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Show ASSAULT UPON NAVAJOES, ARIZONA. A detailed statement mas given in the last annual report of an assault upon sixteen Navajo families who were tending their flocks in the graz-ing district bounded on the east and north by the Little Colorado River and on the west by the Colorado River, a portion of the tract being mitl~in the boundaries of the Grand Canyon, National Park. From this district they were ejected by the officials of Coconino County, Ariz., with alleged losses to their flocks and herds. Since that time this office has received a report on the subject from the acting agent of theNavajo Agency, and also, by reference from the Department, has received reports from the United States district attorney for Arizona and from the governor of that Territory. The Indian agent contends that the Indians sustained considerable loss in their forcible removal by the county officials, while the district attorney and governor claim that no harm was done to the Indians, either in person or property. On these reports no action has yet been taken and the office is in doubt mhether under the circumstances civil action should be instituted to recover damages which it is alleged the Indianssustainrd to their property. I MISSION INDIANS, CALIFORNIA. During the year patents have been issued for the Temecnla allot-ments. No new allotments have been made in the field, nor have the allotments which were made several years ago on the Rincon, Potrero, and Crtpitan Orande reservations been completed, because the plats of survey have not yet been furnished by the General Land Office. The proposed exchange of lands with the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, affecting four reservations, ha,s not yet been completed, this part of the business being also before tlie General Land Office. Additional tracts of land are needed for several of the reservations. It was the duty of the Mission Indians Commission, under the act of Jannary 12, 1891, to select as reservations for the several bands or villages of Indians the lands that were at that time in their possession and occupation. But this the commission failed to do in several cases, and it was found that the failure could be remedied only by a special act of Congress. In eomplia~lcew ith 1)epartment instructions, this office prepared and submitted, January 5 last, draft of bill authorizing the Secretary of the Interior to cause to be patented to the Mission Indians such tracts of the public lands in the State of California as he shall find upon examination to have been in the occnpation of the Indians, and are now required and needed by them, and were not selected for them by the commission. This draft is contained in Sena.te Doc. No. 54, Fifty-6fth Congress, second semion. |