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Show 86 . REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONEX OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. was granted, and the allotments were so adjusted by the special agent of this office. Under your instructions patents were issued for the lands allotted to r,hese Indians, and, on August 14,1894, were trans-mitted to the Cceur d9A1Bne local land officers, Idaho, for delivery to th'e allottees legally entitled thereto. Through the gua,rdians of Arthur F y e and by authorityof theDepartment, the application for that child, covering the lands upon which the town of Bonners Ferry is located, was relinquished. This aotion eudeil a long and bitter contest. The nol~reservationK ootenais, numbering some 225, who a few years ago were in a distressed condition and gave alatm to theinha.bitant8 of northern Idaho, have been disposed of by making allotments to those' above referred to, by removing some of them to the Flathead Reserva-tion, Mout.! and by inducing the remainder who claimed to beCana-dian Indians, to move across the international boundary line into Can. ada. Thus the Kootenai question and troubles seem to have been finally and permanently settled. NEW PORK INDIANS. An item of interest respecting these Indians is the provision made by a clause in the Indian appropriation act for this fiscal year for the making of a thorough investigation by the Secretary of the 1nt.erior of the facts touching the claim of the Ogden Land Company, the con-. dition of the Indians, their progress ill civilization and fitness for citieenship, and the propriety of allotting their lands in severalty; report, thereon to be made to Congresn, with such sugge~tions and recommendations as may be deemed proper. Though this clause makes provision simply for the "invest,igation " of the matters specitied, it is a much needed step in the direction of / settling the difficulties respecting these Indians. The existenceof the so-called preemption claim of the Ogden Land Company ha,s given rise to many complications and embarrassing questions in connection with ,the management of the New York Indians, and has seriously retarded their advanceme~~tI. n addition to this, their status with respect t,o. the jurisdiction of the State and of the United States is the cause of difficulties which it is hoped the initial action thus provided for will be the means of finally removing. The claim of these Indians against the United States, growing out of . . the sale of their Kansas lands, is still pending in the Court of Claims. ERRONEOUS SURVEYS, PONCA RESERVATION, NEBR. For years complaints have reached this office concerning careless and erroneous surveys along the Niobrara River, embracing certain lands within the Ponca Reservation, Nebr. As a consequence of such surveys made thirty years or more ago, the Indians are unable to ascertain the boundaries of their respective allotments, and disa- |