Arizona republican., 1902-03-28
PHoENIx. ARIz., MARCH 2s, 1902

gress for opening the Indian reserva-
 tions in Arizona ARIZONA'S to mineral entries, INDIAN and the policy of RESERVATIONS the government to
 make the Indians self-supporting so far as possible, the information submitted by Secretary Hitchcock i1 reference to the condi- tions on the reservations is interesting. The information submitted comprises the reports of special agents, and GOV CTS the situation pretty thoroughly
 As to the Navajo reservation. the reports show that is can be reduced, as the Indians depend upon sheep for their main support. They sheared last year fOO,OOO sheep. Their industry is the manufacture of blankets and the sale of surplus wool. They have sev- eral thousand head of cattle, and are self-supporting, industrious and good workers. They work on the railroad and any ether work where they can earn money. They are not permanent
 
 shift about their reservation with their fiocks to secure grass. In the winter they have some regular habita- tion, and in the summer a portion Of them cultivate land wherever they can get a chance for irrigation. There is a contract or permit granted MT. Huff Of Pennsylvania, fer ten years at five per cent royalty on all output from mines he may discover and work in the Carrizo mountain district. This per init authorizes him to select GAO acres for mining purposes. It gives him two years to make his permanent location. It requires him to make q regular re- port, through the agent. of the work that is being done. There is q railroad projected from Durango. in Colorado, across this country, to Clifton, Arizona. It proposes to cross the Atchison, Top eka 6 Santa Fe in the vicinity of Gallup, New Mexico. Should this road cross the Navajo reservation it would be a great benefit to these. It would afford them opportunities for labor which they would readily take advantage of, and open up many coal mines in the reservation. There is an abundance of coal on this reservation On the north side of the reservation, along the San Juan river, there are succession of valleys, which, if irri- gated, would make very fine farming land
 There is plenty of water for irrigation and there are only lacking ditches to take it out. The Indians are ready and anxious to do this work, and the few thousand dollars spent on each valley would open up sufficient farming land upon which to locate four or five thousand Indians. It is recommended l that some sum of money be allowed for this purpose. The Navajos have no money; draw no annuities except few 7Ayagons occasionally: they are self Alpporting and are willing to 60 any
 nd of work. If the government will
 ropriate fifteen or twenty thousand
 ITS for irrigating purposes on the
 Juan river, a very prosperous
 ng community can be established
 On the north side of the river
 the reservation, it is settled up by prosperous white farmers who are doing well; the only drawback on the southern side, where the Indians are. being lack of ditches. The secretary recommends that ten CT twelve tnous- and dollars be appropriated thls year for that purpose.
 As to the San Carlos. Arizona. rescr- vation, it is reported that it is a large reserve. and occupied by different bands of Apaches. Less than twelve years ago they were an unruly, turbu- lent lot of InGians- Some of the bands ! were the most warlike and troublesome Indians in Arizona. They are now peaceable, very good workers. make good crops. are ready and willing tc work wherever they can maEe some money. Frequestly they are employed on the Bowie and San Carlos railroad to repair washouts. etc. They alsc work on roads both off and on the reservation. They are ration drawing Indians, but draw no annuiti.s. AGdi- tionai irrigation is needed here. and ii is recommended that sl2.OO0 be given r. this agency to extend and build sCmt ditches, which will increase the acreag ge of the agricultural land at least 5,0Oi acres. With this money and increase of irrigation they can supply them selves with subsistence, and their Ia tiors and annuities one year thereaftel can be stopped. This reservation car then be reduced, and portiou whica Is claimed to b" mineral land, can h, thrown out.
 The Pima reservation lies along tn. Gila river country. The Indians al,