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Show REPOkT OF T%E COMM%SIONEfl OF INDtAN AFFAIRS. 97 the cession of their lands not needed for allotments, continned on duty until February 13,1896, when they were relieved by order of the Secretary dated February 4,1896. December 21,1895, they reported that it was impossible to induce the Uncompahgres to take allotments in severalty as contemplated by said act on account of the requirement that they should pay $1.25 per acre for any and all lands allotted them. They also reported that there was but very little, if any, land mithin the entire Uncompahgre Reser. vation snitable for allotment as agricult~ural land, and that while certain parts of the reservation were suitable for grazing allotments, hone of it eas6 of Green River, and but comparatively little of it west of that river, was suitable for agricdltural purposes. They further reported that there were several thousand acres of good agricultural land in the valley along the Duchesne River from its junction with the Green up to a point 8 miles above t)e mouth of the Uintah River, within which limits the UncompahgreB were entitled to locate by the agreement approved Jane 15,1880 (21 Stat. L., 199), and that above that limit there was ample land of fine quality to supply farms and homes for the entire Uncompabgre tribe. They expressed the opinion that these lands could be obtained of the Uintahs, but that the situation wouldnot be improved by secnring them if the Uncompahgres must still be required to pay for them. January 14,1896, the'matter was submitted for the consideration of the Department, with the suggestion that the best way ant of the diffi-culty would probably be to obtain legislation to enable the Secretary of tlte Interior to negotiate with the Uncompahgres and with the Indians residing upon the Uintah Reservation for such modification of their existing treaties and agreements and such change in their reservations as might be deemed desirable by the Indians and the Secretary of the Interior, and February 8,1896, the draft of aa item to be inserted in the Indian appropriation bill was also submitted to the Department. However, in the clause of the Indian appropriation act authorizing negotiations with the Indians of various reservations, hereinbefore referred to, Congress provjded for negotiations with the Uiutahs, but made no provision regarding the Uncompahgres. WINNEBAGO EOMESTEADS IN WISCONSIN. I In the annual report of 1895 I cited the homestead laws relatfng to the Winnehagoes of Wisconliin, and gave to date a history of the entries made thereunder by the 111dians. A full report on the subject was made to the Department January 4,1896, based upon a report of Special Indian Agent Able and Mr. M. A. Mess, a clerk detailed from the General Land Office, who had assisted in making investigation of the Winnebago homestead entries. There remained some 50 of these entries upon which no steps had IND 96-7 |