Слике страница
PDF
ePub

TRIBAL FUNDS OF FORT BERTHOLD INDIANS

JANUARY 10, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. HOWARD, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. J. Res. 144]

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the joint resolution (H. J. Res. 144) authorizing the use of tribal moneys belonging to the Fort Berthold Indians of North Dakota for certain purposes, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass without amendment.

The purpose of this joint resolution is to authorize the Secretary of the Interior, upon proper vouchers to be approved by him, to pay out of the tribal funds of the Fort Berthold Indians of North Dakota in the Treasury of the United States certain expenses necessarily incurred in the prosecution of the claims of Fort Berthold Indians against the United States pending in the Court of Claims, and also to cover actual expenses incurred by three delegates in coming to Washington on business connected with the claims. The joint resolution was submitted to the Indians in council and, as shown by the following report of the Secretary of the Interior, approved by them. There will also be some expenses incurred in the event the case is appealed to the Supreme Court of the United States as provided by the jurisdictional act.

The Indians are in favor of using some of their tribal funds in the prosecution of their claims to meet actual and necessary expenses and the Secretary of the Interior approves such use as in the interest of said Indians after careful consideration. The joint resolution is favorably reported with recommendation that it be passed.

The favorable report of the Secretary of the Interior reads as follows: DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, January 7, 1930.

Hon. SCOTT LEAVITT,

Chairman Committee on Indian Affairs, House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: In compliance with your request of December 9 for a report on House Joint Resolution 144, I transmit herewith a memorandum

on the subject prepared by the Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs. review of the measure, I agree with Mr. Scattergood.

Very truly yours,

After a

RAY LYMAN WILBUR, Secretary.

Memorandum for the Secretary.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,
Washington, December 23, 1929.

The accompanying letter of December 9, 1929, from Hon. Scott Leavitt, chairman Committee on Indian Affairs, House of Representatives, transmitted for a report a copy of House Joint Resolution 144, being a joint resolution authorizing the use of tribal moneys belonging to the Fort Berthold Indians of North Dakota for certain purposes.

The attorneys for the Indians of the Fort Berthold Reservation have entered into three contracts with these tribes, the last being approved by the department May 6, 1929. In such contracts the attorneys agreed to meet the expenses incidental to the suit, to be reimbursed out of the amount of any judgment recovered. It appears that all the expenses named in the resolution which pertain to the attorneys were fully taken care of in the contract. However, there are certain other expenses which were not mentioned therein, but which are to be met by the appropriation authorized in the present resolution.

The tribal council by resolutions of August 5, 1929, asked that $2,000 be appropriated for the purposes indicated in House Joint Resolution 144. Therefore there appears to be no reason why favorable action should not be taken by Congress on the proposed legislation.

This resolution is identical in purpose with Senate Joint Resolution No. 30, on which memorandum reports were made by this office to the Secretary on June 12 and August 17, 1929.

The Bureau of the Budget reported May 27, 1929, on Senate Joint Resolution No. 30, that the proposed report was not in conflict with the financial program of the President. J. HENRY SCATTERGOOD,

о

Acting Commissioner.

SITE FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL IN LAC DU FLAMBEAU, WIS.

JANUARY 10, 1930.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House and ordered to be printed

Mr. PEAVEY, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the

following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 7964]

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 7964) to authorize the issuance of a fee patent for block 23, within the town of Lac du Flambeau, Wis., in favor of the local public school authorities, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass without amendment.

The Government now maintains in the town of Lac du Flambeau, Wis., a school for Indian children. The building is very old and in poor condition and has been condemned by the Wisconsin State Board of Health. The Department of the Interior has had in mind its discontinuance for several years. The local school authorities have indicated their willingness to construct an up-to-date school building which the Indian children might attend provided a suitable site can be provided. The advantages of such construction to the Federal Government are apparent.

The bill under consideration would authorize use of a tract of 2.06 acres for this purpose. The value of this land is approximately $25 per acre. The bill contains provision that the land shall be forfeited if used for any other purpose than that provided.

