Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-12-17
LANDS OPENED TO SETTLERS,
purchase of Indian Reserve During the
Year-NegotiatiOnsP Pending.

neutrality-suspicious. Pending.
ne good work of reducing the larger Indian
reservations by allotments IN severalty to the
inolans, and the cession of the remaining lands
70 the United States for disposition under the
homestead law, has been prosecuted during the
year with Energy and success. In September
iaSt was enabled to open to settlement in the
territory OF Oklahoma 900, 600 acres of land all
OF which was taken up by settlers in single
gay. The rush for these lands was accompanied
~ great deal of excitement, but was happily
Tree from incidents of violence
AZ was source of great regret that l was not
ape to open at the same time the surplus lands
Vi the cheyenne and Arapahoe reservation,
amounting to about 5000, 600 acres. by reason of
lnsuthciency of the appropriation for making
the allotments. Deserving and impatient set
tJers are waiting to occupy these lands, and l
urgently recommend that q special deficiency
appropriation be promptly made of the small
amount needed so that the allotmerts may be
completed and The surplus lands opened in time
TO permit the settlers to get upon their home
steads In the early spring.
During the past summer the Cherokee Com
mission have completed arrangements with the
vienna, k1ckapoo, and Tonkawa tribes, where
py IL the agreements are ratified by Congress,
over 1000 additional acres will be opened to
settlement in oklahoma.
The negotiation for, the release by the Chero-
keeS OF their claim to the Cherokee strip has
MADE no substantial progress, so far as the de-
part1nent Is officially advised, but it is still
hoped that the cession of this large and valua-
bic tract may be secured. The price which the
commission was authorized to otfer-$l.25 per
acre--lS, In my Judgment. when all the clrcum-
stances as to title and the character of the
lands are considered, fair and adequate one,
ana should have been accepted by the Indians
since March q, 1889, about %, 000 900 acres have
oeen separated from Indian reservations and
added to the public domain, for the use OF
those who desired to secure free homes under
our benifcent laws. 1T is difficult to estimate
the increase of wealth which will result from
the conversion of these waste lands into farms
but 1t Is more difficult to estimate the better
ment which will result to the families that have
found renewed hope and courage in the owner
ship of a home and the assurance of a COM
Portable subsistence under free and healthful
conditions 1t Is also gratifying to be able to
feel, as we may, that this work has proceeded
upon lines of justice towards the Indian, and
that he may now, If he will secure to himself
the GOOD influences of q settled habita ton, the
fruits of industry and the security of citizen
ship
Early in the administration special effort
was begun to bring up the work of the general
land Office. By faithful work the arrearages
have been rapidly reduced. At the end of the
last fiscal year only 84l final agricultural en-
tries remained undisposed Of and the commits
sioner reports that, with the present force. the
work can be fully brought up by the end of the
next fiscal year.
Your attention is called to the difficulty pre-
sented by the secretary of the interior as to the
administration of the law of March 3, 1891, es-
tabllsh1ng court OF private land claims. The
small holdings intended to be protected by the
law are estimated TO be more than $1,000 IN
number The claimants are most deserving
class, and their titles are supported by the
strongest equities. The difficulty grows out of
the fact that the lands have largely been sur
holdings, many of which have been in the same
family for generations, are laid out in narrow
strips few rods wide upon stream and run
ming back to the hills for pasturage and timber.
Provision should be made for numbering these
tracts as lots and for patentins them by such
numbers and without reference to section lines