| OCR Text |
Show . . REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 93 By act approved February 10, 1891 (26 Stats., 745), Congress granted to the Umatilla Irrigation Company, a corporation organized and'existing under the laws of the State of Oregon, a right.of-way through the Umatilla Indian Resermtion in that State for the con-strnction and maintenance of a water ditch or canal for irrigation pur-poses, a.nd for constructing and maintaining reservoirs, darns, flumea, and such other structures and devices as might be necessary for storing, conveying, and distributing water. The grant was made upon certain terms, conditions, and restrictions, with the provision that the Indians should be compensated for the land so appropriated and used. The ditch and necessary grounds therefor have been located, the landsappropriated have been appraised, the consent of the Indians obtained in proper manner, and payment made for all damages assessed. It is believed that this system of irrigation will benefit the Indians of the reservation, and especially those in its immediate vicinity. Senate bill No. 3048 of the last sessiou of Congress, as amended and .passedby the Senate, provides for the granting of a right of way to thu Blue Mountain Irrigation and Improvement Company, a corporation organized and existing under the laws of Oregon, through the southern ' portion of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, upon terms, conditions, limitations, and restrictions similar to those contained in the act last referred to. This bill is now pending before the House for considera-tion and action. Should it become a law, and the system of irrigation therein authorized be put into successfal operation, the additional irri-. gation facilities aforded thereby will be of great value to theIndians. ROADS; The office has devised a system of rules and regulations for opening and impro$ng public highways on the reservations, by which it is hoped that a better system of roads will be developed, and that it may be brought into olose relationship with the syatem of public highways in the couutry immediately adjoiniug. (See Apendix page 196). CASH PAYMENTB TO INDIANS. The payments male to Indians during last year in fulfillment of treaty stipulations, f o ~in terest on funds held in trust for them, for lands they relinquished to the Government, and for other legitimate indebtedness to them-by the United States were much in excess of those for any pre-vious year, and nxceeded by'$2,000,000 the payments made for the fis-cal year 1890. The comparison is asfollows: , -- -- FxiUUing treaties, intereat, parmsnt for h d s , eto ... . .. . . .. . . . . ............. I $114,288 62,480,116 Laor by Indiana and pnmhmes made f?r them ... .. .... . . . . .... . . . . . , 0 0 0 1- Total. .... .. ...... ...... ........ ... ..... . ........... . . .......... . 1,416,268 8,410,716 |
