The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-11-19
6snecfal to The Hera1dN

Especial to The Herald)
Washington, Nov 1S.-The annual re-
port of the secretary of the interior, re-
leased by him for publication tomor-
row, says of the Uncompahgres and the
allotment controversy that subsequent
to the removal of the Indians from Col
orado to Utah deposits of giIsonite
were discovered in paying quantities on
their lands. The agreement of 1880 pro-
vided that a sufficient sum, or its
equivalent in bonds of the United
States, be set aside, say 81, 25O. OOO in the
treasury of the United States. which,
at per cent interest, would annually
yield $4,000 for the benefit of the Ute
Indians as part consideration or COM
pensafion for the lands in Colorado. re-
hnquished by them The lands in Colo
RADIO relinquished by the UteS was. I'M
der agreement to be sold for their
benefit and the proceeds applied to re-
1mburse the government for the expense
incurred in removing the Indians from
Colorado to Utah, for necessary farm
ing implements supplied. and for the
estimated sum of $1,250,000, which, at
per cent interest. annually yielded
$4,000; also to paying the government
$1.25 per acre for the agricultural lands
allotted them. The remainder was to be
a trust fund for the Utes.
NOT TO BE PAID NOW.
The secretary says the charge of SIPS
per acre for the agricultural lands al
loted to the Utes is not to be paid until
sufficient money is realized from the
sale of their Colorado lands to permit
such payment without interfering with
their trust fund of S1,250,000, bearing
per cent interest. The records of the
general land Office for the year 1896
show that the Colorado lands relin-
quished by these Indians contained 12,
467, 200 acres, of which sos, 086.57 acres
had been disposed of. realizing S1.323,-
S70.10 The cost Of removing and set
Ting the Indians and providing agri-
cultural implements, buildings, stock,
etc, was S429. 557.25 and of providing
trust fund, $1,250,0OO, aggregating ST.
$40, 557.25. which sum at least must be
realized from the sale of the balance
of the Colorado lands before the I'm
compahgre Utes could be required to
pay S125 per acre for lands to be al
loted them.
Within these lands the White River
plateau and Battlement mesa forest
reservations have been created by pres
idential proclamation, and over 1,750, 900
acres of land belonging to these Indians
have been withheld from sale, which,
at SIPS per acre, amounts to over 81,
900, 00O These lands, if held perna-
nently for the purpose reserved, must
apparently be paid for by the United
States, and the Ute fund credited with
the sum found due.
FAILURE TO ALLOT.
In the Indian appropriation of Aug.
10, 1894, provision was made for the ap-
pointment of a commission to allot
lands in severalty to the Uncompah-
gres, and required them to pay $l.25
per acre for the same. The commission
appointed, having reported their in
ability to find sufficient agricultural
lands within the reservation on which
to make allotments, and that they
were unable to secure the consent Of
I the UncompahgreS to payment for the
lands to be allotted to them, were re-
/ lieved from duty. It is probable that
[ had they advised the Indians that the
payment of S1.25 an acre for the lands
! to be allotted to them was not payable
| out of their trust fund, but only when
! sufficient money was realized from the
sales of their Colorado lands to permit
! of payment therefor. without interior
| ing with the trust fund, they would
4 have consented.
THE LATEST ACTION.
The act of congress approved June
| Z. 1891 directs the secretary of the in
terror to allot to the UncompahgreS in
/ seVeralty agricultural lands on the
i Uncompahgre or Uintah reservations,
or elsewhere in the state Of Utah, and
( provides that all lands of the Uncom-
| pahgre reservation not so allotted on
and after April 1, 1898, be opened for
location and entry under the land laws
of the United States, except all lands
l oil Of 70
or other like substances, the title to
those being in the act expressly re-
served to the United States. In pur-
suance a commission has been ap-
pointed and the work of allotments
begun.
Many difficulties in the way, how
ever, will unavoidably retard the work
and it is evident that the allottine
cannot be completed by the day fixed
for the opening of the reservation
for settlement The Uncompahgres
through a delegation from the tribe
were recently accorded a hearing al
the department regarding their rights
They stated that allotments of lands
on the Uintah reservation would be
accepted, and the Uintahs, I am ad-
vised have informally expressed 8
willingness to the allotment of a DoS-
ton of their lands to the Uncompahgre
Indians. No agreement, however, has
yet been negotiated with the Uintahs
by the commissioners appointed to
negotiate with the Crows. Flatheads
and others for the disposition of their
lands: consequently the terms on which
the Uintahs will dispose of lands in
their reservation on which the Uncom-
pahgres can be located is a matter fol-
future negotiation with the Indians
and adjustment by congress.
POSTPONEMENTU URGED.
In view of this state of affairs, ]
recommend to suspend for such time
beyond April 1, 1898, as congress shall
deem best By the terms of the act OF
1880, the Uncompahgres are apparently
required to pay $1.25 per acre for the
lands to be allotted to them. They have
insisted from the beginning that they
did not understand when they signed