OCR Text |
Show W. B. Hill, superintendent of irrigation, has been instructed tn male surveys of ditches in use and of those necessary to be wn-structed on the Shoshone Reservation so as to give water to each allottee if possible and in order to apply for permit to appropriate waters under the laws of Wyoming. He was advised that in the beginning only such construction should be made as might be neces-sary to mnintain priority of water rights and that my system of irrigation planned should be within the diminished reservation. In revising and completing allotments to the Indians on that reservation it is the policy of the Office to make new allotments within the diminished reservation, .and to encourage Indians who have received allotments north of Big Wind River to relinquish them and agree to take other lands in lieu thereof within their diminished reservation. Superintendent Hill was directed to make maps of the lands irrigated r~nd of those susceptible of irrigation, showing the length of the ditches, the amount of irrigable land covered thereby, the allotments already made and the proposed allotments, and any other informa-tion required under the statutes of Wyoming, and, on making the necessary preliminary surveys and the preparation of the maps cov-ering the proposed system of irrigation, to apply to the State officials for a permit to make appropriation of the waters necessary. On March 4, 1905, he telegraphed this Office as follows: Water flling mailed to-day for 80,000 acres under Big Wind and Little Wind rlvers. Probably 20,000 acres more can be secured npper Big Wind River. Two weeks required to complete further. April 26, 1905, he reported that it was his intention to complele filings or applications for the appropriation of water for the remain-der of the.lands in the diminished Shoshone or Wind River Reserva-tion, and that on so doing a report of the Shoshone survey, together with maps and estimates, would be forwarded to the Office for approval. They were forwarded on August 30. As application has been made to secure water rightsfor the Indian allottees of this reservation and the work of construction of 'the irrigation ditches is in progress, good results may soon be expected. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, FRANCIES. L EUPP,C o m i s s i o ~ r . The SECBETO~F YTH F, INTERIOR. |