OCR Text |
Show COMMISSIONER OB INDIAN AFFAIRS. 61 one and two years, respectively. Business leases may be made for five years. This does not include the lands of the Yakima Reserva-tion, Wash., Wind River, Wyo., or Uintah Reservation, Utah. Dur-ing the fiscal year ended June 30, 1912,7,077 leases were approved. Under the act of May 31, 1900 (31 Stat. L., 221-246), the Indians of Yakima Reservation may lease their allotted lands, when unim-proved, for 10 years. Under the act of April 30,1908 (35 Stat. L., 97), the lands on the Wind River Reservation susceptible of irrigation may be leased for a term not exceeding 20 years. Under the laws of the State of Wyoming the right to use the waters flowing t,hrough this dimin-ished Shoshone Beservation in Wyoming will be adjusted on Decem-ber 31, 1916. There is an area of probably 45,000 acres of irrigable allotted lands on the reservation which, it is believed, the lndians themselves will be unable profitably to utilize, and to which it will be impossible for them to apply water prior to the date on which the water rights will be adjusted. Plans have been formulated lo lease and sell such of the allotments as can not be utilized by the Indians with benefit to themselves. Under the same act of April 30, 1908 (35 Stat. L., 95) the lands on the Uintah Reservation, Utah, susceptible of irrigation may be leased for a period not exceeding 20 years. Able-bodied male Indians are not permitted to lease unless they are engaged in some self-supporting occupation or are cultivating at least 40 acres of their own allotment. Those, such as minors, women, and old people, who are unable to cultivate any part of their land, either through hired help or male relatives, are permitted to lease. There are 98,000 acres of agricultural lands under ditch on this reservation belonging to the Indians, only 12,000 of which are under cultivation, either by the Indians or lessees. Plans are being formu-lated to induce whites to enter into leases for these lands with a view to placing them in cultivation and preserving water rights. The leasing of these surplus lands is important if waste of their resources is to be prevented. Since the last annual report 45 allottees, who have been represented as being competent to manage their own affairs, have been permitted to make the experiment of leasing their allotments without depart-mental supervision. SALE OF INHERITED INDIAN LAND. Under the act of May 27, 1902 (32 Stat. L., 245-275), as modified by subsequent acts of Congress authorizing the sale of inherited In-dian land, 392 tracts, covering 43,652.28. acres, were sold this year for $889,185.02, the average price being $20.30 per acre. |