The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1905-04-12
CONCERNING the 0PEnIN6
Of The YAKIMA RESERVE
The Commissioner Of the General
Land Office Sets Forth Rules
and Regulations Made.

conce MS the opening of unallotted
lands en- the Yakima Indian reserva-
ton:
Anticipating that he will receive
many inquiries concerning the open
ing of the Yakima Indian reserva-
ton, under the terms of the Jones
..il passed at the last session OF con
gress, the commissioner of the gene
raj land office has prepared a circu-
lar letter explaining just how the
reservation will be opened, and just
what steps will be taken before the
opening ocurs. This letter is of ron-
siderable Importance, in that 1t is the
departmental Interpretation of the
law. 1t reads as follows:
THE act of December 81, 1904,
tPublic No. -, provides for the sale
and disposal of unallotted land en-
braced in said reservation; that the
secretary of the interior may reserve
such lands as he deems necessary or
advisable in connection with the con
sideration of the contemplated irri-
cation system, or lands crossed by
existing irrigation bitches, and lands
necessary for agencies, schools and
religious purposes, as well as such
such tracts of grazing and timber
lands as may be deemed expedient
for the use and benefit of the Indians
of said reservation in common.
Said act further provides that the
| residue of the land shall be classified
| under the direction of the secretary
| of the interior into irrigaDle lands,
grazing lands, timber lands, mineral
| lands or arid lands, for Tie appraise-
| ment of the price of lands so SUBJ
divided. with the exception of the
mineral lands, and that the timber
on the lands appraised as timber
lands shall be appraised separately
from the lands; that after classical
| ton and appraisement of the lands,
the same, with the exception of the
mineral lands, which are not re-
quired to be appraised, shall be dis
posed of under the general provis-
ions of the homestead laws of the
United States at not less than their
| appraised vaIue; and that by procla-
nation the president shall prescribe
| the manner in which these lands
shall be settled upon. occupied and
entered by parties entitled to make
entry thereof. Provision is also
made that the rights of ex-soldiers
and sailors, under sections 1904 and
z3o5. revised statutes, shall not be
abridged.
Inc price of the land is to be
| fixed by appraisement, and one-fifth
of the purchase price is to be paid in
cash at the time of entry and the bal
ance in five annual installments, and
in case the entryman fails to make
any of the annual payments promptly
when due, all his rights shall be for
| nI he 10,
and entry at the appraised value, I'M
| I'll otherwise directed by the presi-
dent
| 1T is provided that the timber on
the lands classified as timber lands
shall be sold at not less than its ap-
praised value, under sealed propos-
ais. in accordance with such rules
and regulations as the secretary of
| the interior may prescribe.
Final proof is required to be made
| within six years from date of entry.
Provision is also made tor the linn
itation by the secretary of the in
| terror at his discretion, of the uuan-
| tity of irrigaDie lands which may be
entered within said reservation to
so acres, but not less than that guam
| tity, and that he may require all en-
| trymen and purchasers of land now
irrigated or that may hereafter be
irrigated from any systems con-
| structed for the benefit of the Ind
ians to make such annual proportion
ate payments as may be deemed just
and equitable for the maintenance
| of said system, and that in apprais-
ing the value of said irrigable lands,
such sum as shall be deemed the pro-
portionate share of the cost of plac-
| ing water on said land shall be added
to the appraised value of the land,
| and that entrymen shall receive a
perpetual water right in connection
| Herewith.
The lands classified as mineral shall
be subject to location and disposal
| under the mineral land laws of the
United States, but provision Is made
that in lands not classified as mineral
should be found to contain minerals,
the same may be located and en-
| tered as mineral lands, subject to
approval by the secretary of the in
| terror, upon payment within one year
of the day when located, of the APP
praised value of the lands per acre,
unless the same should be less than
| that now fixed for mineral lands, in
which event the price to be paid
would be the price under existing
| laws for mineral lands.
The act also includes within said
| reservation. and recognizes the Ind
ians' title thereto, a tract containing
approximately 293,S37 acres, adjoin-
ing the present reservation on the
| west, which was excluded by an err
| roneous boundary survey, and pro-
vides for the defining and marking
of the western boundary of said res
ervation. and that where valid rights
had been acquired prior to March S,
1904, to lands within said adjoining
area SO included, by bona hide pur-
| chasers or settlers under the public
land laws, such rights shall not be
abridged. With the area SO included
said reservation contains approx
mately 1,636,000 acres. and surveys
| will have to be made for about one
| fourth of such area before the re-
quired classification can be made
LAS considerable time must elapse
in making the surveys contemplated
by the act, in making allotments to
| the indiana tharaundpr and in tho