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Show REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 165 The ninety-eighth meiidian is the boundary line between the Wichita, the Kiowa, Comanche, and A4pache reservations and the Chickasaw Nation, and the Geological Survey reestablished it during the last year. By ik new location the western boundary of the Chickasaw Nation was changed. A portion of the southwest corner of what was fornlerly a part of the Chickasaw Nation was thrown into the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache reservations, and a strip of land beginning at a point about 25 miles north of the southwest corner and growing in width to about 3 miles at the northwest corner of the Chickasaw Nation was taken from the reservations above named and thus became a part of the Chickasaw Nation. Many persons own improvements on land that was thus transferred from one reservation to another, and the Department, May 23, 1900, directed the inspector to give out notices of the reestablishment of the ninety-eighth meiidian, and also of the desire of the Department to permit persons who owned improvements which were affected by the relocation of the meridian to dispose of the same at private sale to citizens of the tribe within whose reservation or nation the laud so improved was then located. Southern boundary of the Indian Territory.-In my last annual report this question was discussed, and by Department letter of February 9, 1900, the office was requested to submit a "draft of legislation" for the purpose of finally and definitely settling the boundary line between the State of Texas and the Indian Territory. Office report of March 14, 1900, after fully considering the subject, stated that- It is not deemed necessary thab the office should take up each particular case of which it is advised' that a contention exists as to where the boundary line should be. The information which the office has upon the matters of contention is embodied in - the letters, affidavits, and other papers transmitted herewith. The situation as it is understood by this office is summed up in a general way about as follows: Fimt. The boundmy line between the Sta.te of Texas and the Indian Territory should follow the middle of the main channel of the Bed River as it meandered in 1845, when Texas was annexed. (Opinion of Assistant Attorney-General, L. D., Val. 24, p. 372.) Second. The surveyors in the field, engaged in the survey of thelands of theIndian Territory, were unable to determine with the amount of money at their disposal, the location of the main channel of the Red River as it existed in 1845, and submit a survey of a boundary other than that. Third. It is represented by the surveyors under the employ of the Government and by parties interested that the land formerly on the Texas side of the Red River b, since 1845, been cut off and formed on the Territory side of the river, and land formerly on the Territory side of the river has, since 1045, been cut off and formed on the Texas side of the river. The draft of legislation submitted is as follows: ~ o i nRt esolution suthorizing the Secretam of the Interior, in conjunction with the State oi exa as, to determine and estsbliah the boundary line between the Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, and th+ State of Texas. Resolved by the Senate and House of Repvesatatives of the United Hates of Amm'ea in W e 8 s assembled, That the Secretary of the Interior be, and he hereby is, authorized |
