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Show 42 COMMISSIONEE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. tion both as to the amount of timber by species and the character of the land in each 40 acres, and will also afford the necessary informa- , tion for a contour map and the future management of the timber operations on a scientific and efficient basis. INHERITANCE CASES. The work of determining heirs of deceased Indian allottees under the provisions of the act of June 25,1910 (36 Stat. L., 855-856), for the fiscal year ended June 30,1916, progressed very satisfactorily, the Indian appropriation act for the year having allowed $80,000 for the employment of examiners of inheritance and necessary clerical help in the field and $20,000 for employment of clerks in this office. During the year about 14,000 cases were received in the office, on which 17,527 letters were written. The estates of 6,140 deceased Indians who held allotments under trust patents, and the estates of 566 deceased Indians holding allotments under restricted fee, or hav-ing only an inheritable interest in trust property, received final con-sideration. Approximately $92,100 was collected, or is due, under the provisions of law requiring that $15 shall be collected to cover the cost of determining the heirs of deceased Indian allottees in each case. In addition thereto 7,637 miscellaneous cases were disposed of. The wills of 132 Indians were approved. During the year the heirship work at the following agencies was brought up to date: Cantonment, OBls. Sac and Fox, Okla. Cheyenne and Arapaho, Okla. Shawnee, Okla. Crow, Mont. Southern Ute, Colo. Otoe, Okfa. Tomah, Wis. Pawnee. Okla. Umatilla, Oreg. Potawatomi, Kana There are now employed in the field 17 examiners of inheritance and 1 clerk authorized to determine heirs of deceased Indian allottees. This force is engaged in conducting hearings on 30 of the reserva-tions, and without doubt will, by the end of the year, very materially reduce the number of undetermined heirship cases. It is intended during the fiscal year 1916 to make special effort to close up all undetermined Indian heirship cases on the public domain, as well as to ascertain the heirs of Indian homesteaders whose prop-erty is still under restrictions. COURT DECISIONS. The following are the most important cases involving Indian affairs decided by the courts during the last year: Ukted States v. Bartlett (g36 U. S., 7g) .-This was a suit to can-eel two deeds of surplus lands allotted to a Creek citizen of three- |