OCR Text |
Show SALE OF TIMBER, JICARILLA RESERVATION. The plan of selling timber on the Jicarilla Apache Reservation in New Mexico, as authorized by the act of August 15,1894 (28 Stats., 302), for the purpose of raising a fund with which to purchase stock for the Indians of that reserve, has failed. That act authorized the sale of $20,000 worth of timber, and in pursuance thereof suitable regulations to govern such sale were prepared and advertisements for bids were published in the papers of that locality. However, November 1,1894, the acting Indian agent reported that the time fixed for opening bids had expired on the day previous, and that no bids had been received. This outcome the acting agent attributed to the fact that the timber on the unallotted lands which it was proposed to sell was so far from the railroad that prospective bidders feared they would not have time to construct the necessary roads and remove the timber within the eighteen montlis provided for in the said regulations. Whether or not this was the real cause the ofice is unprepared to say, and is unable at present to suggest any new course by which the sale of this timber can be effected and relief brought to the Indians. This reservation is, for the greater portion, unsuitable for agricd-turalporposes, and the Indians occupying it arevery poor. Theindustry of stock raising, especially sheep, is generally a successful one in that locality, and it was hoped that with a little assistance these Indians might enter upon that pursuit and thus make progress toward self-support. ARREST AND IMPRISONMENT OF MOQUIS. Certain friendly nonreservation Indians have been occupying and using lands in the vicinity of Tuba and Moencopie, Ariz., and they desired to have the same allotted to them for homes. An agent was sent among them for the purpose of assisting them in making appli-cations for the desired lands under the fourth section of the general allotment act as amended by act of February 28,1891. Applications were made accordingly and are before the office and the Department for consideration. About fifty other Indians, principally Moquis, went upon the lands in question, took possession of them, sowed them with wheat, and declared their intention of returning and reaping the har-vest. They notified some of the allottees that they must leave their homes, committed depredations upon a certain cornfield, and gave other evidences of ill will. October 23, 1894, I recommended that the War Department be requested to lay these troubles before General McCook, commanding the Department of Colorado, and leave it to his discretion as to whether or not a sufficient force of troops should be sent to overawe the meddlesome Moquis. |