The times., 1899-11-20

engineers, I57 miscellaneous employees, such
as gardeners, dairymen laborers, night
watchmen, etc. and 537 Indian assistants
in various capacities. It is the policy Of
this Office TO employ Indians as far as pos
sibie in those positions to which they are
adapted by nature and education. In puT-
suance Of this policy, there were carried
or the school rolls 1160 Indians. There
are Indian clerks, II disciplinaIians IS
teachers, . kindergaTners, + matrons SO
( assistant NATIONS and nurses, 65 seam
stresses SO laundresses, 102 cooks and
bakers, q farmers. 10 blacksmiths and car
penters, 4i industrial teachers, 81 tailors
( and shoemakers, 20 engineers, Al miscel-
Ianeous employees, and the 537 Indian as
sistants above mentioned.
With the exception Of few points
where there are at present little or no ia
cilities for the Government education of
the Indians, the work of the Office has been
i'm the line Of increasing the facilities at
( the schools already established. The esti-
mated value of non reservation school
/ plants is S1566,SS4, and reservation plants
Sl,ss5S56, a total of $3.50 $50. The value
! of this property is so large that it Will be
! readily seen the cost of repairs is a most
important item.
The Crow, Flathead. etc, Commission
has divided its time during the past twelve
months between the Crow and Flathead
reservations in Montana and the Yakima
Indians thereof for the cession of portions
/ OF their respective reserves Negotiations
with the Indians of the Flethead and Yahi-
! ma reservations have not yet been sue
i cessfuI
An agreement was concluded on August
+ Il 1899 with the Indians Of the Crow Res
ervation by the terms of which they cede
to the United States the northern portion
( Of their reserve, estimated to contain
I 1.137. 500 acres. for which 81 500 600 is to be
paid, or about $1-03 per acre. OF the tract
Ceded the Commission says 21.0O0 acres
should be deducted to cover railroad rights
of way and present allotments thus leaving
i the net acreage ceded ,u650G. OF the
/ latter area 200, 600 acres lying along the
! Big Horn and Yellowstone Rivers, are said
TO be susceptible @Of irrigation the bal
ance being excellent grazing land and con-
tanning some timber
Expenditure of Purchase Money.
The agreement provides for the use Of
about one-half the purchase money for the
completion and ma -tenance Of the irriga-
tion system: for the purchase of stock cat
tie and sheep: for hospital and its main
tenance; for schools: for fencing the reser-
vation for mills. etc. The balance of the
principal sum is 10 be placed in the Treas
/ ury Of the United States as trust fund,
the same TO bear interest at the rate Of 4
per cent per annum, such interest 10 be
added to the principal each year. A cash
annuity payment of $12 per capita is 10 be
made 10 all the Indians having rights on
the reservation.
The agreement must, OF course be rat
ihed ana confirmed by Congress before it
becomes effective.
las stated in my last report this com
mission which has been in the fed con-
1 tinuously since its appointment, August
81 1896. concluded TWO agreements last
year-one with the Indians of the Fort
Hall Reservation Idaho, dated February
s. 1895 providing for a. cession of por-
tion of their reservation 10 the United
States, and one with the Indians OF the
! Uiutah Reservation in Utah dated January
s. 1885 providing for the csssion of lands
for allotments 10 the Uncompahgre Ctes.
Both of these agreements were transmitted
10 Congress, with recomme n 1ation for ia
vorable action, but neither OF them has yet
been ratified"
As to the sale of lands by the Puyaup
Commission under the act approved Marca
], 1898, the Commissioner says:
The PuyaIlup Indian Reservation con-
sists Of allotted lands and an agency tract.
The allotted lands cover 1880 acres. The
Indian aIIottees had consented up TO Au-
D. -
az q total appraised value Of S374450.5S.
Up TO June 80, 1899 there had been sold
and reported TO this office by the Puyallup
Commission 1.SS4.5S acres for S9S S5s.3l
. OF this sum S36.363 was paid in cash at
the time of purchase, the balance being
payable on time, usually five equal annual
payments, bearing interest al per cent
per annum. Deferred payments TO the
amount of S27,371.82 have been made. The
-ra+ h.a- aeh
or deferred payments Is paid 10 the al
lottees entitled to the same, less 10 pei
cent for expenses Of sale mot including
the salary of the commission).
The agency tract as originally surveyed
contained $3.50 acres. The Indians con-
sented TO the sale Of this tract, except a
certain quantity reserved for school, farm,
garden, and church, and cemetery pur-
/ poses. The tract not reserved was sur
yeyed and plated into lots and blocks, as
an addition TO the city Of Tacoma. There
were reserved for school. farm, and garden
62.l2 acres; for church and cemetery pur-
poses, 1913 acres; for railroads, streets
and alleys, as per plat, l54.75 acres; for the
Tacoma Land Company, as per prior deed
1A10 acres There We're plated into lots
( and blocks for sale 338. 40 acres. The total
Z appraised value Of the lots and blocks fol
sale is S266 $50.
There have been sold from the same
as reported by the Puyallup commission
up to June 80, 1899 lots and blocks to the
amount Of S45.033.50, of which sun
sl7.272.09 was paid in cash at the time OF
the purchase. the balance being usually on
hve-year payments, with interest at pei
; cent per annum. Deferred payments have
been made 10 the amount of SIS, J26.73
The money arising. from the sale Of the
agency tract lots is deposited in the Treas
ury of the United States, and is used undel
the Puyallup act Of March 8, 1893 in de-
fraying the expense OF sale other than the
salary Of the commission.
Total amount received from sales OF al
lOtted NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. SG3, ,15j s.
Total amount received from sale Of
! agency tract lots-.-..-..-.-.-...--.- J5,Zsis $
, Grand total received .............. SJ9.O&4 q
: Since the passage Of the act of Janua-
ry 80. 1897, prohibiting the sale Of intoxi-
) canls 10 Indians. the Office has been ablt
, TO cope in larger degree with Illicit whis
ky sellers, and, where it has been possible
10 obtain evidence against offenders, tht
traffic, so far as outward appearances III
J dicate, has been decidedly interfered with