| OCR Text |
Show REPORT OF THE COMMfSSIONER OF INDIAN APFAIRB. 27 among other things, of giving careful consideration to the matter of furnishing that reservation with a water supply, under the legislation referred to in my last annual report. Ill health delayed his work, and his report of April fi, 1895, was not snfficiently explicit to enable this office to decide intelligently upon the matter. He was therefore sum-moned to this city for a consultation, which was also at,tended by the president of the Idaho Canal Company, which had previonsly been granted a oondit,ional right of way through this reservation, and which had submitted a proposition for a water supply. After an extended conference this office came to the conclusion that the terms offered by the Idaho Canal Company were reasonable and that the best results would he reached by means of a contract with it. Accordingly, June 19,1895, a proposed form of contract with said com-pany, together with the draft of a bond for $50,000 to secure faithful performance of the same, was submitted, which was approved by the Department Jnly 10,1895, and this office instructed to have the same ' executed on the part of the company, after which the contract was to be forwarded for execution by the Department and the bond for filing. July 16,1895; the contract and bond were transmitted to Mr. 0. W. Spalding, one of the principal stockholders, for execution by the ofi-cers of the company. Augnst 7,1895, the contract' and bond were received and duly executed. Reservations in Montana.-From the report of Inspector McCormick, dated July 29, 1895, it appears that under the superintendency of Walter H. Graves, engineer in charge, 34.03 miles of m ~ i ndi tch and 25.27 miles of laterals have been constructed on the Crow Reservation, covering 22,427 aores, at a btal cost of $138,730.50. The inspector states that for durability, strength, and beauty of constructiol~t his work surpasses by far any that he ha# seen elsewhere. The expenditure of some $5,400 on the Blackfeet, $18,000 on the Fort Belknap Reservation, and &975 on the Port Peck Reservation has been authorized during the year, payable from installments due the Indians under the agreement ratified by act of May 1, 1888 (25 Stats., 113). Plans and estimates have been received from the aoting agent in charge of the Fort Peck Agency, for a comprehensive system of irriga-tion on that reservation, involving an expenditure of some $140,000. He suggested also that after further surveys another system might be found preferable. This office on April 24,1895, recommended that authority be granted for the employment of an engineer for not exceed-i r~gon e year to prepare further plans and estimates, stating that in case such authority were granted the agent would be instructed to 'Since the date of this report the Depsstment bas decided not to have this' work done by contract, and has instructed the offioe to ascertain the femibility of obtsib ing a snfficisnt water supply and of construoting irrigating oanale, wherever praa ticable. by Indian labor under s auperiutendent of irrigation employed by the Gov-emnent. |
