New-York tribune., 1902-05-13


did not the lines up to Bull Head and as Grand
River is very crooked cannot give the exact dis
tance. The sub-agency lies. however, little to
the north of due west from Grand River school,
and the distance between the places is sixteen
miles. This would bring She lease limits six or
more miles east of Bull Head without any doubt.
There appears be fully dense ignorance
the part of those whose business it is 10 know
regarding the number of Indians who will be af-
fected by this leasing Of land in the matter Of
land limits Agent Bingenheimer tells the Senate
Committee that eighty families might possibly be
included. He certainly knew better OF ought TO
have known better. Under the original calls for
proposals include lands lying west of the range
line between Ranges &c and q, etc, there could
not possibly be less than four hundred families
within the proposed lines. do not know that any
has taken the trouble 10 make careful census.
1t included nearly every man. woman and child on
the rolls Of Bull Head, a few short Of thou
sand persons. 1t also included the vast majority OF
those enrolled on the Upper Cannon Ball station
the exact number of whom not able to learn
besides scattering families belonging elsewhere.
These facts matter OF record and easily
be ascertained.
Under the final proposition lease lands extend
ing only the range line between Ranges % and
26, there are on Grand River from Bull Head Sta
tiOn to the western limits of the reservation III
separate families enrolled at Bull Head under l22
separate tickets. Below Bull Head and to be in
cluded within lease limits are 20 separate fami-
lies, recorded under IS separate tickets, 1877
families and classed under 200 tickets. These tick
cts are for convenience IN making issue of ra-
tions. On the Cannon Ball l have not so accu-
rate information, but there are counted 30 fam
iles all of whom will come within the limits
of leased lands a total Of 232 families according
agency ticket record. ! did not have time to
secure the names of the heads Of families. but
this is immaterial. Nor able obtain the
information needed to say just how many families
there are lands included in the Lennon lease
and the Walker lease separate to do this would
have required more time than had at my disposal.
I'm view of the fact that Agent Bingenhemer told
the Senate Committee that Bull Head Station
not to be included in the lease--a full township
be out-and that this tract is very thicky set
tied. / was interested learn just how many
cupied that immediate neghborhood. for apparent
y il has always been the policy to discourage set
tlement too close to the sub-agences. Within a
radius of four miles, taking Bull Head a centre
and making a circle eight miles in diameter, so as
include all possible corners Of tract six miles
square. 1 find but thirteen families; and OF these
two families occupy temporarily. that their chill
dren may attend school.
How much land do the Indians need for present
and future grazing of their own stock? is ques
ton that should have answer. The movement for
leasing Indian lands appears to have reason in 1t
the assumption that there vast regions not
occupied, and the indian ONCE views with
acute pain this great loss. l am reminded Of this
by expression OF young stockman who. with
a comprehensive OF the the wide
prairie announced: Yes. you bet. you losing
$4,000 a day, Mr.. Y, by having cattle TO up
this grass. So the Indian Office laments the loss
Of many dollars a day Ito the stockman) by its
not having been able 10 turn reservation grass into
porterhouse steak. Now. II IS well known that the
wild grasses OF this range do not recuperate
quickly. No expects to be able to cut
next year over the ground that this year has
given a crop OF upland hay. The following year
possibly. but probably not before the year after
that. may he reasonably expect to his mower
over the land again. This that It requires
four years TO produce a crop OF upland hay. Bot
tom lands do better than this a matter OF
course; but the land in question entirely
OF upland character The same is true in grazing
Land fed off closely one year will not give equally
good feed the next. Many stockmen agree upon
twenty-five TO thirty acres OF grazing land as
necessary for the support OF steer-and this
besides hay land. Others claim that year In and
too much for one animal This conservative esti-
mate is probably not far from correct.
Now. the Indians of Standing Rock Agency own
between 1900 and 1900 head of cattle There are
very few families where small bunch of cattle IS
not owned, and I believe there is but one man who
has over two hundred head Their holdings Of
cattle are small but remarkably we'll distributed
Probably, also. they own about as many horses.
a few horses than cattle. This would
give them 5000 TO $4,000 head of stock demanding
at fifty acres for each animal. 100000 acres for
present needs.
1T would be the poorest kind OF foresight that did
not allow for increase. One hundred per cent in
crease would call for 5000 900 acres. And II will re-
Qure at least 400 per increase on present hold
ing to make these Standing Rock Indians seIf-sup-
porting as stock raisers, calling for the fig
ure Of 100000 acres-more. probably. than the en-
tire reservation contains And yet the Lennon
lease calls for nearly 10000 ceres nearly 1O-
600 acres will be handed under the Walker
lease.
But TO take the Grand River region. which in
cludes all OF the 10000 that be leased
10 Mr. Walker The Indians or Grand River owned
IN 1901 52i7 cattle Almost all Of these within
the limits of this Walker lease Probably. with
their horses they own H. 900 head of stock II
would not appear that there much land here that
is suffering to be leased. The Indian delegate who
SAID TO the Senate committee. in opposition to the
lease project We that for ourselves evil
denty knew what he talking about"