The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-16

re found them almost to . man bitterly
opposed 70 "a The lAw itsesf re found 10
be vague and uncertain "a several i'm
porsans desails- Important points had 20
b settled before We could know how 20
proved. and this necessarily consumed .
great deal ofstime. The law vas drawn.
evitently. with the idea thar the land was
owned by the head Of the family. whereas
:. was decided By the department. that /,
was owned BY AL those named in the pat
enc THIS added immensely 20 the d4f1i-
cnlty OF getting the consent OF owners 20
the sale Of the lands.
Ia spite os the mos. persistent and IN
scFaYc1cus opposition Of gang Of white
men. aided by some OF the Indians we
oo.alned TIE consent OF majority o. the
Indians 20 sale % the agency tact. and
after having the same surveyed and plat
ted We proceeded to sell the same. together
with . small part OF the allotted lands.
We found Il tnpossfo.s TO make any iargs
sales We attempted 20 reach Eastern n
vssfo-s through their agents aere, and also
oy Advertising, but without avail
The Indians were trnbuet with the Idea
shat II they consented TO sale Of their al
iofted lands the money woald DC sere away
TO Washington and that they would never
get II back II was long time before we
couao give them any assurance that their
money would be paid TO them as soon as
pracncaole the law simply providing that
X might be pa 70 them at The discretion
OF the secretary Of the interior. and being
very ambiguous IN regard 10 whether or
not more than one-tenth could De paid
them In any one year. They waited 70
see whether those whose allotted lands
were first sold would get their money
IRIS was long time coming and caused
more delay
When they finally began to give con-
cent to sale OF their allotted lands, they
wanted them appraised at figures that
made sales oat Of the question. These ara
Few OF the many things that have made
our progress very slow and unsatisfactory.
90 not wtsh 20 weary you by going
through the whole list. bat mention these
70 show that they were In their nature
things that we could not control.
II people here had any money we could
sal lands and lots. bu. the financial strIa-
gency here Is something terrible. As /. is.
We are selling small quantities Of land
from time TO time. as you can see from
our reports. Chofce tracts OF agricultural
land sch readily when the appraisements
are reasonable. but the hill land (which
VIII cost from SIS 10 S5 per acre to- clear
can hardly be sold az any price II Nigh;
be that II We should advertise that the
commission would soon be recalled and
that there would be no opportunity 10
purchase these lands afterward. it might
have the effect Of stimulating sales.
1T should not be understood that because
sales are no; Being made IN large numbers
there Is nothing for the commission TO do.
Many prospective purchasers come in 10
inquire about land. and great deal Of
time is occupied in explaining and show
ing them the different tracts for sale. But
most OF our time Is taken up by the In
dams. They come every day and with al
sorts OF grievances. Those for whom we
have sold no land come day after day 10
know IL we have made sales for them.
and those whose lands have been sold
come even more frequently and more per-
sistenuy 20 know when their money Is
coming. They complain very bitterly o.
the long delays in getting their money
after their lands have been sold. While
I have been writing this seven or eight
have been In 10 ask IL their money has
come YET and II is usually necessary 10
advance small sums to them.
They come with all the numerous dis
pttes that arise between themselves In
regard TO the possession OF their lands.
about their crops, about dspts that they
owe and claims that they want TO collect.
and great many other matters that ara
literally too numerous TO mention. Many
OF these matters are in no way within tbs
province OF the commission. but the In
dams cannot be made 10 comprehend that.
They think that we are here TO attend 70
all their affairs. II is nothing unusual 20
have twenty-five or thirty or them
come into our office In one day, and each
one has some matter that must be talked
over with him There IS ore now IN this
Office talking 20 me about some land on
the Skosomish reservation that ne wants
r<r ~f-y1f
derstarsi that we have nothing TO do with
the Skokom.sh lands. I mention these
things TO give you an idea OF how large
portion of my time is occupied"
The commissioner says in summing up:
II do not think that II would be wise
az once TO discontinue the commission.
There is certain amount or unfinished
work on hand which needs its attention,
even IL no new work Is done by IL. may
add that one member thereof was relieved
from duty some time ago. for the reason
that IL was not thought necessary to keep
q full commission IN the field. most OF the
work provided for in the act creating the
commission having been accomplished.
except the making OF sales Of land and the
execution o, deeds for lands sod
The Columbia & Red Mountain Railway
Company. which was granted a right OF
way by the last congress through the
Colviiie reservation, commencing at
point AT or near the Little DailAs. on the
Columbia river. In Stevens county. and
running thence In a northerly direction
by the most feasible route to the interna-
tional boundary line between the United
States and British Columbia, have not filed
for approval any maps OF definite locati IN
OF the lire OF the road.
Colvilie Mineral Entries.
BY the act OF congress which became a
law without the presidents approval July
I, 1891. IL was provided that after the lands
had been conveyed ard allotmsnts made
TO the Indians who elected 10 remain on
the north half Of the ColvElle reserve.
that portion Of the reservation should. by
proclamation Of the president. be restored
TO the public domain and be disposed OF
under the general laws applicable 10 the
disposition OF the public lands AZ the
required surveys have not been completed.
such executive proclamation has not ye.
been issued
However. the opinion prevailed among
settlers and miners in that locality that
there were valuable mineral deposits.
particularly Of gold. In The north half Of
that reserve. Congress accordingly an
ticip2;ed the executive action proviaad for
n TIE aforesaid act bv passing the act
approved February 70. 1896. which author
ize6 mineral locations and entries on thar
portion OF the reserve AZ onee
Only a few weeks had elapsed after
the passage Of that act before the com
missioner az Indian affairs began 10 re-
eetve complaints from the Indians. ard
letters from the white entryYuen them
selves, indicating a clear ard determined
purpose on tna part OF the latter "a uss
their right 20 make mineral entries for
she purpose u gaining fesshos.f -, he
reservation Placer claims were stakea
81 on lanas which We're .nclosea with
fsacs aaa cultivated by Indians. In the
Language * ore 0f these woa5A-ha se.-
iieTs. this was done ~.th the Intention ~