two years, for
which adequate appropriation IS made. In
addition thereto there is to be set apart the
sum Of S, 600, 900, which is to be deposited in
the United States Treasury to the credit of the
Sioux Nation Of Indians as permanent fund,
the interest Of which at five per cent. per an
npR~is to be appropriated under the direc-
ton of the Secretary of the Interior to the
use of the Indians. After the Government
has been reimbursed for the money expended
fer the Indians, under the provisions Of the
act the Secretary of the Interior may IN his
discretion expend, in addition to the interest
of the permanent fund, not to exceed ten
DER cent. per annum of tho principal
Of the fund in the employment Of
farmers and in the purchase Of agri-
cultural instruments, teams, etc., necessary
to assist the Indians in agricultural pursuits.
At the end of fifty years the fund IS to be ex-
pended for the purpose Of promoting educa-
.tion, civilization and self-support among the
Indians, or otherwise distributed among them
as Congress may determine.
All the new reservations include the land
In the vicinity Of the agencies where the In
.dians are now living. Tho land to Be
thrown open to settlement is not occupied at
present by the Indians. The number Of In
dians on the reservation is g, 567.
The act provides that the agreement as
now entered into must be submitted to Con-
gress at its next session for ratification. In
case the agreement is approved and no fur
!ther legislation is enacted, the Secretary Of
the Interior will proceed to carry into effect
the provisions Of the law.
A. T. Lea, an agent Of tho Interior Depart
ment, is now in Dakota, and has been
ordered to proceed to take a census Of the
Indians with a view of ascertain
ing how many of them are abla to
support themselves and their phys
ical capacity to work the land owned
or occupied by them, either individually or
collectively; the value of the land, its near
ness to market, its general product and
such other facts and circumstances as will as
sist Congress in determining how many Of
the Indians are capable Of self-support