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Show 1 120 REPORT OF THE COldMIBSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRA. of land for the Warner's ranch Indians and such other Mission Indians ' as may not be provided with suitable lands elsewhere. The Department on May 27, 1902, appointed Messrs. Charles F. Lnmmis, Charles L. Partridge, and Russell C. Allen to act as an advi-sory commission and approved the draft of instructions prepared by this Office on May 20, 1902, for the guidance of the commissioners. The report of the commission is now before the Department. I BOYD CLAIM, CAMP INDEPENDENCE RESERVATION, CkL. Sereral years ago the attention of the ofice was called to the rights of certain Indians residing near the Indian day school on what was for-merly the Camp Independence Military Reservation, in California. This reservation was abandoned by the military some years since, and in accordance witb the provisions of an act of Congress the build-ing improvements were sold, with the stipulation that they should he removed. One W. M. Boyd purchased an old building, but instead of removing it he let it remain and took possession of the reservation, which embraced three forties of land, witb a total area of 120.22 ares. Attached to this land was a water right, very valuable for that locality. Dnring the past winter the matter of the rights of the Indians was thoroughly investigyted on the ground by Supervisor of Schools M. F. Holland, and March 22, 1902, this O5ce recommended to the Depart-ment that the two west forties, comprising 80 acres, be reserved for the Indians living thereon and in that neighborhood, numbering about 75 persons. By letter of April 23,1902, to the Commissioner of the General Land Office, this recommendation was approved by the Department. It is proposed to settle the Indian families of the neighborhood upon this tract of land and to siibdivide it among them, and steps to accom-plish that object have been taken by the office. As the result of the investigations it was discovered that the Indian day school is just off the reservation, and it is proposed to remove the school building to the reservation or to erect a new one thereon. By proclamation of the President issued May 7, 1902, the lands of the Fort Hall Reservation, Idaho, ceded by the Indians thereof by agreement concluded Febrnary 5, 1898, ratified by act of June 6,1900 (31 Stats., 672), were opened to public settlement. on June 17, 1902, with the exception of those tracts situated within 5 miles of the town of Pocatello, which, according to section 5 of the act, were to be sold at auction for not less than $10 per acre. These lands were offered for sale by the Commissioner of the General Land O5ce on July 17, 1902. |