OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS 13 that the prices stipulated were exorbitant, I ordered the work to be sus-pended. This order created so much dissatisfaction on the part of those Indians whose houses had not been built, that I was induced to compromise with the contractor, and continue the work under other specifications, and at greatly rednced prices. The advancement of these Indians, I haveuo doubt, will be greatly enhanced by the establishment in their midst of a good manual labor school. I had an agreeable intorview with the chiefs of the Shawnees, who, in com-pany with their ageut, Mr. Abhott, visited me at Topeka. This tribe own their lands in severalty, and I was asured by the chiefs that it is in a prosperous condition. Judging the tribe by tbe intelligence and gentlemanly bearing of its chiefs, I have no doubt that ere long the government will be relieved of any farther care in the management of its affairs. I met the Iowas, as also the Sacs and Foxes of the Missouri, at t,he Great Nemaha agency, and in council with them, as well as from tbeir ageut, was grati-fied to learn that they are in a. prosperous condition, and to a considerable extent engaged in the arts of agriculture, having almost entirely abandoned the chase. Many of them have good farms and are comfortably situated. The Sacs and Foxes will remove to the lands purchased for them from the Iowas, so soon as the treaty lately negotiated for that'purpose is ratified, which I trust will be done early in the approaching session of the Senate. The Iowas who belong to this agency number about 300 souls, and have 225 acres of land of their reservation under cultivation, the products of which will go far towards their support during the winter. Upon the Iowa reservation a school ie established for the children of that tribe, but the difficulty in securing prompt and regular attendance very much impairs its utility. No schools seem to prosper amongst the Indians unless pro-vision is made to board and clothe the pupils at the institution, and in that case their efficiency is greatly enhanced by the adoption of tbenianual labor system, as it is of e ual importance that they be taught how. to work as well as a knowledge o! the usual sciences taught in schools. An act of Congress of March 3, 1859, authorized the alienation by the Indians in Kansas of portions of their lands which had been set. apart in sever-alty under the treaties of 1854. Under this act one hundred and forty-eight sales of lands have been confirmed since the 4th of March last, comprising an area of about eleven thousand and five hundred acres, and have produced for the Indians the sum of $69,219. By treaties concluded with the Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi, and the Raws of Kansas, it is stipulated that after portions of thoir lauds shall have been divided off in severalty to each individual member of those tribes, viz: 80 acres each to the Sacs and Foxes, and 40 acres to each of the I<an,s, the resi-due should be disposed of in such manner as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe and direct. In order to secure to the said Indians the greatest prac-tical advantage to he derived from the proceeds of these surplus lands, commis-sioners were appointed to appraise them for the information of the department, which would thus he made aware of their actual or approximate value, aiiGna-bled to act independently of any representations of interested speculators. Not-withstanding this preparation,it has been deemed advisable to postpone sales for the time being, and await the advent of a period when better prices may be obtained. Superintendent Co6n and Aeent Cutler, who have found it imuracticable to d i s ~ l r ~tlw~ire a ppropriurc duties nic1,in the southern superirrt;ndcnr!, l~a r e k e n dl tnilrd to as~istA gent l.'arnawonh in making nllot~nentsi n -vveralty for the i i xws , and Acenr Htttchinson for the 3 c s s od Foncs, thus filrni~hintrh em with employ men^ and avoiding the expense of a special commission fop those purposes. |