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Show I REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFFJRS. 53 the timber on their allotments, and quoted the regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior to govern the sale nuder an authority granted by the President on July 28, 1897. Under those regulations ' Captain Scott advertised for bids for the purchase of the timber. I n answer to this advertisement (which was inserted in several news-papers) four bids were received as follows, viz: FrederiekL. Gilbert (estimated on the quantity of timber of different kinds supposed to be on the allotments), $416,662; D. J. Arpin and William Swtt, $266,447.50; Charles Crogster &Go., $262,300.37; 0. A. Ritan, $224,300. I The prescribed regulations required that all timber ent upon the res-ervation should be sawed in a mill to be erected upon the reservation. In his bid Mr. Gilbert proposed a modification of those regnla$ions to the extent of permitting the immediate removal from the reservation, for mannfactnre outside, of a considerable quantity of burnt timber which had been cut by the Indians during the logging season of 1896-97 and which was at the timein the lake at the mouth of tbeRed Clitf River. On his pafi he agreed to saw at the mill, before the expiration of three years, a like quantity of timber cut from lands outside the reserve. September 23, 1897, the Department accepted Mr. Gilbert's bid, and on the same date this office advised Captain Scott of its acceptance. Mr. Gilbert having filed a bond in the penal sum of $50,000, with the American Surety Company of New Pork as surety, which was approved by the Department October 21,1897, he was permitted to proceed with the making of his contracts and the erectiqn of his mill. It is under-stood that the mill has been erected and is now in working order. Sev-enty contracts for the sale of timber have been approved. I should add that the regulations of July 29,1897, overlooked the fact that a number of the allottees were minors, and consequently no provision was made for the sale of the timber on their allotments. In order to meet the situation the Department, June 13,1898, modified these regulations by adding to paragraph 3 the following: Andprovided, That where an sllotment belongs to a minor the timber thereon may be sold as provided in these regulations under contract executed by the father of auoh minor, if he be alive, md in case he be dead then by his mother, and if both the father and mother of such minor be dead his timber may be sold under a can-traot executed by his legal guardian, if one has been appointed by the courts, and if no guardian has been appointed the Indian ageut shall be suthorieerl to make such contract: dnd provided fwthw, That the proceeds of the sale of timber on allotmenta of minors shall be held by the agent, as other moneys reeei~ed by him on acoonnt of the sale of timber on the Red Cliff allotmenta, to the credit of such minors, respect~vely, and shall not be sobjeot to draft nntil miid minors shall have reached the age of 21 years, respectively, except that the Commissioner of Indlen Msirs shall have the power to authorize the nee of such proceeds of the sale of the timber in special owes if, in his jndgment, the facts and oireamstsnees in such special oases warrant the aame. The agent shall keep, in a wall-balmd book to be provided for the purpose, sepa-rate aecounta with each Indian minor for whom he may so receive funds, in which accounts he shall charge himself with all sums received, giving dates, from whom |
