The daily sentinel., 1906-11-21
REPORT OF THE
COMMISSIONERS
THE RED MEN ARE VERY SORE
Indian Affairs Official Tell of Conditions That Prevail in
the Great Reservation With Which Grand Junction
is in Such Close Touch-Why the Indians Left and
Went to the Notwithstanding Statements.

In his annual report, made public
on Monday afternoon in Washington
Indian Commissioner Leupp threw
new and important light upon the re-
cent trouble caused by the Indians
who left the Uintah reservation.
He declares that the trouble can
be traced TO the allotment of lands
TO the white settlers and the CON
sequent tangllng of titles.
He makes many statements that
are of considerable Importance to
people in Grand Junction and throug
hout this section which is in close
touch with the Ulntah country. This
city having been one of the registra-
tion points for the opening of the
reservation last year and many local
people holding claims on the reser-
walton. Commissioner Richards oi
the general land Office is given some
hard raps Indirectly in the report.
In part Mr.. Leupp says:
"The Uintah reservation furnish
ed an example of rushing and hap
hazard methods of making allotments
The allotments there had to be made
very hastily. because the act direct
Ing the opening of the reservation did
not allow reasonable time. II was
impossible to survey the lands be-
fore the opening. much less before
the allotments were made, and not
even yet are approved plats for all
townships containing allotments pro
durable, though more than n year has
elapsed since the alloting commission
finished its work The field party is
still engaged In locating allotmcnts
scheduled by the commission.
Material Errors Made.
"As must always be the case under
circumstances like these, the allot-
ment amounted to little more than
the reservation of what was believed
to be sufficient land of the right
character. Patents for allotments
have all been issued but a large part
of them do not describe the land cor
rectly. The errors are material. and
many dlsappointments will occur.
but fortunately local conditions are
such that settlers have not taken land
very rapidly and hence IL is probable
that there will not be so many con-
flicts and contests as there would
have been II the surplus lands had
been taken at once on the opening OF
the reservation. The work of cor
- ttr1l hn ah nj nd
as far as now known, nearly 800
more will have to be put through the
same process IL Is certain that some
persons-both Indian allotees and
white homcsteaders- will lose part
of the lands they have selected and a
great deal of additional labor and eX-
pense will he thrown upon the gov
ernmcnt. all due to the unwlse haste
with which work was pushed through
that properly demands deliberation
and care.
Were Not Willing.
perhaps this will be as good 8
place as any to mention the sequel l.
the Ulutah allotment. which was at
exaggerated tales printed in varioui
parts of the country. The Indial
population of the Ulntoh reserve wa
divided between White River. uintal
and Uncompahgres a large majorlt'
of the White Rivers were never rec
oncilcd to the idea of opening thei
country to settlement. They are tn
group least advanced In civilization
In the spring of 1905, before allot
ment began. delegations from al
three bands visited Washington wit!
the purpose of learning from tn
authorities have just what event
were pending and having the slgnl
flcance thereof explained to them
Representatives of the Uncompahgre
and the Uintahs. though not dlsguls
Ing their continued preference for tn
old over the new order of thingi
nevertheless indicated their read
ness to trust TO the government, bu
the White Rivers held out TO the las
Insisting upon hearing the same fact
repeated by the president. secretar
of the interior and commission
Indian affairs and then only half rec
ognizIng the Inevitable.
Returned Dissatisfied.
al the ofiicial conference hcI
they made an urgent plea for permit
sion for their band to remove froi
the Uintah reservation to some re
orvation whore no white people woul
disturb them. or to find homes in
forest reserve. When repeatedly a
sured that these requests could no