OCR Text |
Show era1 commissioners could be better employed during the remainder of the fiscal year in doing such special work in the field as might be assigned to them under the act of June 6,1900 (31 Stats., 302), which provided that they "shall perform such duties as may be required of them by the Secretary of the Interior." In compliance with iustruc-tions from this office, Mr. McNeely and Mr. Hoyt were engaged for some time in making appraisements for railread rights of way on the Pnyallup and Colville reservations, Wash. The following provisions for the continuation of this commission during the fiscal year 1902 is contained in the deficiency appropriation act approved March 3,1901 (31 Stats., p. 1041): For oontinuing during the fiscal year nineteen hundred and two the work of the conmiasion under the Act of Congress approved June tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety+ix, to negotiate with the Crow. Flathead, and other Indians, twelve thownd dollars, and the members of said commission shall perform such other duties pertain-ing to Indian affaim, in the field, as may be required of them by the Secretary of the Interior. In a report to the Department dated January 5, 1901, and also ver-bally before a Congressional committee, this office opposed the propo-sition to continue the commission after June 30, 1901, and in its letter of January 8 the Department concurred in that opinion. This com-mission has been in the field almost continuously since August 30,1896, a period of five years. Six separate appropriations have been made by Congress to defray its salary and expenses, the tota1,amonnt appro-priated aggregating $76,500. During its incumbency but three agree-ments have been concluded, one of which (the Uinta) provided merely for the consent of the Indians to the allotment of certain other Indians on their reservation upon payment of $1.25 per acre for the lands so allotted. Of the three agreements made only one has been ratified by Congress-tbat with the Fort Hall Indians in Idaho. Those with the Uintas and Crows are still pending in Congress. Puyallup Commission.-The Indian appropriation act approved March 3, 1901 (31 Stats., p. 1058), contains the following clause relative to the Puyallup Commission: For eampe-tion of the commissioner authorized by the Indian appropriation act approved June seventh, eighteen hundred and ninety-seven, to superintend the sale of land, and so forth, of the Puyallup Indian Reservation, Washington, who shall - continue the work as therein provided, two thousand dollars. It will be observed that this provides for continuing the sale of Puyallup lands for the present fiscal year. This work was continued during the last hcal year under a similar provision contained in the lndian appropriation act approved May 31,1900. Clinton A. Snowden was appointed commissioner June 22, 1897. He is still in charge of the work. The demand for the Puyallup lands seems to have increased. At least more sales have been made |