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Show It is believed that the appointment of an inspector L'competent in the location, construction, and maintenance of irrigation works," which is provided for in the last Indian appropriation bill, will result in a much more intelligent and economical disbursement of irrigation funds than has hitherto been possible. I am also of the opinion that the Department is fortunate in securing for this position the services of an engineer so thoroughly competent, reliable, and honest as Mr. W. H. Graves, whose services as superintendent of the irrigation construction on the Crow Reservation for the last seven years have received the highest commendat,ion. LOGGING ON RESERVATIONS. White Earth Agency, Xiun.-From time to time under the act of Feb-ruary 16,1889 (25 Stats., 673), authority has been granted by the Presi-dent for the Indians of the White Earth and Red Lake diminished reser-vations to cut and sell dead timber standing or fallen on those reserves. In my last annual report a statement was made of the logging opera. tions of the Indians during the season of 1896-97 under the authority granted by the President on September 24,1896. A clause in the Indian appropriation act of June 7,1897 (30 Stats., go), provides for the granting of authority by the Secretary of the Interior for the Indians in Minnesota to sell dead and down timber as follows, viz: ' n o Secretary of the Interior may, in his dieoretion, from year to gear, under suoh regulations ss he may prescribe, authorize the Indians rasidfng on any Indian ren-ervation in the State of Minnesota, whether the same has been allotted in severalty or is still nnallotted, to fell, cot, remove, sell, or otherwise dispose of the dead tim-her, standing or fallen, on such reseraation or any part thereof, for the sole benefit of snchlndians; and he may also in like manner authorize the Chippewa Indiana of Minnesota who have any interest or right in the proceeds derived from the sale8 of ceded Indian lands or the timber growing thereon, whereof the fee is still in the United States, to fell, ant, remove, sell, or otherwise dispose of the dead timber, standing or fallen, on snoh ceded land. Bat whenever there is reason to believe that such dead timber in either oase he8 been killed, b a e d , girdled, or otherwise injnred for the purpose of securing its sale under thia act, then in that oase snoh authority shall not be granted. Under this provision the Commissioner of the General Land Office, who has control of the ceded Ohippewa lands in Minnesota, prescribed certain regulations to govern the logging operations of the Indians on the ceded lands during the season of 1897-98, which were approved by the Department September 28,1897. It is ascertained from communi-cations received from the General Land Office, and the amounts of the United States Indian agent at the White Earth Agency for the fourth quarter, 1898, that timber to the value of $253,304 was cut and sold during the season. Of this amount 15 per cent was deducted for stumpage and for the purpose of paying certain expenses incident to the logging operationa. |