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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 101 of Indian Commissioners that the provisions of this bill might not be for the best interest of the Indians occupying these reservations, and the board offered to send one of its members to examine into the mat-ter and report as to the wisdom of the proposed legislation. This sog. gestion was laid before the Department and the proposed investigation was authorized, and Hon. Albert E. Smiley, a member of the board, was designated to make it. From his report dated June 27,1895, I quote the following: I rellched Pyramid Lake Reservation April 21,1895, and very carefully inspected the lands under cultivation, the dam which diverts the water from the Truckee River and the ditches leading thereto, and the proposed new ditoh to bring water from the Trnckee River from a point high up in the mountains for Irrigating new lands, both on the reservation and ootside thereof. I also visited the Walker River Reservation and inspected their lauds. I exmniued the improvements made at both reservations, and ascertained the views of tho Indians itt both reservations in regard to. the proposed removal of the Walker River Indians to the Pyramid Lake Reservation. The Indians et bath reservations have irrigating ditches already oonstroeted and large bodies of land very well fenoed and under good oultivation, raising nlfstfa, barley, wheat, potatoes, and other vegehhlen. They are inoreaaing from time to time the soreage of cultivated land and show a very oommeodable zeal in making in~provements. The diverting dam at Walker River Roservi~tion is a new one and has proved a success. The diverting dam at Pyramid Lake Reservation is mads of looae stones and brnah, whioh allows muoh of the water to pass throngh it iu the dry season when water is most needed. A new dam should be built at n cost of about $3,300, as reoommended by Agent Woaton in s, letter to the Commissioner, dated October 9,1894. Should a new dam he constructed, the irrigating system at both reservations would be in good condition, unless new lands were brought under cultivation, which would require an extension of ditches at but little expense. An important portion of Senate bill 99 is z scheme t,o build a new ditch to bring the water of the TruckeeRiver to the reservation. An engineer, T. K Stewart, sur-veyed z route for the ditch at s oost of $1,500, and made plans and estimates. This plan is made the basis of the expenditore of a very large sum by the Government. In Jlr. T. K. Stewart's report to the Government, the length of the ditch is given at 45 miles and 18 ohaina, but the width and depth and t,he itmount of water it will. cmiy are not mentioned in the report. The ditch is to be a11 open one, without any lining of e tones or cement. A large portion of the way it passes over soil composed of looae material very absorbent of vater. I n m"v "iu dwent ., the whole river. if turned into the ditoh d u r i ~ eth e d r r aeasnn. - " ~~ ~ ~ - , woold never resoh the Indian reservation. The plan proposes to irrigate 17,000 acres belouging to the whites, and also the town of Wadsworth, before reaching the new restricted reservation. Mr. Stewart. in his reoort. estimated the coat of'& ditch ~ ~ ~~~ ~ ~- at $119,000, but I think this estimate is entirely too low. A serviceable ditch would oost from $200,000 to S00,COO. I t wil1 be noticed that the town of Wdsworth and 17,000 acres of irrigable land belonging to the whites first receive the water of the proposed new ditoh, and the Indian lands are at the extreme end of the ditch. Even if the water of the Truokee River could be carrlerl45 miles-which is quite improb=ble--the ehsnces of the Indians ever receiving any water from the ditoh are extremely doubtful. The Indians already have a good anpplg. of water, end the new ditch would doubtless take all the water of the Truckee Riser in the dry sea-son, and thus render useless all the prenent ample supply of water to themaerss-tion. This proposed diteh is entirely in the intereats of the whites, and vary muah tothe detriment of the Indians. |
