OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. XXXIX by the Senate were favorably reported by the House Committee on In-dian Affairs, but were not further acted upon prior to adjournment. Crow reserve, Montana.-By an act of Congress approved arch 3, 1887 (24 Stat., 545), a right of way was granted to the Rocky Fork a~id Cooke City Railway Company for the construction of a road through the western portion of the Crow reservation, beginning at or near Laurel, Yellowstone county, Mont.; running thence by the most prac-ticable route to or naar themouth of Rock creek, commonly cdled Rocky Fork j thence up said creek to the coal mines near Red Lodge post-oace, in Gallatin county, in said Territory ; thence by the most prac-ticable route to Cooke City, in said Gallatin county. The consent of the Indians to said right of way having been obtained in a manner sat.- isfactory to the President, as reqnired bythe act, measures are now in progress to carry out its provisions in reference to compensation to be paid to the Indians. Fort Hall reserve, Idaho.-Congress adjourned without taking final action on either of the measures mentioned in my laat amual report looking to negotiations with the Shoshone and Bannack Indians in re-spect of the right of way occupied by the Utah and Northern Railway for its road running north dud south, as also for additional lands at 1 Pocatello station, required by said company, conjointly with the Ore- i gon Short Line Railway Company, running east and west through this reservation, Inspector Gardner and Agent Gallagher were therefore, I in Nay last, especially directed by you to examine the situation, and to ascertain the wishes of and secure proper action by the Indians toenable the Department to lay theentirematterbefore Congressat the approacb-ing session. On the 30th May last the.y submitted, their report, from which, and accompanying papers, it appears that the Indians agreed to surrender and relinquish to the United States all their estate, title, and interest in and to so much of the Fort Hall reservation at or near Pocatello as is comprised within certain defined boundaries, containing an area of 1,840 acres, more or less, saving and excepting so much thereof as has been heretoforerelinqnished to the United States for the use of the Utah and Northern and Oregon Short Line Railway Companies. The laud so relinquished is to be surveyed by the United States and laid. off into lots and blocks as a town site, and after due appraisementthereof, to be mold at public auction to the highest bidder, at such time, in such msmcr, and upon such terms and conditiolis as Congress may direct; the funds arising from such sale, after deducting all necessary ex-penses, to be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the Indians, and to bear interest at the rate of 6 per cent. per annum, with power in the Secretary of the Interior to expend all or any part of the principal and accr~~eindt erest thereof for the benefit 2nd support of said Indians in such manner and at such times as he shall see fit. Or, said lands so relinquished are to be disposed of for the beueEt of said Indians in such other manner as Congress may direct. |