Fergus County Democrat. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1904-1919, 1912-10-22
INDIAN LANDS
IN THIS STATE.
COMM J. n. HALL MAKES
PUBLIC INFORMATION AS
TO SALES.
ALLOTMENTS ARE MADE
Waiting for Approval of Assignments
on the Biackfeet and Fort Peck
Reservations--Crow and Fort Bel-
nap Lands Not to Be Opened In
the Immediate Future.

the Immediate Future.
J. ii. Hall, commissioner of the
state bureau OF agriculture, labor and
industry, has succeeded In getting
lull information with regard to the
probable opening to settlement of the
various reservations In this state.
The unallotted lands OF the Black
feet reservation. amounting to about
66O,o 900 acres, are to be sold during
the year 1913 at the appraised price
In the case OF agricultural land; tho
mineral townsitc and timber lands to
be disposed of at fixed prices and the
| timber lands sold to the highest bid
| der.
In the Fort Peck reservation, which
comprises about l,776,O0O acres, from
| which will be taken the Indian allot-
ments and other Withdrawals, the al
lOtment work has been completed but
not approved and the reservation will
probably be opened some time in 1913.
No authority has been given for tho
opening to settlement OF the Grow or
Fort Belnap reservations.
Many Seek Land.
| Many inquiries have been received
by Commissioner Hall during the past
year, concerning these lands, from
people all over the United States, and
by his efforts the information con-
tanned in the following letter Is given
TO the people who are seeking homes
| In this state. The letter Is addressed
to Mr.. Hall and reads:
| in reply to your letter of October I,
1912, you are informed that the sur
plus lands within the Fort Peck and
the Blackfeet Indian reservations In
Montana will be opened by proclama~
4 tons of the president at some future
date as soon as the necessary pre-
liminary work has been completed.
The proclamations will prescribe the
time when and manner in which the
| lands may be settled upon, occupied
and entered. 1t is not now possible
to furnish even the approximate area
of the surplus lands In said reserva-
tions which will be available for entry
after the Indian allotments and the
other necessary reservations and with
drawals have been made. One-fifth OF
the appraised value of the lands must
be paid in cash at the time of filing.
!, The remainder OF the purchase money
may be paid In five annual install
, ments, beginning one year from the
GATE OF ming.
J, Working on Blackfeet.
"The Blackfeet reservation embraces
about 100000 acres, of which ap-
proximately $4,000 acres have been
allotted to Indians, the allotments not
yet having been approved. The sur
plus lands are now being classified
and appraised by commission ap-
pointed for that purpose and when
l 10 1nfn hn rn0 0arSa
lands will be disposed Of pursuant to
the act OF March l, 1907, under the
general provisions of the homestead,
mineral and townsite laws, and Of the
reclamation act where irrigation prof.
ects are practicable. The agricultural
lands are to be disposed Of at the ap-
praised price; the mineral and coal
: lands at the prices fixed under the
e mineral and coal land laws OF the
) United States, and the timber lands
! are to be sold under sealed bids at
not less than SIS per acre. The lands
have been surveyed; the allotment
! work In the field has been completed
j and 1t Is expected that the classiica-
!. ton and appraisement work will be
finished by January !, 1913. The sur.
9 plus lands may be opened during 1919.
! This land will be handled by the dis
a trict land office at Helena, Mont.
- Fort Peck Reserve.
+ "The Fort Peck reservation embraces
II about 1,776,OO0 acres, which area will
g be reduced by allotments to Indians
q and other reservations and selections
: Allotment work in the field under the
: provisions of the act of May 80, 1908
! has been completed, the allotments
: not yet having been approved, as q
; large part of the land allotted Is un
r derlaid with coal. The classification
v and appraisement Of the surplus lands
under the provisions of the act men
toned will be completed by March /
1913, and the surplus lands disposed
k of at not less than the appraised price
d under the general provisions of the
l. homestead, desert, land, mineral ani
d townsite laws of the United States
e. as provided by the said act of May 30
It 1908. The lands will probably b
a opened during 1918. These lands viii
be under the direction of the distric
= land office of Glasgow, Mont.
"There Is no authority for opening Il
= settlement and entrv surplus lands II
= = the Grow or in the Fort Belnap 1ndiaI
reservations"