, 1906-03-14
Very respectfully,

Very respectfully,
e. A. HITCHCOCK, Secretary.
Commissioners recommendations.
Department of the Interior, Gener-
al Land Office, Washington, D.
c., March 8, 1906.
The Secretary of the Interior.
Sir:-The act of March 3, 1905, pro-
vides that the coded portion of the Sho-
shone or Wind River Indian reserva-
tion, in the state of Wyoming, shall be
Opened to settlement and entry on
June 10, 1906, and that, by proclama-
tion, the president shall prescribe the
manner in which such lands may be
settled upon, occupied, and entered by
persons entitled to make entry thereof.
In conformity with other acts of con,
gress, identical in their terms with
that of March 8, 1905, four Indian res
ervations have been opened to settle
ment and entry by a registration and
drawing preceding the opening. 1t will
doubtless be deemed advisable to adopt
a similar plan in opening to settlement
and entry the Shoshone or Wind Riv-
err reservation. If this is done, Tne
work preliminary to the opening should
begin about the LIST of May.
Climatic Conditions UnfavorabIe.
The land in this reservation is stu
ated north of 40 degrees of north lati-
tude, at al altitude of about 5000 feet.
The climatic conditions the list of May
will be very unfavorable, and the res
%eryation can be reached by intending
settlers only with considerable incon
venience n hardship.
The lane to be opened to entry is oil
an arid character and can only be cul-
tiyated by irrigation. With a view to
assisting settlers in making an intelli-
gent selection of their homestead loca.
lions, officials of the state of wyoming
are now engaged in making surveys
for irrigating bitches. which surveys
viii not be completed in time to be
available if the lane is opened to entry
upon the date fixed by the act.
Transportation Lines Building.
At the present time there are no
means by which the public can reach
this reservation except by stage, but
there are two lines of railroad being
CONSTRUCTED toward the reservation
one coming from the north and one
from the east, which, however, will be
too far away on the list of May to be
of material benefit to the intending
settlers. These lines will be completed
10 the reservation or its immediate
vicinity by July 1.
Taking into consideration the com.
fort and convenience of the intending
settlers and the interests of the oyern
ment and the Indians in successfully
opening this reservation to settlemen,
and entry, it is my opinion that the
time for the opening should be extend
ed from the 18th day of June 20 the
18th day of August, with authority vest
ed in the president to open it at an
earlier date if the conditions should
warrant it. Similar action to this was
taken by congress at its last session
in respect to the opening of the Uintah
reservation.
A joint resolution which will accom-
plish the desired purpose is inclosed,
and it is respectfully suggested that
it be laid before congress.
Very respectfully,
w. A. RICHARDS, Commissioner.
Resolution for the Extension.
Joint resolution extending the time
for opening to public entry the unal-
lotted lands on the ceded portion of the
~Shoshone or Wind River Indian reser.
walton in Wyoming.
Resolved by the senate and house of
representatives of the United States OF
America in congress assembled, That
the time for opening to public entry
the coded portion of the Shoshone or
Wind River Indian reservation in Wyo-
ming having been fixed by law as the
fifteenth day of June, nineteen hundred
and six, it is hereby provided hat the
time for opening said reservation shall
be extended to the fifteenth day of Aug
ust, nineteen hundred and six, unless
the president shall determine that the
same may be opened at an earlier date.
Daily Republican 90 cents a month