In view of the benefit to the Indians and the Government, your committee believes the bill should be enated into law. The favorable report of the Secretary of the Interior, transmitting memorandum of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, is as follows:

Hon. SCOTT Leavitt,

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,
Washington, December 23, 1929.

Chairman Committee on Indian Affairs,

House of Representatives.

MY DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: There is transmitted herewith a memorandum and a draft of a proposed bill prepared by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, which would provide for the issuance of a patent to a certain tract of land in the Lac du

Flambeau Indian Reservation for the purpose of the construction of a school which
will accommodate Indian children of the reservation as well as white children.
After a review of the proposed measure, I agree with Commissioner Rhoads.
Very truly yours,

RAY LYMAN WILBUR, Secretary.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR,

OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,
Washington, December 20, 1929.

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY

This office has for several years past been considering the question of discontinuing the Lac du Flambeau boarding school, and arranging with the local public school authorities to furnish educational facilities for the eligible Lac du Flambeau Indian pupils.

However, the local school authorities have been reluctant to erect a modern building within the Government-owned Indian village of Lac du Flambeau unless they were assured of fee title to block 23, which is delineated on the plat of survey of the town as a "school reserve," embracing 2.06 acres. The superintendent reports that the actual value of the block in question could not be considered as more than $25 per acre. The tract is off the main street, located 200 yards or more from the village proper, consists of a light, sandy soil, is entirely unoccupied and is of but apparent little value either to the Government or the tribe.

The superintendent further reports that the local public school authorities have been willing for several years to erect a modern graded public-school building as soon as legal title could be granted by the Government, and that they propose to build a school large enough to take care of the 100 eligible Indian children who are now attending the Government boarding school.

If this office, upon discontinuance of the Lac du Flambeau Indian boarding school plant, can get the local school authorities to erect a modern building merely by granting them fee title to the block in question without cost to the school board for the land, such action would be advantageous in view of the valuable returns to the Government as well as the Indians by having modern public-school privileges and advantages extended to them without cost, other than payment of tuition by the Government for a few years.

Enactment of legislation such as is contemplated by the attached draft of a bill is therefore respectfully recommended. C. J. RHOADS, Commissioner.

O

EXTENDING TIME FOR HOMESTEAD ENTRIES ON CHEYENNE RIVER AND STANDING ROCK INDIAN RESERVATIONS

JANUARY 10, 1930.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed

Mr. WILLIAMSON, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, submitted the following

REPORT

[To accompany H. R. 4813]

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 4813) extending the period of time for homestead entries on Cheyenne River and Standing Rock Indian Reservations, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it do pass, with the following amendment:

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert:

That the lands within the Cheyenne River and that portion of the Standing Rock Indian Reservations in the States of South Dakota and North Dakota described in the act of May 29, 1908 (35 Stat. 460); and opened to homestead entry on May 2, 1910, which are now or may hereafter become vacant, be restored to homestead entry for a period of five years from and after the 1st day of March, 1930, upon the terms and conditions specified in said act and acts amendatory thereof.

The ceded lands within a portion of the Cheyenne River and the Standing Rock Indian Reservations were opened to homestead entry on May 2, 1910, under authority of the act of May 29, 1908 (35 Stat. 460), which act was later amended by section 4 of the act of March 16, 1910 (36 Stat. 266). This act provided, among other things, that "any lands remaining unsold after said lands have been open to entry for seven years may be sold to the highest bidder for cash without regard to the prescribed price thereof fixed under the provisions of this act."

In accordance with this proviso the remaining undisposed of lands were withdrawn from entry for the purpose of sale on May 27, 1919, with certain specified exceptions. These were offered for sale in the spring of 1920 and a large number of tracts sold. Due to the deflation which occurred shortly following the sale and the collapse of the agricultural industry, which was particularly severe in the region where these lands were located, a considerable proportion of the pur

« ПретходнаНастави »