OCR Text |
Show county of Washoe, Nev., to proceed to acquire title to their town site 1 under the provisions of the town-site law. The proceeds of the sale of I the land go to the Indians of the Pyramid Lake Reservation, upon 1 which the town has encroached, and Indians occupying lots in the town have the same right of purchase as have white citizens. Special Agent Frank C. Armstrong reported, June 10, 1901, that a preliminary survey had been made and some proceedings commenced by the town authorities, but that nothing definite had been done. By informal inquiry at the General Land O5ce it was ascertained that the people of that town had still neglected to obtain title to the landsoccn-pied by them, and therefore this office recommended, July 12, 1902, that action be taken to cause the town site to be laid off and completed and the lots appraised and sold under the provisions of the law, in order that the Indians might have the benefit8 arising from the sale of the town-site lots, the whites acquire title, and the Indians obtain title to the lands occupied by them within the town site. As four years i have expired without proper action upon the part of the municipal anthorities of the town of Wadsworth, it is thought, that in view of this fact, the Department has authority under certain provisions of law to take the action above indicated. Further delay will only lead to further trouble and confusion. THE SHEBIT INDIANS IN UTAH. July 2, 1902, this O5ce recommended to the Department that the Department of Justice be requested to instruct the United States district attorney for Utah to protect the Shebit Indians in their water rights on Santa Clara River in the friendly suit to be instituted in the State court to adjust certain water rights in the vicinity of these Indians. The Department of Justice has instructed the United States district attorney to look after the interests of the Indians in these proceedings. WENATCHI INDIANS IN WASHINGTON. Respecting the proposed removal of the Wenatchi Indians to the Colville Reservation, in Washington, referred to in my last two annual reports, attention is invited to the following provision contained in the Indian appropriation act for the current fiscal year (39 Stats., 260): To enable the Secretary of the Interior to remove certain Indian8 now residing in the vicinity of Mision and Wenatchee, in the State of Washington, know as Wen-atchi, to the Colville Indian Reservation, and to properly establish and temporarily maintain them, the sum of twelve thoueand dollars, or so much tbereot as may be necessary, to be immediately available. By letter of June 7,1902, Agent Anderson, of the Colvllle Agency, wax requested to submit his views and plans for ~ o c hre nioval. |