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Show I XLYI REPORT OF THE COMWSSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. have full auth0rit.y to prescribe and enforoe such regulations for their management its may be deemed proper. To this end United States In-dian Agent Ford was relieved of his duties as agent, on September lst, and Capt. F. E. Pierce, of the United States Army, was placed in charge. This office heartily uympathizes with the effort of the War Depart-ment tocontrol therebellionsand warlike~piritoft. heChiricahiiaoutlaws, and to prevent a recurrenceof their raids upon white settlements, and I trust that the military will be able to captore the murderous band now skulking in the Sierra Madre Mountains and to bring them to condign punisbment. It has been suggested that tile less guilty and responsible of those captured might be transported to an island in the Pacific Ocean, where they could be safely guarded without material expense to the Government, and where the products of the fisheries and the ~ a t i v e flocks could be made to furnish a living; or, perhaps, it would be more I practicable to place them on the farm belonging to the military prison near Fort Leavenworth, Eans., where, under guard, they could be forced to make a living for themselves by manual labor. It should be care. fully borne in mind that, with the exception of the Chiricahuas, the main body of the Indians belonging to the San Carlos Reservation for many years past have been credited with pedceful intentions and con-duet, and for at least two years past have not been connected with any outbreaks, have committed no depredations, and, so far as known, have not taken the life of a single white person. They are living quietly on their reservation, engaged in the cultivation of their farms, and no military force has been required to compel obedience on their part to the rules and regnlations of the Department. OOAL ON THE WHITE MOUNl'AIN INDIAN RESERVATION IN ARIZONA. There has been some mention of this subject in the last three annual reports of this office, from which may be gathered the history of the coal discovery, as well as a general knowledge of the various attempts that have been made by the discoverers and others interested, to secure the segregation of the coal-bearing lands from the Indian reservation, together with the action taken by this office in connection therewith. The commission appointed by your predecessor under authority of the act of July 4, 1884 (Stat;. 23, p. 95)- To examine and report upon the aharaoter, extent, thickness, and depth of each vein, the value of the con1 per ton on the dump, and the best method to utilize the w e , and to report their opinions aa to the best method of disposing thereof within the limits of the White Mountain Indian Reservstion,in the Territory of Arizona, and the result of said investigation to the Seoretary (of the Interior) and by him tran0- mitted to Congfess, submitted their report tothe Department under date of November 28, 1884. Said report was transmitted to Congress with Department letter of December 26, 1884, and on January 6,1885, it was referred to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs and ordered to he printed. The |
