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Show CO~IMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. lxxvii -nitial point of 1871, and proceeded to run his line therefrom. The In-dians were not sat~sfiedw ith this and threatened to destroy all monn-ments set ,on that line. This fact having been reported to this office, the agent was inst.ructed to confer with the surveyor and see if an agree ment could not be reauhed. Therenpon the deputy surveyor proceeded to run tbe line as pointed out by the Indians. The Surveyor-General was not satisfied that this line had been run in conformity with the requirements of the treaty; and in accorda~~wcei th his suggestion e joint investigation of the matter, was made by a special agent of the General Land Office and Special Agent Gordon of this office. They recommended a line to commence at the initial point first adopted by McQuiun, but in its prolongation digering materially from either (rf the surveys theretofore made. In the main this office approved of these recommendations, and they were adopted in view of the fact that it seemed impracticable to obtain a more sat.isfactory result. Bnt in accordance with instructions issued by the Department, all parties supposed to have knowledge of the true location of tlois line, or of the reasons which had, governed the previous locations thereof, have been called upon for any additional information on the subject in their pos-session. It is extremely doubtful, however, if any conclusion can b,e reached which will be alike satitlfaotory to the Indians and &he white settlers in the vicinity. But it is important that the boundary should be located and permanently marked at an early date. In no other way can the disputes now constantly occurring on this subject be prevented. NORTHWEST INDIAN CO3fiWISSION The work of this Commission was referred to at length in the last annual report of this Bureau. During the early part of the present Congress, nine agreements con-clnded by the Commission with Indian tribes were transtr~ittedt o Con-gress for ratification. The three agreements with the Indians of the Fort Peck, Fort Bel-knap, and Blackfeet Agencies, in Montana, were ratified by the act of Oongress, approved May 1,1888 (25 Stat., 113, and page 302 of this re-port). The other agreements are still pending before Congress, and are as follows : With the Chippewas of Minnesota (two agreements). These agree-ments had also been submitted to the previoutl Congrens. With the tribes of the Fort BertholfiAgency, Dakota. With the Cceur d7Al&ueIn dians in Idaho. With the upper and middle bands of Spokanes and the Oalispel In-dians in Washington Territory. With the Flathead and other Indian8 of the Flathead Agency, Mon-tana. |