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Show REPORT OF THE GOJIMIS8IONEE OF INDIAN AFt'AIRS. XIX the Indians, rewguizing the importance and neoessity of these great com-mercial undertaki~igsh, ave so farreadily assented, stipulating only for a -4 monahle compensation, which has been promptly paid by the compa-nies seeking the wncession: In this manner a right of way has been grauted through the Si~setoil Reserve in Dakota to the Chieago, Milwaukee and Saint Paul Railway company; through the Otoe and Missouria Reserve.in Nebraska to the Republican Valley Railroad Company; through the Winnebago and Omaha Reserve in Nebriska to the Saint Paul and Sioux City Railroad Company, and thraugh the Walker Xiver Reservation in Nevada to the Carson and Colorado Railroad Company; Other applications for right of way through different reservations are on file and in process of deter-muination. On the great Sioux Reserve inDakota, preliminary surveys are being made, with the consent of the Indians and under Indian eswrt, for the construction of two roads, viz, the Dakota Central Railroad and the ex-tension of the Chicago, Milwaukee and $aint Paul Railroad to the BlackHills. By an agreement, dated the 12th of June last, tlie Siolix Indians granted to the Dakota Central Railway Company the right to occupy one section of land on the western bank of the Missouri River, at or near Fort Pierre, Dakota, for a freight depot; also the right to cou-struct and operate a wagon road from Buch depot to intersect the wagon roarlrunning west from Fort Pierre to the Black Hills. Xegotiations are pending with the Iudians for the purchase by these companies of the right of way across the reservation, and although there has been some delay, owing to want of harmony between some of the bands, an early and satisfactory adjustment of the ,question of compensation is confi-dently espected. TIXBER DEPEEDATIONS UPON INDIAN RESERVATIONS. Under this heading, I desire to call attention to a bill (S. 1812) intro-clnced at the last session,of Congress, so extending the provisions of sec-tion 5388 Revised Statutes, and of other laws of the United States for the protection and preservation of timber belonging to the United States, and for the punishment of offendem who cut, destroy, or take the same, nsl to make them apply to the preservation of timber on the following classes of Indian reservations, namely: Lmds to which the original Indian title has never been extinguished, but which have not been specially reserved by treaty, act of Congress, or otherwise, for the use of the Iudia,ns, or for other purposes, although the Indians' right of occupancy thereof has been taoitly recognized by the government; lauds expressly reserved by treaty or act of Congress, or set apart for the use of the Indians by executive order of the President; lands allottcd or patented to individual Indians who are not under the laws of any State or Territory; lands patented to Indim tribes, and lands which have heen purchased by or ceded to the United States for tlie purpose of settling |