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Show REPORT OF THE UTE COMMISSION. REPORT OF UTE COMMISSION. W A ~ ~ G T OD.X C,., Notlmkr2lst, 1881. Eon. SAMUEL J. KIRKWOOD, Secretary of the Interior: Sm: In order to expedite the work of the Ute Commission, and with yonr ippro$, the members of the Commission at the beginningof the season were divided into three divisions and assigned to special dnty as follows, each as soboommission : The work in regard to the White River Utes~as int ros tedto Mr. Meecham; theworkin eonnee-tion vith the Unoompehgre Utes, to Mnssrs. Ruasell, Mears, and McMOmis; and the work especially oonneoted vith the Southern Utes to Mr. Manypenny. The reports of theseseverelbrimohns, made to the full Commission, areherewith sub-mitted for your information. The following recommendations and snggestions of the soveral branches of the Commission are adopted as the recommendations of the -.hole commission, and to them we bag leave to call your especial attention. 1st. The uniting the White River and Uintah bands of Utes into one hand, as ree-ommended by Mr. Meacham. 2d. The immediate establishment of the bonndary and limits of the Unoompahgro Utes where now located, as recommended in the report of Messrs. Russell, Msars, and McMorris. 3d. The recommendation in the same report es to the payment for improvements made by the few settlers within the territory proposed to be aet aptart for the Un~om-pehgre Utes. 4th. The recommendstionin the same report as to theimmediate preparation for the ontting and floating logs to the sits of the new agenoy. 5th. The sug eations in the same report a4 to the oooupanoy by the military of a large portion ofthe grass lands in the neighborhood of the ageuoy and the removal of the military post to a, greater distance from the seme. 6th. The suggest,ion in the same report as to the gradual withdrawal of supplies to the Indians as soon as they may be placed in a better position as to self-support. 7th. The Commission also adapt the suggestions contained in the report of Mr. Many-penny as to the necessity of maintaining the exterior lines of that part of the reserve tion occupied b$ the Southern Utes. 8th. The suggestions contained in t,he suhre orts, in reference to the erection of ageuoy buildings dwellings far Indians, school-%onseq mills, mechine? &c.; @so in reference to imrhting-ditches, stack and agdcultural implements, an the est~matetes therefor, and alao the estimates of the valne of the improvements of the Uncompah-gres are adopted as the suggestions of the Commission. 9th. The Commission reapeotfnlly call the attention of the Secretary to the dot1bt8 expressed by Mr. Manypenny as to the sufficiency of the arable lands in the territory designated for the oacupanoy of the Southern Utes. The Commission is of the opinion that it would be alviailble to reduce, b one-half, the mount of agricultural land assigned to eaoh Ute Indian by thetermao?theagree-ment,, and act of Congress of Jnne 15 1880, and to increase the quantity of grazing land or to render them aome other equitable equivalent therefor. Under the existing sgreement each Ute Indian,not the head of a family, isentitledto eighty aores of agri-onltnral land, and esoh head of a, fnmily to one hundred and sixty aores of avn'oult-nral land. The lands selected omnot be made useful for oultivati~nwithouitr r&tian, and we axe of the opinion that an Indian will not be found who will ever utilise more than one-fourth the lend to be awarded him of this character. The modification of the agreement in this respect should only he made with the consent of the Indians freely given and a satinfkctory eqnivalent therefor: , Until the Indians can be made soinewhat fam~lmwr ith their new relations it is thought by the Commission of vital importance to maintain the exterior boundary limits of the lands upon which tbey dwell, as a reservation, and within whioh wl~its men may not be allowed to locate. This piotsotion may be secured by legislation or possibly by executive order. For years to come theae Indians ahonla certainly have the a,id of the government in protsoting them from collision with white men. The agreement with the Utes having been ratified and their removal sooomplisl>ed, we are of the opinian that it is not necessary to have five commissioners to perform the remaining duties. We therefore respectfully recommend that the number be re-duced to three. Respectfully submitted. GEO. W. MANYPENNY, A. B. MEACHAM, J. J. RUSSELL, OTTO MEARY, THOS. A. MOMORRIS, ut6 Conzmissim~. |
