The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-24
THE INDIAN LANDS
Secretary Hitchcock's Annual Re-
port Takes Up the Coded Chip
pewa Real Estate.
A Full Discussion of the Frauds
Practiced-Irrigation and Vel
.. lowstone Park Notes.

Washington, Nov. 24.-In his annual re-
port. Secretary Hitchcock congratulates
the country upon the progress made in ir-
rigation.
He also devotes considerable attention
to the Yellowstone National Park. and
shows that the public is becoming more
and more interested in the great reserva-
ton.
A condition of prosperity such as never
before prevailed is shown to exist in Fla
wall and Porto Rica There is a decrease
in the native poulation in Hawaii and an
increase in Chinese and Japanese.
with fires in nearly all parts of the
forested areas of Colorado, Wyoming,
Washington and Oregon, the forest re-
serves have remained during the past
summer comparatively unframed, thanks
to the efforts Of few hundred energetic.
we'll directed men whose business it is to
care for these forests. Thus small sum
we'll expended has saved q wealth of ma
terial and, what is of more Importance, it
saved a forest cover worth far more a
protective and regula tive body than as
source Of timber supply. In addition this
organized body Of men makes the noun
tain forests truly useful, and readily so, to
the people of the west.
The report continues:
THE coded Chippewa lands in Mime
sofa embraced originally about 5000, 900
acres, and constitute the finest body of
pine lands east of the Rocky mountains.
In order to dispose of them for the bene
fit of the Indians the act of Jan. IA, 1889,
(25 Stat. l., 642), was passed. Under
that act about 100000 acres have been dis
posed of, for which there has been re-
ceived, approximately, $1.126 S30.1S.
In my last two annual reports I ad-
verified to the fact that the experience Of
this department in the administration Of
that act had demonstrated it's inadequacy
to accomplish the purpose intended. Said
act provided, in brief, that after the ces
sion Of the lands they should be examined
and classified as agricultural lands and
pine lands. The pine lands We're to be
estimated and appraised. and sold, after
advertisement. at public auction; TO the
highest bidder, and the agricultural lands
were to be opened to disposition under
the homestead laws. at $1.25 per acre. -:
1T was soon discovered that the classi-
fication Of the land was faulty. in that
lands were frequently classified as agri-
cultural that WERE a, matter Of fact
pine lands, and that the estimated guam
tity of value Of pine on a given tract was
frequently very much in excess of that
set forth in the reports of the appraisers
Soon after these discoveries were
made and in order to relieve the situa
ton. the act of June Z. 1897 go Stat. L.,
90), was passed, authorizing the sale Of
the dead and down timber on said lands.
AS soon became apparent, this was the
most convenient vehicle for fraud that
had yet been furnished those who were
seeking to despoil the Indians, and on
March L. 1885, congress passed an act go
Stat. L., 929) under authority Of which T.
on March 80, 1899, directed the commits
sioner Of the general land office to sus-
pend until further notice as to said lands
all estimating. appraising, examining,
selling and cutting Of timber, the letting:
of further logging contracts. under said
act of June Z, 1897, as well as the sale of
said lands.
II also appointed two inspectors of the
Indian office to Investigate the frauds re-
ported to have been committed under the
dead and down act The result Of their
Investigations was the discovery that, ir