The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-24
INDIANS AND PENSIONS.
A Few Facts From Report of Secre-
tnry of the Interior.

A Few Facts From Report of Secre-
tary of the Interior.
Washington, Nov. 2S-The Secretary
of the Interior opens his annual re-
port, which was made public to-day,
by calling attention to the law for
the reclamation of~the arid lands of
the West and to the great RESPONSE
bility which it imposes upon his de-
partment. He points to the fact that
agreements have been negotiated with
the Five Civilized Tribes of Indian
Territory whereby just allotments of
land can be made to them, and that
in severalty provision has been made
for the leasing of coal, asphalt and
other minerals in the Seminole, Creek
and Cherokee nations, respectively, and
also for the sale of coal and asphalt
lands in the Choctaw and Chickasaw
nations, respectively. in such a manner
as to protect the interests of all par
ties.
Public Lands.
With reference to public lands, the
Secretary says:
There were disposed of during the
fiscal year ended June go 1902, public
lands aggregating 19.4SS,5S5.30 acres,
classified as follows: Cash sales, 1,757,-
1928 acres; miscellaneous entries, en-
bracing homesteads, land warrants,
scrip locations. state selections, swamp
lands, railroad and wagon-road selec-
tons, Indian allotments, etc, 1854,
1926 acres, and Indian lands, 49,
1902 acres, showing an increase of
1926, 1883 acres, as compared with the
aggregate disposals for the preceding
fiscal year.
The total cash receipts during the
fiscal year from various sources, in
Guiding disposal of public land, S.
SSO,OSS.65; and Indian lands, $685. 666. CS;
from depred;CNons on public lands,
S4l, 1851; from sales of timber on for
est reserves, $27,47S.TO; from sales of
government property. $1,01445, and for
furnishing copies of record and plats
$23,262.T3; aggregate, $6,261, 927.1S, an in
crease of 1888, 1868 over the preced-
ing fiscal year"
Indian Affairs.
With reference to Indian affairs, the
Secretary says:
The total Indian population of the
United States is approximately 269.-
306, of which the New York Indians
and those known as the Five Civilized
Tribes embrace 1912, leaving 49,
occupying loo reservations, having 55,-
$4,000 acres, outside of New York and
the Indian Territory.
THE general condition of the IN
dams has been fairly satisfactory dur
ing the year; no serious trouble mas
occurred. Progress toward civilization
has been marked. more Indians hav-
ing engaged in civilized pursuits and
IN EFFORTS at self-support than ever be-
FORE
Pensions.
of
sioner says the Secretary, shows that
the total number of pensioners on the
roll during the fiscal year ended June
&c.. 1902. was j, 041, 6S7, and the number
remaining on the. roll at the close of
the year was 999.446 a net gain over
the previous year of LII, and exceed
ing in number of pensioners any former
year.
The gains to the rolls during the
year were 40.121 new pensioners and
1881 renewals and reservations, a to-
tai of 1882. The losses to rolls dur
ing the year by death were Bias, and
from other causes 5,096, a total of a.
241, leaving net gain of LII for the
year.
The entire cost of the maintenance
of the pension system since the foun-
dation of the government Is nearly So
900, 000 600.
The annual value of the pension roll
(the amount required annually to pay
the regular pension certificates out
standing at the close of the fiscal
year, was $780, 152, 800. The average an
nual valeu of each pension was $1s2. %,
slight increase over that OF she
former year.