The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1895-01-04

Puyallup Indians to Get Cash.

For year past the Puyalluy. Ind
lans haye been anxious to learn just
when they will receive the money to
be paid for their lands soon to be sold
by the Puyallup Indian commission.
Their anxiety arises from the fact
that the law creating the commission
and providing for it's sale of the reser-.
vation lands provides that the pur-
chase money shall be deposited in the
treasury at Washington and paid to
the Indians from time to time. at the.
discretion of the commissioner of
Indian affairs and secretary of the
interior. On many occasions the Ind
dians have requested the commission
to ascertain and inform them. Just
how soon they will receive the cash if
they apply to have their lands Sold.
Naturally the Indians desire the cash
as soon as they can get it. 49,:
After six months OF CORE spondence,
the commission last week received a.
Litter from the department .announc-
ing that the commission and secre-
lary have concluded to ray the Ind
lans their money as fast as it is paid
into the treasury and credited to the
individual whose land has been sold.
Under the laws provisions, the money
must he sent to the treasury, and un-
der this ruling it will be Immediately
sent out here again for distribution
among the Indians whose lands have
been sold.
The terms on which lands shall be
sold was left by the law to the discre-
tion of the department. Instructions
have accordingly been given the COM
mission to sell for one-third cash, the
balance to be paid in five equal an
nual payments, deferred payments to
bear E per cent interest unless, in the
commissions judgment, more advan-
tageons terms can be made.
The school farm, belonging to the
entire tribe, has been surveyed and
plated, but a number Of knotty legal
points have arisen which the commits
sion desires to have the department
rule on before the land is placed on
sale. Two weeks ago Col. Renfroe, of
the commission, started for Washing
ton, by permission Of the department,
his object being to bring these points
to the personal attention of Secretary
Hoke Smith, with whom he is person
ally acquainted, and endeaver to Sc
cure an early ruling regarding them.
One of these questions is what dis
position shall be made of the land al
l"tted by fifteen of the patents issued
in 1886, as the patentees of these al
lotments have all died, their imme-
diate families hereby becoming entire
lv extinct. These lands might be sold
and the proceeds divided among the
entire tribe on per capita basis, or
they might be allotted by direction of
the president or interior department,
to members of the tribe who do not
now possess any land.
Another interesting point which
must be determined is what rules
shall be followed in determining how
the allotted lands shall be divided
where the original patentees have
died leaving children or other heirs.
On account of the peculiar relation
ships of the Indians to white men
and other Indians who have inter-
married with the Puyallups, the COM
mission is of the opinion that the
state law of descent will not apply,
and that specific rules for the COM
missions guidance must be laid down
by the department.