OCR Text |
Show I GOMMISSIONER OX INDIAN AFFA~S. 51 , > A small tract on the Fort Berthold Reservation awaits survey on . . the request of the American Missionary Association. Applications for patents for lands on the Fort Totten, the Winnebago and Western Navajo Reservations are pending. An agreement has been reached . ' , under which the office is preparing for the issuance of a patent to the, Womenk Board of Domestic Missions, Reformed Church in America, for lands on the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska. A QREAT PROBATE COURT. The general public has but a vague idea of the immensity of the work devolving upon the Federal Government in connection with the American Indian. Not only must protection be afforded him in con-nection with his personal rights and privileges, but his immense property rights must be safeguarded. These rights consist of mil-lions of acres of land allotted to the Indians, moneys from land by way of leases for grazing, agriculture, mines, oil, and other purposes, as well as of their lands, timber, live stock, etc., and the earnings of individual Indians from innumerable sources. The work is not per-mitted to stop here, but after the death of the Indians, theifestates must be probated under the act of June 25, 1910 (36 Stat. L., 855, 856), and this work has become one of the most important branches of the Indian Service. During the present year the heirs to thousands of acres of land and millions of dollars' worth of trust property have been determined. Hearings for the purpose of these determinations are conduikd at the different reservations and agencies throughout the entire Indian country by examiners of inheritance who are especially qualified for the work In addition to other qualifications they must be members of the bar admitted to practice law in one of the several States. Hearings are conducted in a legal and judicial manner after first giving notice to all parties interested. During the past year 4,086 estates of deceased Indians were pro-bated, 178 wills approved, 68 disapproved, and 5,014 miscellaneous cases disposed ,of. ROAD CONSTRUCTION. A magnificent bridge has been built over the Little Colorado River near Topock, jointly by the States of Arizona and California, the county of San Bernardino, and this office, for the benefit of the Indians on the Fort Mojave Reservation and the traveling public. The system of roads on the Shoshone Reservation has been carried further toward wmpletion by the expenditure of $25,000. Construction and maintenance of roads on the several reservations by the use of tribal funds and general appropriations have been de-veloped as rapidly as practicable. A good road has been built on the |