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Show I REPORT OF THE COMMISLIIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 35 Tribes. Among other things it devolved upon them the work of allotting the lauds of the five tribes; also it made the enrollment of each tribe by the commission conclusive as to the membership 4 of that tribe. The commission spent several montbs last year in Washington looking after legislation affecting the Five Tribes, and especially assisting in the preparation of the Curtis bill. They are now in the Indian Territory engaged in the duties assigned them by previous acts of Congress as well as by the Curtis act. i By the Indian appropriation act for the current fiscal year the membership of tbe commission was reduced from five to four, and Frank 0. Armstrong tendered his resignation. The commission now consists of Hon. Henry L. Dawes chairman, Archibald 5. McEenuon, Tams Bixby, and Thos. B. Needles. Pnyallup Commission.-The Indian appropriation act approved July 1, 1898 (Public No. 175), contains the following clause relative to the Puy-allup Commission: For compensation of the commissioner authorized by the Indian appropriation act approved June seventh, eighteen hundred end ninety-seven, to superintend the sale of land, eto., of the Pnyallnp Indian Reservation, Washington, who shall con-tinue the work as therein provided, two thousand dollars. The former Pnyallup commissiouers (Messrs. Anderson, Renfroe, and Alexander) were relieved from duty, as stated in last annual report, on Ilecember 1, 1896. AU of the official papers, documents, etc., in their possession were turned over to the superintendent of the Puyallup Indian School, who was acting Indian agent. He made collections of some deferred payments due on certain lands sold, both allotted lands and agency-tract lots and blocks, and reported the same to this office-- the funds from the allotted lands being for distribution among the par-ties entitled, and the agency-traot funds for deposit in the Treasury to the credit of the tribe. Clinton A. Snowden, of Tacoma, Wash., was appointed by the Presi-dent on June 22,1897, to be commissioner to look after lands of the PuyallupIndiau 'leservation, and instructions, approved by the Depart-ment, were furnished him July 27,1897. He has been engaged since that time in conducting the sale of PuyaUnp lands, collecting deferred pap meuts due upon such lauds previously sold, obtaining further consents of allottees to the sale of portions oS their lands not needed for homes, and determining who are the allottees and true owners, including heirs of deceased allottees, etc. All the funds specially appropriated by Congress for the expenses of this work have been exhausted, but July 13,1898, the Department decided that the necessary expenses of the sale of both allotted and agency lands could be paid out of the proceeds of those already sold and of those to be sold hereafter, except the salary of the commission, I which is provided for by special appropriation. The sale of these lands is not rapid, and the collections of deferred payments are coming in slowly. I |
