The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-09
OFFICIAL FINGERS IN
THE UINTAH LEASE PIE
Revelations Made by the Correspondence Between
Washington Officials and Reservation Attaches.
Effect of the Investigation May Be to Stop the Leasing of the
Lands at All.

WASHINGTON. D. c.. Jan. SIN tn
VI senate this afternoon, Senate
~ Rawlins introduced the following
resolution. which vas referred TO tn,
committee on Indian affairs:
Resolved. That the committee on
Indian affairs is instructed to make
inquiry into and report 10 the SEN
ATE. upon the following matters:
First-Wnat. if any, TILE Indians
have 90 valuable minerals within
their servatiOns, and what author
Hv they have 10 make leases thereof,
or in any manner dispose of the same;
and what authority the secretary of
the interior has 10 approve such
leases.
Second-What leases have been
made by Indians within any reserva-s
ton and what leases have been ap-
proved by the secretary Of the in
terror. what leases are now in con-
remulation or under cOnsidera ton Tor
approval or disapproval
Third-What methods have oeen en-
pl0ysd to obtain the consent Of the
Indians to leases and approval thereof
by the secretary of the interior;
what companies have been organized
end what combinations formed to OBJ
tain leases; where have the Organiza-
tons taken place. who are stOckhold-
crs and officers thereof; whether
any persons connected with congress
or government OF United States, or
holding offices hereunder, have been
or now are interested in or engaged
On promotion Of such companies in
obtaining leases for mineral lands
within Indian reservations and,
Resolved, That the committee is au-
thuriZed for purpose Of making full
investigation of the foregoing mat
tiers. to send for papers and summon
and examine witnesses and the eX-
pense OF such Investigation shall be
paid out OF the contingent fund of the
senate.
senator Rawlins Of Utah presented a
resolution directing the committee on In
dian affairs TO investigate the reports
that efforts are being made to lease the
Cintah Indian lands in Utah.
Letters From Harper.
The senator accompanied the resolution
with q series Of letters written by +. r.
Harper. an employee Of the Indian office,
the first letter was dated Nov y. 1898.
and the last March p, 1899. relative TO
the efforts being made during that pc
Rod to secure a lease OF the Uintah
LANDS.
I'm the same letter he said: Trims is
working from here through Mcdonald,
the vcLerinary surgeon at the post. but
YOU need not fear the doctor. as lie Will
d"
be advisable 10 lay to- until he gets or
ders TO leave and is gone away. This man
IS the man That needs cooking after. He
has been trying 10 get Mytcn off the
reservation so as to get a cnance 10 treat
with him and get him awav from is if
possible which / do not think it is"
on March 13 Harper dwelt on the
chances of getting Mcdonald out Of the
way. and says:
We must knock him until he is out Of
the way"
In his letter of this date he said: sat
urday 7 will be appointed allOtting agent
and from that time I viii have nothing
90 do with the lease matter publicly. ]
can. Of course. be expected 20 look after
the ditch interests or the dear Indians. -
On March j. he advises that Miller
should go away from the reservation
for q time. saying: we must not put any
officer in the hole by anything we may
say or do"