The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-30

mineral character OF lAnu NJ any VINE PRIOR
10 tho issuance OF patent effectually OK
serves all mineral lands. Some VI the
United states circuit courts have hold that
the right OF tho company attached nt the
dato when the Limo of its road WAS definitely
fixed, and lands that were not then known
TO be mineral lands would pass under the
grant. The supreme court OF the United
States must eventually settle the question.
In the meantime patents will be refused
for oil lands deemed TO bs mineral within
tho provision Of the statutes.
Tho report gives in detail the work Of the
Indian commission which conducted the
negotiations for the removal OF the Tongue
river and Pine Ridge bands Of Northern
Cheyennes to u permanent settlement on
one of the existing reservations. The sioux
at the Pine Ridge agency were willing to
have all the Northern Cheyennes with them.
The commission, however, expressed fears
that. this Willingness was prompted ny q
desire Of the sioux to increase their strength
and importnnce, and reported that in their
opinion the sooner the Northern Cheyennes
were separated from the Sioux tho better.
The commission also found that bad feel
ing, want Of confidence, animosity and fears
existed between the Tongue river Chey-
ennes and the neichboring whites; that the
Indians there were attached TO their present
home and opposed to removing 70
Elu0 ItAAHcs WAil0 WhHtlAk Ul1
united to them. They also wanted piece
of tho Grow reservation adjoining theirs so
as to give them sufficient land, and that
white settlers now within their rese. e.vation
be removed. The Grow Indians were bit
tsrly opposed to giving w. any part OF their
reservation for the Northern Cheyennes
the Fort Keogh military reservation the
commission found $50 of the Northern
Cheysnues comprising those enlisted In tho
army, and their families. They considered
the conditions of this reservation as suit
able for these Indians and recommended
that those at Pine Ridge be removed thereto.
expressing the belief that IL these bands
were again placed under military control
the principal pait. if not the whole number,
would soon be united on that reservation,
and that all would become industrious,
quiet. peaceable, and self-supporting.
This did not appear to the
Indian commissioner aB satisfactory solu-
tiOn of the subject. but the report gays the
brief time allowed the commission to do its
work was perhaps insufficient to secure
the proper consideration of the business by
tho commission or by the Indians, who
think and act slowly. The Northern
CheYennes at Fort KeoQh told another COM
mission-that which was appointed to set
tle the disputed boundary matter between
buO LAG ltlnkU 0AA lNO1OOAA u&0AASASO oA-ts'
they we're anxious to get away from their
present location and to be removed tc
Tongue rivef. This commission recon-
mended the removal, and an extension Qt
the eastern boundary of the reservation gte
the west bank Of Tongue river.
Secretary Noble gives a history OF the ne
gotiations for the removal Of the Chariot
bands OF FIatheads from the Bitter Root
valley to the Jocko reservation in Montana
The land thus vacated, much Of which was
under cultivation, cannot be sold for Less
than tho appraised value. On this head
the secretary saws: "The Bitter Root valley
is described by those familiar with it to be
country. The high mountains on either
hand supply it with the clearest and coolest
streams, and the soil under ordinary irri-
CATION bears grain, grasses and fruits -lI
abundance and perfection. The climate ii
most heplthful, and here this tribe lived fol
many years in peace and comparative conf
fort. The Jocko reservation is, however,
also good land. and we'll watered, and as
the new state, Montana, demands RS muct
fertile soil as can be found available i'll its
borders. the retirement of the Indian
seemed desirable
Referring to the geological survey. the
secretary says the publication by that tu-
reau of maps and treatises indicating the
distribution of mineral resources has saved
fruitless labor in prospecting and mining,
and diminished the cost of production. The
topographic division during the year made
surveys for 148 reservoirs, of which twenty
eight were in Montana. The future possl-
biiities of agricultural development within
these localities have been assured, and the
report suggests that the responsibility now
rests upon congress of taking such action
as shall render these sites available to the
lands dependents upon them.
After referring to the condition of the
Yellowstone National park and the large in.
crease of game there, the secretary ex.
presses the opinion that railroad would be
detrimental to all the purposes for which
the park was set aside. If once allowed il
would result in practical ABANDONMENT of
that region as forest and game preserve.