The Mena weekly star., 1897-11-10
INDIAN SCHOOLS.
Annual Report of Commissioner Jones
 on the Nations Wards.
THE UNCOMPAHGRE LANDS.
The Reservation in Utah will Be Thrown Open for Settlement on April IA Missouri Applicant Indorsed
 by Indians.

WASHINGTON, Nov 10 10--Commissione- of Indian Affairs Jones yesterday sub mitted his annual report to the secre- tary of the interior. The report con- tains much interesting information about the Indians in the west. The enrolment in the government schools during the past year was 1S,603, an in crease of S14 over that of last year. The enrolment in the contract schools was 3,15S, a decrease of 1,2S1. There were in operation, during the past fiscal year, 2sS Indian schools, con- ducted under various auspices, of which number 234 were under the ex- elusive control of the government. This is an increase of II schools over the number in operation last year The net increase in enroll ment in the government schools is shown to be sl4 pupils, and, in average attendance, 5l1 pupil. To this might have been added sA pupils enrolled, with an average attendance of 7s, in two contract schools transferred to the governnent during tine iatter part of tlle year On aesannt of the redue- ton of the number Gl contract schools and in amounts paid them, there has been a net decrease in enrolment in these schools of 2s pupils During the fiscal year. lS96, thete were l24 govern ment day schools, which number was increased during I1n past yestF to f56. For the same periods tine enrolment was ,215 and 4,76S respectively, an in- crease of 553 pupils n the last year.
 George Butler, superintendent of the irrigation work on the Navajo reserva- ton, reports that the work is pro- gressing satisfactorily. Commissioner Jones recommends that appropriations be made to continue this work. Irri- gating canals are also being dug on the Crow reservation in Montana and the Yakima in Washington. The re- port states that all but five or six of the Cherokee intruders have been ex- pelled from their lands.
 The Unconpahgre Lands.
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 1O.-On April the Uncompahgre resc. sation in Utah will be opened to settlement, all except the mineral lands, which are reserved by the government. The reservation con tains in the neighborhood of 3,000, 900 acres. The Uncompahgre Ute Indians will have the preference of 160 acres each of good agricultural lands, and the remainder of the territory, except, as stated, those portions of it contain ing mineral deposits, can be taken up by any person desiring to locate there. The problem of what disposition will be made of the valuable gilsonite lands
 
 will be one of the most troublesome with which the next congress will have to deal The sentiment in both houses of congress is divided upon the subject It is admitted upon all sides that these valuable deposits should be opened up to development. 1t has never been the policy of the govern ment to exclude mineral lands from settlement A large number of sen ators and congressman contend that to make an exception in this case would be mistake.
 Applicant Indorsed by Indians.
 WASHINGTON, Nov. 1O.-J. ". Ship man, of Lawrence county, Mo, who is candidate for the position of agent for the Osage Indians and who has the indorsement of National Committee man Kerens and Senator Landrum, is also the choice of the Osage Indians themselves. Two large petitions, signed by the principal men of the Osage tribe, in which his appointment is strongly urged, were filed in the in- terior department yesterday.
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