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Show 108 REPORT OF THE COMMIBBIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. In order to finally determine as to the disposal of each homestead entry and selection for homestead by the Indians, 1 designated Special Indian Agent Murphy to make investigation, and on June 14,1895, gave him full and explicit instructions. Owing to the importance of the work and with a view of having a still more carefill and thorough i~rves-tigation made, I requested the ~ e n e r aLl and Office, through the Department, to detail some special agent or clerk from that office who ! was familiar with the public land laws and the rules of practice pre-scribed for the local land offices, the General Land Office, and the Department, to accompany and aid Special Agent Murphy. Accord-ingly, Mr. M. A. Mess, of that office, wasdetailed for that purpose for the period of two months. He and Agent Murphy proceeded on the 25th of June to the locality of these homesteads and entered lipon the discharge of the duties assigned tliem. It is hoped that this matter which has been pending so long will be put in condition for final settlement upon the receipt of Agent Mur-phy's report. As soon as it is received all the Pwcts ascertained per-taining to the respective homestead ent,ries and selections will be laid before the General Land Office with the recommendations of this office thereon. WISHAM FISHERIES ON THE COLUMBIA RIVER. From time immemorial the Indians have been accustonied to fish in the Columbia River; but inch by inch they have been forced back by the whites from the best fishing grounds and not allowed to fish with the whites in common as provided iu the treaty concliided June 9,1855 (12 Stats., 951). They have borne this denial with pwtieuce, but urged that they be restored to their ancestral and treaty rights. Agents have twice been sent to investigate and ascertaiu the bent method of settling the matter. Both agents reported that it was the duty of the Govern-ment to protect the Indians in their treaty rights to their valuablefish-eries, and recomme~ided that the attention of the United St,ates district attorneys for Oregon and Washiugton be called to the, existing state of a@dj,s, in order that proceedings might be instituted in the Federal courts looking to the protection of the Indians, and with a view of enjoining encroaching parties from further interference with t.hem. Accordingly, this office laid all the facts in the case before the Depart-ment on February 23,1895, cited the law bearing on the matter, and recommended that the Department of Justice be requested to take action to protect the Indians and restore to tliem their lost rights. The Department of Justice advised this Department May 1, last, that all the papers in the case had been forwarded to the United States attorney for the district of Washington for action. It is thought that the c o ~ ~ rwt sil l give ample protection to these Indians when their com-plaintis and rights are presented and fnlly investigated and understood. |
