Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1897-11-11
NO. 10.
INDIAN SCHOOLS.
Annual Report of Commissioner Jones
on the Nations Wards.
THE UNCOMPAHGRE LANDS.
The Reservation in Utah viii BE Thrown
Open for Settlement on April IA
Missouri Applicant Endorsed
by Indians.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 9-CommissioneP
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,6OS, an in-
crease of S14 over that of last year.
The enrolment in the contract schools
was 9,15S, decrease of 1881. There
were in operation, during the past
fiscal year, 2ss Indian schools, con-
Quoted 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 s14 pupils, and, in average
attendance, 511 pupils. To this might
have been added 81 pupils enrolled,
with an average attendance of 70, in
two contract schools transferred to
the government during the latter part
of the year. On account of the reduc-
tion of the number of contract schools
and in amounts paid them, there has
been net decrease in enrolment in
these schools of 1881 pupils. During the
fiscal year, 1896, there were 1874 govern
ment day schools, which number was
increased during the past year to 1873.
For the same periods the enrolment
was 4,215 and 4,76S respectively, an in-
crease of 553 pupils in the last year.
George Butler, superintendent of the
irrigation work on the Navajo reserva-
ton, reports that the work is pro-
crossing satisfactorily. Commissioner
Jones recommends that appropriations
be made to continue this work Irri-
eating canals are also being dug on
the Crow reservation in Montana and
the Yakima in Washington. The re-
port states that all but Ave or six of
the Cherokee intruders have been ex-
PEELED from their lands.
The UncomDahgre Lands.
WASHINGTON, Nov. Con April the
Uncompahgre reservation 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 10000 900
acres. The Uneompahgre Ute Indians
will have the preference of 1850 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 1t 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 sem
ators and congressman contend that
to make an exception in this case
would be u mistake.
Applicant Indoraed by Indians.
WASHINGTON, Nov. al. w. Ship
man, of Lawrence county, Mo-, who is
candidate for the position of agent
for the Usage Indians and who has the
Endorsement of National Committee
man Kerens and Senator Landrum, is
also the choice of the Usage Indians
themselves. Two large petitions,
signed by the principal men of the
Usage tribe, in which his appointment
is strongly urged. were filed in the in