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Show OOMMISSIONER OF INDIAN APFAIRS. 47 While the law now relieves the Indians, it also arranges for proper reimbursement of the Government for the expenditures chargeable to the various landholders. Another important provision of the Indian bill is that which, ar-ranges for a water right for the Salt River Reservation Indians. These industrious people have been attempting to farm a much larger area than their inadequate water supply wgrranted. With the addition pro~ded for, they should be soon comfortably self-sup-porting. MISCELLANEOUS ACTIVITIES. Among the most important operations of the engineers-usually engaged upon irrigation has been the development of underground water. Upon the Navajo, Hopi, and Papago Eeservations this added water supply is of almost inestimable value for stock and domestic use. With the addition of these new watering places, gnat areas of hitherto unavailable grazing land can be used, and it also , adds to the value of those already occupied by reducing the damage to both range and stock by shortening the trips of the latter to water. Upon the Navajo, Hopi, Isleta, and Papago Reservations six well rigs were constantly in operation, drilling through the year 30 wells, of which, however, 10 did not yield either a sufficient quantity or a quality of water to make them successful. In addition, the, 10, wells drilled in various portions of the Papago country during 1915 had their pumping plants completed and placed in operation. At some of these plants Indians come with barrels for water from as great a distance as 18 miles, indicating ,that considerable further development is needed at other points. Upon the Hopi and Navajo Reservations considerable work was done cleaning and protecting the small springs found at infrequent intervals. The use of the easily contaminated and, in some cases, filthy pools for domestic purposes is being changed by cleaning and reconstructing these sources of supply, so that-many Indians for probably the first time in their lfves have regularly pure, whole-some water. Some reservations, especially in the upper Mississippi Valley, need reclamation not by irrigation but by drainage. To this end I have had our engineers examine and report on the feasibility of this sort of work for the Indian lands of Fond du Lac, Dlinn.; Santee and Kickapoo, Nebr. ; Haskell, Kans. ; Sac and Fox, Iowa; Carlisle, Pa. ; Round T%lley, Cal.; and Shiprock, N. Mex. All of the foregoing work, which,is being done by the Indian Service, is along those lines which I am constantly urging in the various branches of the.Indian , . |
