The Wichita daily eagle., 1900-07-14
KI0WA ANO C0MANCHE LANDS
All Arrangements Msde at Washing
ton for Allotment

All Arrangements Msdc at w ashing-
ton for Allotment.
Washington, D. c., July i2-An ar
rangements have been perfected for the
allotments for the lands of the Kiowa
oCmanche and Apache Indians. The pre-
liminary work has occupied the Indian
| division of the department of the inter
ior for some days past, and il has been
definitely shaped Today the instruc-
tions governing the work OF the anot-
ment were issued They show that IN
spector Mesler and Special Agents E. 3.
Reynolds and A Chawley will have the
| responsibility of making the allotments.
The instructions were addressed TO them
and cover every possible development in
the work OF which they are assigned.
1t is expected that they will leave within
a week for the reserva tons, and, work
ing in conjunction with Colonel Randle.t,
the agent in charge of the reservation.
will soon have the matter well in hand.
IL developed today that one OF the mat
tiers which perplexed the interior depart
ment in carrying out these provisions
Of the act which opens the reservations
to settlement and provided for the allot-
ments was that no fund was available
for the purpose. The act required the
work to be done within nineky days and
yet no provision was made for the large
force OF special agents which would be
necessary to make the allotments In the
period indicated. With this condition in
mind the affair was carefully considered,
and 1t was decided to use portion OF
the $4,000 which was given the depart
ment as the regular appropriation under
the general allotment act 1t Is found
tha. it will be necessary to Withdraw a
number of the five or six special agents
who have been working under the terms
Of the general allotment act, and whose
services viii be entirely discontinued
Although the instructions issued to the
inspector and general agents direct them
to finish the work within ninety days it
is recognized here that this will be i'm
possible and the work of allotment will
still be in progress when congress con-
Venes next December. What effect this
will have upon the opening of the reser-
walton can not be said, but it is thought
that it will be none other than to post
pone the date for the opening. All inter-
es-ed will have to face the proposition
that the ninety-day requirement is an
impossibility
The task assigned to the inspector and
the special agents is a heavy one, as the
reservation contains over 5000, 600 acres
and 5000 Indians Inspector Messler has
been authorized to employ clerk at a
salary Of 800 a month, and this selec-
ton has already been made
Each of the special agents will have the
assistance of a corps OF surveyors, WHO
will do the technical work of locating the
boundaries Of each allotment The in
ssructions which were given are based
upon the law which provided for the all
lctnnents and the opening Of the reserve
tion. with the exception OF those parts
which refer entirely to the matters Of
system and keeping of schedules and ac-
counts. The instructions inform the
special agents that every member of the
Kiowa, Comanche and Apache tribes over
IS yeans Of age shall have the right to
select for himself $50 acres of land. to
be held and owned in severai.y The
father If he be dead, the mother, OF
members Of either of the tribes named |
shall have the power to select like |
amount of land for each of his children |
under the age of is years. Both of the !
special agents and the inspector have |
been commissioned for this work. along |
with other duties which fall to them
The agents of the department are eau !
toned not to allow selections of allot- |
ments to be made in any part of the |
reservation now occupied for military |
school or religious purposes, or now held |
for public lses. In every case where a !
member of one of the tribes was already |
in the reservation the agents ara in |
strueted to allow them to make their Sc
leoions in the regions already located |
and improved so that these Indians may |
retain their improvements. Each allot- |
ment is TO be distinctly and carefully |
outlined and marked with substantial |
great care being taken that |
there shall be no question in future as
to the boundary of the allotments. They |
are expected to urge upon the Indians |
The selection OF the best lands for agri-
cultural purposes.
In the body of the instructions to the |
agents OF the department announcement
Is made that the new line Of the Kiowa
and Comanche reservation Is to be OBJ |
served. The line recently established
transferred a large portion Of the Kiowa
and Comanche reservation into that Of
the Chickasaws and a similar portion
Of the Chicka saw reservation into that
Of the KioWas and Comanches