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Show 20 COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. This matter was referred to Inspector Code Mar 14, and he replied June 30 that he considered the general proposition contained in the Director's letter extremely favorable to the Indians, with the follow-ing exception: Within the 180,000 acres, which it is proposed they should slrrender, are embraced two Indian settlements, to wit: Gila Crosaing and Maricopa, and these settlements both have a certain assured water supply even in the nominally dry season. At the former point there are about 1,500 inches of seepage water available from the Gila River, or sufficient to irrieate between 4,000 and 5,000 acres. At the latter point, Maricop., the Indians have, by recent court decisions, been adjudicated sufficient water from Salt River to irrigate about 1,Wacres. He suggested, therefore, that the Indians surrender all of the 180,000 acres except 5,000 acres at Gila Crossing and 1,500 acres at Maricopa, at which points land should be allotted them. He further stated that although it was still his opinion that the auxiliary stean~p lant of 500 horsepower wonld be necessary to gnar-antee the Indians a permanent supply, it might be well, as suggested by the reclamation engineers, that they first install a smaller unit of possibly 150 horsepower, with power house so planned m to admit of increasing the number of units. He also concurred in the final recon~mendation of the Director that he (Inspector Code) be specifi-ally instructed to cooperate in the preparation of plans for such pumping plant and join with any member of the Engineer Corps in recommending detnils. He added that it was his understanding that the necessary outlays arc to be made from reclamation funds, and that the liability of the Pima Indians ceases upon their surrendering to the Government the lands mentioned, also that the water-power plants and the electric trans-mission lines shall be strictly independent and as wholly the property of the Indians as the pumping stations located upon their lands. In its report of July 18, this O5ce fully concurfed in the recom-mendations of Inspector Code, and suggested that the draft of the necessary legislation wonld doubtless be prepared by the Geological Survey and submitted to this Oflice for suggestions. From the foregoing it will be seen that the question of a su5cient water supply for the Pima Indians has been under constant considera-, tion for the last eighteen years. All efforts to better their condition by judicial proceedings have signally failed, except as regards the small number at Maricopa, and none of the plans suggested or experi-ments for developing water have succeeded, except the plan of Inspec-tor Code, to raise water from the underground supply by pumping from wells. Hitherto the cost of operating a plant of suflicient capm-ity to supply an adequate quantity of water has rendered this system impracticable to any great extent. But it is confidently believed t&t if legislation can he secured along the lines suggested by the Geolog- |