While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Department of the Interior,
Washington, November 29, 1902.
Mr. Walter S. Logan,
27 William Street, New York, N. Y.
Sir: Referring to your letter of October 2,
1902, having relation to the suit of the
Delaware Indians now pending in the Court of
Claims, you are informed that the Department
is in receipt of a report from the Dawes
Commission, dated October 20, 1902, in the
matter. A copy of said report is enclosed
herewith, together with a copy of the report
of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.
The Department concurs in the views
expressed by the Commission, as also does
the Commissioner.
Department of the Interior,
Washington, November 29, 1902.
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T.
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt of
your report, dated October 20, 1902, in
regard to a communication from Mr. Walter S.
Logan, concerning the suit of the Delaware
Indians against the Cherokee Nation, now
pending in the Court of Claims.
The Department concurs in the views
expressed by your Commission, and has
advised Mr. Logan to that effect. The
Commissioner of Indian Affairs also
concurred.
Department of the Interior,
Washington, November 29, 1902.
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Sir: Referring to your communication of the
22d instant, there is enclosed here-with
departmental letter of even date to be
forwarded to the Dawes Commission, advising
it of the receipt of its report in the
matter of the letter of Walter S. Logan,
which had reference to the suit of the
Delaware Indians, now pending in the Court
of Claims.
Department of the Interior, Office of
Indian Affairs,
Washington, October 17, 1902.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: There is enclosed herewith the monthly
report of the Commission to the Five
Civilized Tribes for September, 1902. Said
report is dated October 9, and seems to set
forth fully the duties performed by the
Commission during the month.
It is stated in the report that on September
25, 1902, an order was promulgated to the
effect that on January 1, 1903, an office
for the allotment of lands of the Cherokee
Nation would be established at Vinita, Ind.
T.; that said office would be maintained at
that point until April 30, 1903, when it
would be removed to Tahlequah and opened for
allotment on May 4, 1903, and maintained
indefinitely.
It is respectfully recommended that the
Commission's report be approved.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
Department of the Interior,
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T., October 9, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: We have the honor to respectfully
submit herewith the following statement of
the work performed under the direction of
the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
during the month of September 1902:
On September 25, 1902, an order was
promulgated to the effect that on January 1,
1903, an office for the allotment of lands
of the Cherokee Nation would be established
at Vinita, Ind. T., said office to be
maintained there until April 30, 1903, and
then removed to Tahlequah, Ind. T., where it
would be opened May 4, 1903, and maintained
indefinitely.
Respectfully Submitted
TAMS BIXBY, Acting Chairman.
T. B. Needles, Commissioner.
C. R. Breckinridge, Commissioner.
(Through the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs.)
Department of the Interior,
Washington, October 20, 1902
The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T.
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt
of your monthly report for the month of
September, 1902, dated October 9, 1902,
which was forwarded by the Commissioner of
Indian Affairs on October 17, 1902, and
recommending that the same be approved.
The Department notices that in said report
it is stated that there were pending before
the Secretary of the Interior on September
30, 1902, five allotment contest cases. You
are informed that the Department has now
three allotment contest cases consolidated
under the title of Nancy Taborn v. George
Jones et al., and that action upon said
decisions is delayed for want of report from
your Commission relative to the citizenship
of said Nancy Taborn which has been
heretofore called for. Early action is
requested thereon.
The Department concurs in the recommendation
of the Commissioner and said report is
approved. A copy of his letter is enclosed.
Department of the Interior,
Office of Indian Affairs,
Washington, February 25, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith a
statement of the Commission to the Five
Civilized Tribes, setting forth the work
performed by it during the month of January,
1903.
It will be noted that the Commission in this
statement gives the present status of the
land offices, which are to be opened in the
Choctaw, Chickasaw, and Cherokee nations,
about which the Department has heretofore
made inquiry. The Commission say relative to
the opening of land offices in the Choctaw
and Chickasaw nations that, while final
action has not been taken relative thereto,
it is probable that it will be in a position
to establish such offices not later than
April 1, 1903, and preparation is being made
accordingly.
Relative to the allotment of Cherokee lands
the Commission say that the Cherokee land
office was established at Bonita (Vinita),
Ind. T., January 1, 1903, but owing to the
large number of persons who applied for
tickets of admission it was deemed advisable
to allow no one to make application for an
allotment or designate his homestead until
January 5, 1903, and that on said date the
office was opened for that purpose.
In connection with the above report I have
the honor to state that there remain in this
office unadjudicated the following
citizenship cases.
Very respectfully,
A. C. TONNER, Acting Commissioner
Department ok the Interior,
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Muscogee, Ind. T., February 13, 1903
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: We have the honor to respectfully
submit herewith the following statement of
the work of the Commission to the Five
Civilized Tribes for the month of January,
1903:
Cherokee Allotment
Division
The Cherokee and office was established
at Vinita, Ind. T., January 1, 1903, but
owing to the large number of persons who
applied for tickets of admission it was
deemed advisable to allow no one to make
application for an allotment or designate
his homestead until January 5. On said date
the office was opened for that purpose.
The total number of tickets issued during
the month was 4,128. Of this number 1,029
have been called, but only 442 have
answered, 587 having for some reason failed
to respond.
During the month of January applications for
1,298 selections of allotments and the
designation of homesteads were made. Of this
number, 807 were approved. The approval of
35 was withheld because the land applied for
had already been allotted; 432 because the
enrollment of the applicants had not been
finally approved; 18 because the land
applied for was embraced in the 157,600
acres of land which the Commission caused to
be segregated for the Delaware Indians
pending the determination of the suit
instituted in the Court of Claims by the
Delaware against the Cherokee Nation, and 6
because the land applied for included
improvements belonging to the Cherokee
Orphan Asylum on Grand River, which had not
been paid for by the allottee as provided in
section 71 of the Cherokee agreement.
During the month just past many difficult
and perplexing problems have arisen relative
to the allotment of land and the designation
of homesteads, and this, in addition to the
fact that the majority of the office force
had little or no previous experience in land
office work, necessarily measurably retarded
the allotment of lands. Certain
modifications in the plan of receiving
applications have been decided upon which
will make possible more rapid progress in
the future without decreasing the efficiency
of the work.
Respectfully submitted.
TAMS BIXBY, Acting Chairman.
T. B. NEEDLES, Commissioner.
C. R. BRECKINRIDGE, Commissioner.
(Through the Commissioner of Indian
Affairs.)
Department of the Interior,
Washington, March 2, 1903.
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee Ind. T.
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt of
your monthly report, dated February 13,
1903, forwarded by the Acting Commissioner
of Indian affairs on February 25, same year,
and due notice has been taken of the
statements made therein.
Department of the Interior,
Office of Indian Affairs,
Washington, March 27, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: I have the honor to forward
herewith-monthly report of the Commission to
the Five Civilized Tribes for the month of
February 1903, the report being dated March
7, 1903.
In this connection permit me to say that
there are now pending in this office the
following citizenship cases:
Mississippi
Choctaw
91
Choctaws by
blood
108
Chickasaws
2
Cherokees
65
Creek
1
Very respectfully,
A. C. TONNER, Acting Commissioner
