Williams news., 1904-04-23
NAVAJO EXTENSION
Privilege of Grazing Granted. but
 Lines Remain the Same

Mir. Fred Allen, of the Tolchaco agency of the Navajo Indians, has received the following letter regard ing the report of Frank Mead, su- pervisor of reservations, relative to the difference between the stock men and Indians as to ranging cat tie on the recent extension of the Navajo reservation, says the Coco nino Sun:
 On February r, 1904. Frank Mead, general supervisor of Indian reservations, submitted his report of investigations as to whether the southern half of the extension of the Navajo Indian reservation by executive order of November IA, 1901, should be restored to the public domain.
 1lc SGdGCS tl1dO OH ECOi udl c, 1904, he held a public meeting in the court house at Flagstaff, Coco nino county, Arizona; that among the persons present were the gov ernor of Arizona, w. R. Johnston, yourself, and almost every cattle man interested in the section of country bordering on the Navajo extension; also the county officials and large number. of citizens of said county; that he explained the object of the meeting to those pres ent; that it was to ascertain as fully as possible all the facts bearing on the subject as to whether the land in question should or should not be restored to the public do- main; that the meeting lasted from 10 am until nearly midnight, and the entire subject was gone over ex haustively.
 He represents that evidence was taken from twenty-five men vitally interested; that they claimed that before the extension of the reserva- ton was made they had used the land for grazing purposes and built up an established business based on the expected right to confined grazing on the lands involved; that the right to graze on the lands south of the Little Colorado river during the winter months, includ- ing the free access to the river, was absolutely necessary for the well fare of the stock interests in that country; that without the use of such grazing rights and water dur ing the winter some of the stock men would be compelled to go out of business or seek a new country for pasturing their herds, and further, that in proportion as the stock interests suffered, so would the loss be to the county.
 According to his report, he rode over the addition to the reservation on February II and 12 last, with certain interested parties, including Indians. He saw the location of the Indians, their improvements, and ascertained the number of sheep owned by them and the general condition of the country. On Feb ruary 13, 1904. he held meeting or hearing at Canyon Diablo sub- agency, on the Little Colorado river, at which there were present interested parties, including about fifty Naval jo Indians He explained to the latter, as we'll as all present, that the object of the meeting was to ascertain as fully as possible all the facts bearing on the subject as to whether the land in question should or should not be restored to the public domain. This meeting lasted from 12 o'clock noon until late at night. The entire subject was gone over fully with the In- dians. Evidence was taken from each Indian present. He reports that it was clearly shown that sev- eral Indians with small herds of sheep were living at different iso- lated places on the extension south of the Little Colorado river; that these Indians do not require all of