Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-02-13
BNCOMPAHGRE LAND
History OIL The Legislative and Other
Action Thereon.
rue COMMISSION, cosrASD WORK
Judge MATHEWS, VI Washington, u. e.,
Gives = aism.nt Of the
lacs.

w, B, Matthews Esq, Of the wa'h
tngton, ID. g., bar, now snd for 'tm
year. the attorney for the State Bonfa
Of Land Com ui.siouefs Tor the Ha''
Of Idaho, has been H. the city on pro-
'esslonal business for the last month
Mt. Malthsws was and Il the attorney
Tor the original discoveries OF some Of
the asphalium lands In The extreme
Eastern portion OF the Uncompahgie
Indian reservation on tue Coloraio
line, aud In au interview gave tue
following facts. These men, sftet
making their discoveries, snppo'lng
they we're In the state OF Colorado, the
line bttseou Utsh aud Colorado hav'
log become obliiefated, began their
developments md got out consider
able portion OF the deposits, erected
houses, etc., wnsn all OF q sudden the
representatives, Of the Indian agent At
Uintah appeared on the scene, notified
Them they we're on the Indian resetva-
ton, summarlly destroyed their Inn
provemens ami drove them or the
gfound. These men then applied TO
the department Of the interior at
Washington for redress, but a.
these lands were not open 10
location or settlement nothing
vas done. Then II was that Mt.
NJ ,llhowS services were secured by
the ditcovofefs, md he In medlaiely
act 10 work 10 secure relief through the
Con. Tess OF the United Slates. A bill
was introduced simultaneously In bo'h
hou,es Of Congress, ieleffed 10 the
appropriate committee OF each, and In
turn referred 10 Secretary NOBLE, then
secretary Of the interior, Tor report.
MI. NOble fefsrre tho bill q this com.
missioner Of indian Affairs and the lat
ter after n careful investigation oitho
character o. tue LAM, the status Of the
title OF the u. =, aud the Interests OF the
Indians. recon- mendsd that The lands
embraced In the reservation be at once
opened under the mining, homestead
anu other lava OF the Unitei StAlef.
The secretary concurrcd Ia the report OF
the Indian commissioner and recon.
at once thrown open, wheftupon the
bill was ena ted into n law and oil
that was required before these lands
became open to settlement, was the
signature VI the President Of tue
United States. On the tenth DAY Ritcr
the passage OF the bill, after pm,
President Harrison sent TO Congress
his veto Of the oil with III. reasons for
the same. THIS was bis nat veto anu
was n surprise to both houses OF Con.
gtsss, but AZ there was ssri Us opposi.
ton TO the bill from asphaltum com.
Ianiss Ia New York aud ~. Louis, n
was impossible TO pass the bill over tue
veto OF the PIT dent, Subsequent TO
this, Mt. Matthews, In his investiga-
ton ~ TO the cause OF the veto, dIscov.
cred that the same had been brought
about by the IT. Louis people, who
had been the Chief and most open Op.
ponents OF the bill, they supposing that
should these lands be opened II would
seriously Interfere with their business
already established and which they are
now conducting 10 Utah.
Subsequent 10 this, MI. Matthew'S NJ.
pealed " Secretary Noble, inAsmucn as
this reservation had been created BY
executive order, TO urge the President
TO fescind said order ami To TO.
store the lands by proclamation,
~ II was conceded he, the President,
had the right to do. Senators Teller,
Bhoup anu Perkins, Chairman Peel OF
the lndian committee Of the House.
anu other lesser lights concuTfsd In the
Views entertained by Mt. Matthews,
and personally addressed the President
urging the opening by proclamation.
Secretary Noble Interviewed the Pref.
dent and subsequently, informed
Mr.. Matthews that President Harrison
reoog niEed his power TO declare toe
lands open, expressed regret that he
hal vetoed the bill, but ~ he was about
10 DO succeeded by Mr.. Clevelani, he
thought II In better taste TO leave this
matter TO his successor, particularly 10
since matters had become complicated
by the unwarrAnted and unlawful acts
Of the Indian agent at Uintah Ia con-
senting to aud assisting In obtsining a
lease OF the mineral lands from the In.
dians Ia favor OF the American Aspnal.
tUm company.
Alter Secretary Hoke Smith came
In, a like appeal wHs made to him 10
have tue lands declared open. He
objected 10 tins method anu Mr..
Matthews again resorled to Congress,
introduced new bill, differing from
the one vetoed by President Harrison
only In this that the latter biIl gave
no prefefence right TO the disc lysfefs
Az did the frsl. This bill was re.
ferfed by Congttss u Secretary smith
for report. The secretary was oi opinion
the Uuoompahgre Indians owned
their lands, hence Il would DO unjust
10 open them 10 settlement without
pr viding compensation for tho In.
diane. Further that Independent OF
the question OF titie-that iuAsmuoh a.
the mineral lands In this reservation
were immensely valuable --lhVy should
be sold by the government at public
or private saie aud the fund placed Ia
the treasury Of the United 5tates, liz
desired 10 hear argument upon the
question OF title, wheTeupOn Mr.,
Matthews ana his associate, Mr..
q. A. heigwln, filed u printed brief
aud also argued the question orally.
Subsequent 10 this aud alter much time
usele,sly lost by delays OF every sort
and character, a report was msde 10
Congress, And In August, 1894.
senator bhoup succeeded la placlup
this bill ~ "a riJeT upon the senate
Indian appropriation oil (Dsleua g
RASllus having previously secured the
psssage by the HOusr) aud when the
ludiau bill was approved on the 18Th
the same month II became an act.
But Tor tue Intervention Aud active
pooperalion OF seualOr Shoup-syen
"a fh.s tI.a Am A.