OCR Text |
Show ROADS AND BRIDGES Appropriations for road and bridge work on the reservations were available as follows : WADS I Hoopa Valley (reimbursable) ........................................ $8,000 Red Lake 1 f u n d s 9,000 Mescalero (reimbursable)---.-----.--------------------------------- 12,000 Wind River (reimbursable) 10,000 .I Coebiti and San Juan Pueblos (reimbursable) ....................... $82,000 Contracts have been let for the Cockti and San Juan Bridges, after readvertisin on the basis of bidders' own designs, with a resultant saving o f $22,500 as mmpared with the original bids based on designs prepared by the State highway department. Under decisions of the Comptroller General interpreting a provi-sion of the Federal highway act, the entire cost of that portion of any public highwa across tribal and trust-patent allotted Indian land may be paid Irom the State's apportionment of funds appro-priated by the act if the State will agree thereto and if the road is part of the State's approved 7 per cent system. This has given a great impetus to the construction of public roads on Indian reserva-tions, a total of 433.94 miles having been built, at an aggregate expenditure of $3,592,245. OIL ,AND GAS Due to the depressed condition of the oil industry generally, caused by overproduction, the low price of crude oil, and unsettled market conditions, leasing activities on Indian reservations were below normal during the greater part of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1925. However, the present outlook indicates that the oil indus-try will be more active during the coming year, due primarily to the unparalleled consumption of gasolise and the greatly increased de-mand for other petroleum products, which will naturally increase f the price of crude oil and thus create a greater incentive for its pro-duction. While the production from Indian leases was almost as great as last year, the number of acres leased and the amount of revenue received were considerably less. The falling off !n the amount of revenue received was largely due to a decrease m the amount of bonus received from the sale of Osage leases. Notwithstanding these adverse conditions, a very favorable showing was made, as is evidenced by the fact that 146,147 acres were leased for oil and gas mining purposes. The gross oil production for the year was a Indians from existing leases approximated $16,939,697. , proximately 48,188,278 barrels and the revenue received by t Ee- In the Osage Reservation alone there were at the end of the year , 475,769 acres under lease for oil-mining purposes, on which there were 9,357 producing wells, with a total oil mduction of 33,662,179 barrels for the year, from which the Osage fndians received a reve-nue of $12,141,620. Under the jurisdiction of the Superintendent for the Five Civilized Tribes there were 806,173 acres under lease, upon which there were 7,047 producing wells, with a total oil production |