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Show CXXXII REPORT OF TUE COMMI8SIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. During the fiscal year ending Jnne 30,1890,124 claims subject to in-vestigation, involving over a half million dollars, were placed on file; 435 claims nut subject to investigation, involving over a million dollars, : iwere also filed and are included in the above tables. When the act of March 3,1885, became a law there were on file in this office 3,574 claims, omitting those previously paid or otherwise dis-posed of, and 'although 1,097 claims have been reported to the Depart-ment and two have been paid, there were still pending June 30, 1890, 4,682 cla,ims; an increase of 1,108. Of these 4,682 only 580 require amendment,s which the claimants ca.n make, and it is submitted that the remaining 4,102 are all entitled to consideration under existing law. The acts of March 3,1885, and Nay 15,1886, making appropriation for the investigation of certain classes of claims, did not affect other classes cognizable under the acts of June 30,1834, February 28,1859, and May 29,1872, but as the appropriation is confined to certain classes of claims, it can not be legally used for any other. It will be noticed in Table 24 that only 164 claims, involving $707,- 825.65, were reported to the Department during the year 1889,as against 229 claims, involving $1,070,003.37, during the previous year. This ap-parent falling off in the amount of work was caused by an entire re-organization of the clerical force of the Civision. 'The beneficial results of the changes made are now shown, however, in the fact that while during the first six months of 1889, there were 82 claims reported on, involving $315,000, there were reported on by the same number of clerks during the first six months of 1890, 207 claims, which involved $822,000. The force of special agents was also changed during last year, and while some time watj lost by them in getting to their respective fields and in becoming familiar with their duties, the following table will show that they have performed their work industriously and cred-itably : T~lrle2 8.-Sivnoing the number of c l a im satisfaotonly investigated hy epeoial agmta in thePeld during eaohJiswll year since thepas~age of the aot of Mavok 3,1885. Clsims investigated during fiaaal year Claims inrrestigatedduring0sod par sndiog Jane 3a- enaing Jnne 30- 1885 ............................. 1888 ............................. 272 1.6 ........................... 1 I W ............................. 2. 1887 ............................. 127 1890 ............................. 417 It was shown in my last report that during the fiscal year ending June 30,1889, 202 claims, involving $881,107 were reported to the De-partment. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1890, 289 claims, involving $1,214,825.65, have been so reported. Much difficulty has been experienced in communicating with claim-ants, especially where the claims originated nearly half a century ago, aud considerable time has been taken up with this branch of the work. That it has resulted in bringing to light and into shape a nhmber of such epaims is shown by the fact that while last year 800 amounting |
