El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-05-06
THE UTE RESERVATION.
Indian Lands in Colorado Now Opened for
Settlement.

| opening of the Southern Ute Indian
Reservation, which has been awaited
with Impotence for many months,
has at last been accomplished, the
President having issued his prOclama-
ton on April 4th, announcing the open
ing of these lands for settlement ef-
fective at noon, May 4, 1899.
This vast area of arabic lands. fif-
teen by sixty miles in size, located ON
either side of the Denver N Rio Grande
railroad, south and east of Durango,
cannot fail to attract Il large and de-
Sirable class of settlers. The Ute In
dams are entitled, under the law of
1890, to 314 allotmentS out of the en-
tire tract. All the remainder of the
area, about G3G,O0O acres, Will be SUBJ
ject to entry under the desert home
stead, timber and tOwnsite laws, and
the laws governing the disposal of coal,
mineral, stone and timber lands, and
many of the Indian allOtmentS will be
leased by Intelligent white men at rea-
SOnable rates. The lands embrace both
valley and mesa or uplands. but the
supply of water for irrigation is many
times greater than will be called for.
The soils are the Semi-adObe, sandy
loan and red-the former being pecu-
liarly adapted for the growth of grain
and grasses, while the soils last named
tables, alfalfa and fruit trees. Owing
to the percentage of gypsum in the bot
tom lands, the yield of clover is as
high as three and one-half tons to the
acre.
Aside from the agricultural future Of
this great area of virgin soil, the stock
industry gives promise of almost un-
limited growth. The plateaus afford
range for tens of thousands of head OF
cattle. horses and sheep, while tr1bu-
tary mining camps supply an abundant
market noted for good prices.
Under Federal enactment, Ute In
dams who so elect may accept allot-
ments in severaIty. The lands allotted
to the Southern Utes aggre-
divided equally between agri-
cultural and grazing lands. and allot-
mentS are generally in compact form.
The Indi;7N may lease his allotment for
Il period of three years, for agrlcul-
tural. and ten years for mining and
grazing lands. The advantages of the
leasing system are:
FirSt-The lands are exempt from
taxation and free from cost of water
charges. as the Indians own the canals
and bitches.
Second-Ihe rental in most instances
Il small amount in cash and Il share Of
the crop-one-fourth or one-third.
Third-Indians can be hired to work
at small wages and spend their money
at home, thus keeping the money in
circulation in the community.
Fourth-The Utes are paid $4,000
annually by the government. The
treaty provides that this payment shall
continue forever. This money goes
into circulation in the immediate re-
giOn where it is distributed from the
bountiful hand of Uncle Sam.
The act of Congress of February 20,
1885, which fixed the time for the
Presidents proclamation six months
from that date. but which has been de-
layed until now, cites how the land
shall be taken up by the whites, and is
rs follows:
And shall be subject to entry under
the desert, homestead and townsite
laws and the laws governing the dis
posal of coal, mineral, stone and tim
Der lands. but no homestead settler
shall receive Il title to any portion Of
such lands at less than one dollar and
twenty-five cents per acre. and shall
be required to make Il cash payment
of fifty cents per acre at the time filing
is made upon any of said lands"
The advantages of cash payment Of
fifty cents per acre are many. 1t shuts
out the professional boomer, and
leads direct to Il first-claSS citizenship
duStry.
The location of the lands in question
ends the public domain entrys in Colo
RADIO so far as valuable farming lands
extends, forever. as this particular area
embraces all that has been, by virtue
Of being an Indian reserve, Withheld
from entry. 1t is the last chance for
cheap, fertile and enviable homes.
The land offices are in the city Of
Durango, which is the commercial,
manufacturing and educational center
of southwestern Colorado. The city
enjoys a population of 5000 and the
singular distinction of being the best
built city of it's size in the West, be-
ing largely of brick and stone and en-
bracing among it's edificeS many costly
business and residence structures, as
we'll as expensive modern public. school
and church buildings. Durango num-
hers among its business enterprises the
San Juan branch of the Omaha-Grant
smelter, employing hundreds of men,
several large coal and coke companies,
electric street railways. two daily pa
perS. iron works. Touring mills, manu-
featuring enterprises of various de-
Scriptions and many extensive whole
sale and retail establishments. The
city is the terminal of the Rio Grande
system and enjoys as tributaries
large section of the San Juan mining
country as we'll as the agricultural, or
chard and range sections of southwest
ern Colorado. northern New Mexico
and southeastern Utah. DurangOS
and commercial Importance
will be materially increased by open
ing for public entry under the home
stead. timber and mineral laws the I'M
allotted lands embraced within the
of the Southern Ute reser-
yatiOn and provided for by congress