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Show ~... .~ . ., , . . .. .. . .. " , ' , . . .. . - . . i . , I. , . . , , . . ~ , . . , 64 REPORT OF TEE COMMISSIONER'OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. January 27, 1873, this offlce, in reporting upon " a bill to pro-tide for ' : the sale to actual settlers of the surplus lands of the Round Valley , , . Indian Reservation," stated that it was not in poss0'ssion of any impor-tant facts in addition to those set forth in office report of Jauuary 29, -. 1872. In thatreport Commissioner Walker had opposed any reduction of " the reservation, deeming it essential for the best interests of the Indian a . . , service and for the maintenance of the integrity of the reservation that , : the bonndax+es as extended by the executive order of March 30,1870, shonld be preserved.. (See also another report of same date, House Ex. , , Doc. No. 224, Fortysecond Congress, second session.) On the 3d of Mareh, 1873, Congress passed "An act to restore a part of the Round Valley Indian Reservation in California to the public lands; and for other purposes." (17 Stat., 633.) It does not appear that any report was ever made by this office in relation to this act. ,, Certainly no favorable recommendation was made. The flrst section of the act provided: l b t all that portion of the Indian reservation in Round Valley, Californiq which ,lies south ofthetownship line running east andwest between townships twenty-two and twenty-three north, of ranges twelve and thirteen west of the Moont Diablo me-ritiian, ha, and the some is hereby, restored to the public lands of the United States, and the Secretary of the Interior shell cause the same to be surveyed and orlored for ssle in legal subdivisions, at not less than one dollarand twenty-five cents per sore: , Prouided. That the improvements o w ~ e dby persons o n the lends hereby restored be-fore the passage of this sot shall be the sole property of sooh persons. . * * Alad provided jurthsr, That the proceeds of the sale of the lands hereby restored, or so much thereof as may be neoessary, ahall be umd to piy the improvementsand olaims , of aettlem'now residing within the limit8 of the new reservation created under thia ' sot, and for improvements of Indians on lands hereby restored to the poblia lends, after anoh impcovemeata shall have beeo appraiaad and the apprhisement appro~ed ss hereinafter provided. The second section defined the southern, eastern, and wastern bonnd- . , ' aries of the reservation, and provided for the appointment of three com-missioners to establish the northern boundary. It also directed that these commissioners should make an appraisement of all improrements of white persons situated north of the southern boundary of the reser- ' vation' as established under the act, and authorized the Seoretary of -. the Interior to pay for these improvements out of the money reserved for the purpose by the first section of the act. I . ' , The third section directed the Preuidenb to cause to be withdrawn . from sale or entry all the land lying within the boundaries described , by the second section and the northern boundary as fixed by the com-mission, when approved, and required all settlers within the limits of the reuervation to remove therefrom as soon au they shonld be paid for, or tendered thd amount of, the appraised value of their improvements. . . Under this act Hons. J. P; C. Shanks, Charles Marsh, and B; R. Coweu were designated a commission to make the appr?isementa and , . to fix the northern boundary. On thfl 18th of Ncvember, 1873, the |
