The morning call., 1891-03-28
TWO REPORTS.
Recommendations Of the Round
Valley Commission.
Ample Provision Made for the Indians
on the Reservation.
Commissioner Hunt DISSentS From the ha-
iOrity of His Colleagues Settlers Ap-
peal to President Harrison.


WASHINGTON, March 2Z-The Commits
sloners appointed under the act Of Congress
TO appraise the lands occupied and improved
by settlers on the Round Valley Indian Res
ervation. survey the lands and reduce the
reservation by offering the surplus area for
sale to settlers, has submitted its report,
which says, in substance, that after survey
ing about 103,000 acres OF land in all, among
which was about 5000 acres Of fertile valley
land, they decided that about 10000 acres,
including valley land. should be reserved
Tor the use of Indians and the remainder
opened to settlement, in quarter-sectons in
stead Of in tracts of $40 acres. They report
that they appraised the settlers ella inns and
allowed them an average price of about $50
an acre for the best land, which. with i'm
provements, aggregated about $4,000. Other
appraisements to be made will swell this to
a considerable amount more.
twenty-five thousand dollars was appro-
priatcd when tile commission was created
and atterly $4,000 more appropriated,
making the total amount available about
100000. About 5000 has been spent by
the commission in salaries and expenses etc.
The commission represents that certain
wealthy settlers in that region are graSping
and avariciOus, and are greatly angeTed
over being deprived Of certain valuable
lands as contemplated. They have used
these in grazing cattle for so long that they
are disposed TO consider them as their own.
They are angry because the Indians are to
have the best Of the land allotted to them.
Indignation meetings were held when il be-
came evident that they were to be deprived
OF these valley lands. and Indian Agent
Wi llsey, an efficient and worthy officer, was
burned in effigy. They also induced the
haif-breeds to drink liquor and inflamed
their minds and melted them against the
commission.
Commissioner H. c. Hunt dissents from
this report He thinks that about $4,000 or
$4,000 acres would be sufficient for the In
dams now there. and that 1000 acres OF fer
tile valley land would alone be sufficient for
their support. The whites are willing for
the Indians to have all the valley lands and
also 5000 to 10000 acres of uplands for
timber and grazing purposes. The Indians
are anxious to secure the valley lands IN
severalty. Hunt says the majority of the
commission are acting seemingly without
respect 10 the common good and i'll defiance
OF the unanimous wish of the whites and dis
regarding the Indians wishes. He says the
Indians are not successful stock-gr0Wers,
and as it is not the policy Of the Govern
ment TO encourage hunting and fishing, q
species Of idlenesS among reservation In
dians, 5000 acres with the uplands above
ferred to would be amply sufficient for
them. He says that by following his plan
future contention of the whites for the In
dams lands would be obyiated, Whereby II
tile majority report is followed the viii eS
will never be satisfied till they get more.
President Harrison mas received letter
from the white settlers in that region pro-
testing against the reservation Of such
great quantity Of land for the Indians and
saying that the President must have been
imposed upon when he appointed Commits
sioner Smith as "disinterested party as
the Law required, as Smut tn is an employe of
the Interior Department.