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Show 168 REPORT O r THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIBS. lands in place of the lands occupied by 'the Indians under the act of July 1, 1896 (30 Stat. L., 620), which permits the Northern Pacific Company to relinquish, in lieu of other selections, lands which have been LL purchased from the United States or settled upon or claimed in good faith by any qualified settler under color of title or claim of right under any law of the United States or ruling of the Interior Department." The O5ce has therefore recommended to the Depart-ment that this privilege be accorded the company, and that the Indians be awarded the lands embraced in their settlement claims. NEAR BAY XILITARY RESERVATIONS. The question of the jurisdiction of the superintendent in charge of the Neah Bay Agency, in Washington, over the military reserva-tions located within the Makah Indian Reservation-n the east and west sides of Neah Harbos and on Wadah Island-was submitted to the Department in Office letter of February 15,1906, with recommen-dation that the correspondence be referred to the War Department for information as to the status of the military reserves in question. In response the Assistant Secretary of War, in letter of March 9, said : The War Department will interpose no objections to the temporary occupancy by the Indian Bureau of the entire military reservations (three in number) on Neah Bay, but in view of possible future needs, it is not deemed advisable that these reserratlons should be turned over permanently far Indian purposes. The superintendent in charge of the Neah Bay Agency was advised accordingly. The relation of the two jurisdictions is important chiefly on account of the squatter occupancy of certain lands within the military reservations by Indian families who have lived there and cultivated the soil thru two or more generations.. PUYALLUP LANDS. The Indian addition to the city of Tacoma, Wash., embraces 3,600 lots and 22 tracts known as acre tracts or lots. All lots or trwts in this addition to which the Indians have given consent of sale have been sold and deeds executed for a total consideration of $262,653.61. Sales were made for one-third cash and the balance in five equal annual installments. The amount of cash and deferred payments, principal and interest, collected to June 30, 1906, aggregates $222,- 509.56. Reservation was made of 62.12 acres in the Indian addition for school, farm, and garden purposes, and 19.43 acres for church and cemetery purposes. The superintendent in charge of the Puyallup Agency has been instncted to obtain the consent of the Indians, if possible, to the sale of tracts Nos. 2, 4, 5, 20, 21, and 22, covering 21.62 acres, no longer needed for school purposes. This action was taken under authority |