Arizona silver belt., 1895-09-21
rms MINERAL MARKET.
A BARRIER TO PROGRESS.

Mountain Indian reservation, between Fort Thomas, the present terminus, and Globe, its objective point,
 The railroad company, it is alleged, stand ready to resume the work of con struc6on, and push it with all possible speed to completion. In fact, Presi- dent Garland's expectation was to run trains into Globe by the first of Janu Ary next, and counting upon the CO., operation of the Interior Departmen: in speedily arranging the terms grant ing right-of-way across the Indian lands, he entered into o contract with the Old Dominion Copper Mining X Smelling Company for the transporta- ton of oil their freight to and from their copper works in Globe, and which agreement carried with it verbal promise to resume the building of the railroad, westward from Fort Thomas, and to finish it to Globe about the be- ginning of the year 1896, This, how ever, President Garland finds it beyond his power to fulfill, for the reason that no steps have yet been taken to gain the consent of the Indians living on the reservation to have the railroad cross their reserve, which, upon the insistence of President Cleveland, was made requisite, preliminary to enter ing the reservation,
 The Right-of.Way bill, passed at the last session of Congress, also provided that the permission of the Indians should be obtained under rules to be approved by President Cleveland, and although these rules have been formu- lated and received executive sanction, it is rumored, yet the promoters of the railroad have not been enlightened as to their requirements, and until au- shortly is given through the proper official channel, no step whatever can be taken tO open the way for the march of progress westward to Globe.
 This retardmsnt of the railroad is the cause of yexation and loss to the business interests of Globe, as well as to the railroad. h fact it is of more concern to the people of this section than to the builders of the railroad themselves, and when We reflect upon the mOustrous policy of the Govern ment that fosters @ community of saw ages, who have no tenure in the soil, to the detriment of its own citizens and the progress of State, the indignation of an injured people is not only par donable but righteous.
 The area of the White Mountain res ervation is 3,s5O square miles, or 2,464, 900 acres, and the number of Indians quartered upon this great tract wHs in June, 1894 (according to the re- port of Capt A. L. Myer, acting agenD, 4,Sl7. Of this number only l,073 were males above the age of IS years, and if all of these represent heads of families, each family enjoys the pos session and use of 2,296 acres.
 According to the report of the Com missioner of Indian Affairs for the year 1894. the Indians on the reservation cultivated 3900 acres, and raised about 33, ,OOO bushels of grain, valued at S42,263 With the exception of the small area of cultivated land, andrange for the grazing of their stock, this vast reservation is of no practical use to the Indians, and is really 8 detriment to their progress and surveillance by the Agens. It fosters the nomsdic spirit among them, and antagonism to the regulations and discipline of tho au- thorities.
 It is idle to argue that this vast tract is necessary to the Indians support. It is, as we have said, dstriment to them, for the reason that the government makes this large allotment of land an excuse for 0 niggardly allowance of rations, insufficient to repress the bangs of hunger. And it is used for tho fur ther purpose of deception, namely, as sop to the so.called philanthropists, meddlesome people, who maintain that the Indians have been robbed of their pasrimony, and that the reservation is the last bulwark against an aggressive enemy. Probably two million acres of the land within the reservation is arid mesa and mountain that by no means can be turned to profitable use by the IDdiRns, but which, if opened to set tlement and sold for the benefit of the Indians, would provide fund that would make up the deficiency in the Government appropriation, Tho lands arc valuable to the white man because they are rich in gold, silver, copper and in coal, and besides arc capable of supporting large herds of cattle. To utilize these resources and make them profitable, capital and industry are necessary, and would Do furnished if the opportunity was afforded.
 Notwithstanding the efforts put forth for their education and to instil in them habits of industry, the Indians have