Churchill standard. (Fallon, Nev) 1903-1908, 1906-12-01
INDIAN LANDS
SPECIAL AGENT MAKES REPORT
CONCERNING THEM
Recommends the Opening Up of Much
Desirable Domain

NAANNA P'ioSioliiG obOuN llC Ill
dians of Nevada and California in his
annual report, recently given to the
public. He gives comparatively little
space to the California Indians, but
has deal to say about the trouble
some situation with the Pah Ute band,
who have been allotted lands in the
Carson Sink. The latter case has been
before the Indian office for over three
years.
The work C. Z. Kelsey has been do
ing among the California Indians is
described. "He found" writes Mr..
Leupp, "that there were more than
1900 full-blooded Indians in the state
of California, of whom only about 500
were living on reservations, leaving
non-reservation population of some
II, 800 scattered, under great diversity
of conditions, in little settlements of
from 20 to 250 inhabitants. Only 5000
of the non-Teseryation Indians own
land, and three-fourths of what they
do own is worthless. OF the remaining
$500 landless Indians, 11S1 live within
the boundaries of forest reserves, in
which they had their homes long before
the establishment OF the reserves. There
are also l01l mixed blood, of whom sl2
are homeless. Most of them never know
their white ancestors, and have grown
up in Indian camps as Indian in senti-
ment as the full bloods themselves.
They consider themselves Indians and
have to be treated as such"
CONCERNING NEVADA INDIANS.
Concerning the difficulties with the
Pah Utes, Commissioner Leupp writes
The 1876 allotments made to this band
cover approximately 10000 acres within
the area susceptible of irrigation under
the Truckee- Carson irrigation project.
The soil is of the best, but in its present
arid condition useless to the allottees.
at was recommended to congress at
its last session that these allotments
be Cancelled and five sections be realot-
ell to the Indians in areas Of ten acres
each, the remaining lands to be dispos-
ed of under the provisions of the re-
clamation act, but no action was taken.
INDIANS HAVE BEST LAND.
"With the prospect that the lands
will soon be brought under irrigation
many white settlers contemplate max
ing homes in that vicinity. As the In
dian allotments embrace the best OF the
lands, but without water the Indians
are unable to comply with the law as
to cultivation No doubt attempts will
be made to procure the cancellation of
some Of the allotments. The news
papers of Nevada are even urging white
settlers to go upon the lands, take their
choice. build homes, and make inn
provements, assuring them that the re-
clamation service will supply them with
water and the Indian bureau must give
way, and that then no power on earth
can remove them.
CAUSING MUCH TROUBLE.
1.-THE spreading OF this doctrine,
though false, meant trouble for the
allottees; for here, as elsewhere, they
would be subjected TO such indignities
and ill-usage that ultimately, unless
protected by the government, they
would relinquish their right for mere
pittance and present another problem
to be dealt with by the government in
future. To exempt them from the OPP
Grafton and benefit of the reclamation
project now nearing completion would
merely retard the development of the
state and seriously interfere with the
Truckee- Carson project, while the can
celation of allotments because the lands
could be more profitably utilized by
others, or because the Indians had fail
to comply with the law as to cultiva-
tion of their allotments, when such cul.
tivation was an impossibility, would be
conspicuously unfair to the allottees.
LANDS TO BE REALLoTTED.
"On July 27, 1906, the Office submit
ted to the department a plan to bring
these lands within reclamation prof.
ect. 1t provided, first, for the reserva-
tion OF. seven and one-fourth sections
of lands embraced in the existing al
lotments, to be reallotted to the Indians
in ten-acre tracts; second, for the i'm
mediate extension of laterals from the
Truckee- Carson irrigation project to all
tbe lands embraced in the 1876 allot-
ments, and grant to each allottee and
his heirs forever Of water right SUI
fcient to reclaim his allotment; third
for the cancellation OF the 1856 aliotr
ments and the disposition, under the
homestead laws, of all the lands COW
cred by them, except the seven ana