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Show 86 COMhCIflSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. As shown in the last amnal report, there were filed for the year ended June 30, 1903, under the act of February 28,1902, maps show-ing 1,124.78 miles of right of way and 2,681.68 acres of additional lands in Oklahoma and Indian Territory, which with the amounts given above make the total filings up to June 30,1904, aggregate 1,430.29 miles of rights of way and 3,469.307 acre8 of additional lands. A number of complaints have been received from occupants of land in the Indian Territory alleging that railroad companies acquiring rights of may under the act of February 28, 1902, are constructin~ their railroads through Indian lands prior to the making of compensa-tion as provided in section 15 of that act. In my last annual report, under the head of "hilroads in Okla-homa and Indian Territory" (pp. 67 to 75), the matter of the operations of railroads in Oklahoma and Indian Territory was gone into with much detail. No improvement has been noted during the past fiscal year, so far as this ofice has been enabled to observe, and the need of some action looking toward the better preservation of the rights of the Indians, particularly in Indian Territory, still exists. I believe the suggestions relative to this subject contained in my last report merit serious consideration. TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAI'H LINES IN INDIAN TERRITORY. . Some d5culty has been experienced in securing settlement of dam-ages and payment of annual charges assessed against telephone and telegraph companies operating in Indian Territory under section 3 of the act of March 3, 1901 (31 Stats., 1050-1083). Many of these companies, on one pretext or another, have failed to make settlement, and notice has been given that nnlesa satisfactory settlement is made such delinquent companies will be required to cease operations. It has been very diaicult to keep track of operations of this character, and frequently information reaches the Ofice, through indirect channels, of the existence of telephonelines of which no former knowledge was had. Numerous short lines are maintained by indi-viduals or associations of individuals for their private and personal uses, and the owners of such lines believe they do not come under the provisions of the act of March 3,1901. Several of the longer lines are being consolidated under a single corporation, most notable of which is the Pioneer Telephone and Telegraph Company. This company has perfected an organization, |