report, in its general provisions does not differ greatly from the Choctaw and Chickasaw agreement heretofore discussed.

One of its provisions, however, entails upon the Government the duty of making an effort to enlarge the Seminole Reservation, and is as follows, viz:

It being known that the Seminole Reservation is insufficient for allotments for the use of the Seminole people upon which they, as citizens holding in severalty, may reasonably and adequately maintain their families, the United States. will make effort to purchase from the Creek Nation, at $1.25 per acre, 200,000 acres of land immediately adjoining the eastern boundary of the Seminole Reservation and lying between the North Fork and South Fork of the Canadian River, in trust for and to be conveyed by proper patent by the United States to the Seminole Indians upon said sum of $1.25 per acre being reimbursed to the United States by said Seminole Indians, the same to be allotted as herein provided for lands now owned by the Seminoles.

No provision has been made by law for the opening of negotiations with the Creek Nation for the purpose, but it is thought that the Dawes Commission, now engaged in the exercise of their duties in the Indian Territory, will have the authority under their general powers to make an agreement with the Creek Nation for a cession of a part of their lands on the west, to be added to the Seminole Reservation.

INTRUDERS IN THE INDIAN TERRITORY.

In my last annual report a full statement was given of the status to date of intruders in the Five Civilized Tribes. Since then, although nothing directly has been done in the matter, the entire situation has been changed.

A provision of the Indian appropriation act of July 1, 1898, has an important bearing on the intruder question in that it authorizes appeals in all citizenship cases from the courts in the Indian Territory direct to the Supreme Court of the United States. Under this provision, as before remarked, the vexed question of citizenship, which more than anything else has complicated the intruder question, will be finally determined by the courts. Moreover, the extensive and radical modifications of tribal government and ownership in the Five Civilized Tribes, caused by the Curtis Act, as set forth above, will probably so dispose of the intruder question as to obviate the necessity for any removal of intruders being made.

SALE OF PEORIA AND MIAMI LANDS, INDIAN TERRITORY.

The Indian appropriation act approved June 7, 1897 (30 Stats. p. 72), provides

That the adult allottees of land in the Peoria and Miami Reservation in the Quapaw Agency, Indian Territory, who have each received allotments of two hundred acres or more may sell one hundred acres thereof, under such rules and regulations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe.

The prescribed rules were adopted July 10, 1897, and the first approval of such conveyances was made October 5, 1897. There have been approved by the Department up to August 5, 1898, thirty-two conveyances of land by the Peoria Indians, amounting to 2,684.57 acres, at a valuation of $27,653.90, an average of $10.30 per acre, and sixteen conveyances by the Miami Indians, amounting to 1,411.05 acres, at a valuation of $12,505, an average of $8.86 per acre, making in the aggregate a sale of 4,095.62 acres of land for $40,108.90, an average of $9.79 per

acre.

TITLE TO LAND PURCHASED BY THE SAC AND FOX INDIANS IN IOWA.

Since 1857 the Sac and Fox Indians have purchased at various times with their own funds sundry tracts of land in Iowa, trust deeds for which were made, some in the name of the governor of the State and some in the name of the Indian agent; a few deeds were made in trust for certain named Indians which were undoubtedly intended for the tribe.

In settling the status of these Indians the question of jurisdiction over their lands has arisen, and, in order to secure a just recognition of their rights, the legislature of the State of Iowa, in January, 1896, ceded to the Federal Government jurisdiction over the Iowa Indians and their lands. The United States Indian agent for the Sac and Fox Agency, Iowa, and the governor of the State of Iowa, were thereby authorized to transfer by deed of conveyance, for the use and benefit of said Indians, the legal title held by them in trust, respectively, and the trusteeship of the lands of the Sac and Fox Indians of Tama County, Iowa, to the Secretary of the Interior and his successors in office.

By the Indian appropriation act approved June 10, 1896 (29 Stats., p. 331), the United States "accepts and assumes jurisdiction over the Sac and Fox Indians of Tama County, in the State of Iowa, and of their lands in said State, as tendered to the United States by the act of the legislature of said State, passed on the 16th day of January, 1896, subject to the limitations therein contained."

The records of this office showed that the following sixteen tracts of land were held by these Indians, viz:

1. Deed, dated November 13, 1876, from Lewis Carmichael to the governor of Iowa, in trust for the use and benefit of the Sac and Fox Indians of Iowa, the E. of the SW. of sec. 29, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., except the right of way of railroad and Tama Hydraulic Company; also the west 24 acres of the NW. of the NW. of sec. 32, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., Iowa, containing in all 144 acres, more or less; consideration, $2,600.

2. Deed, dated November 11, 1876, from Andrew Jackson and Catherine, his wife, to the governor of Iowa, in trust, etc., the SE. of the SW. of sec. 30, T. 83 N., R. 15 W.; consideration, $800.

6059- -6

3. Deed, dated November 14, 1876, from David Toland and Nancy, his wife, to the governor of Iowa, in trust, etc., the following-described land, viz: Commencing at the center of sec. 31, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., thence N. on quarter-section line 39.91 chains to the NW. corner of the NE. of said sec.; thence E. 14 chains to the south bank of the Iowa River; thence S. 12° 40′ E. along said bank 4.50 chains; thence S. 53° 40′ E. along said bank 3 chains; thence S. 73° 40' E. along said bank 3 chains; thence N. 81° 40' E. along said bank 5 chains; thence E. along said bank 3.23 chains; thence S., parallel with the west line of said quarter section, 34.10 chains to a point 50 links south of the quartersection line; thence W. 25.53 chains; thence N. 50 links to the quarter-section line; thence W. 2.84 chains to place of beginning; except 5 acres at the SW. corner of said NE. 4 and 5 acres of timber in the north part of said quarter section, sold to Allen Davidson; also excepting 4 acres in the northeast corner, 8 rods wide east and west and 80 rods long north and south; also 2.75 acres in the southeast corner of said described land; containing in all 89 acres, more or less; consideration, $2,500.

4. Deed, dated April 2, 1883, from John D. Wright and Hannah A., his wife, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust for the Fox or Mesquawkee tribe of Indians, of Tama County, Iowa, the SE. sec. 25, T. 83 N., R. 16 W., viz., containing 160 acres of land, being the same land conveyed to said Wright by Theodore Schwab and wife, and recorded in Book 6, pages 189 and 190; consideration, $4,000.

5. Deed, dated March 21, 1883, from Philip Butler and Emma, his wife, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust, as above, all that part of the NW. and W. of the NE. of sec. 30, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., which lies south of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, exclusive of 11.25 acres owned by the Tama Water Power Company, containing 181.7 acres of land, more or less; consideration, $3,101.94.

6. Deed, dated December 4, 1882, from Wesley Croskrey and Sarah, his wife, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust, as above, the east 56 acres of the N. of the NW. (except 4.23 acres off the north side for railroad); and the east 30 acres of the west 60 acres of the S. of the NW. (except 2.73 acres lying south of the north bank of the Iowa River); and the west 10 acres of the S. of the NE. 4, and the east 20 acres of the S. of the NW. 4; also, commencing at the southeast corner of the west 10 acres of the S. of NE. of sec. 32, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., thence S. 6 chains, thence S. 67° 30′ W. 5.88 chains to north bank of the Iowa River, thence N. 62° 45′ W. along said bank 19.20 chains to the quarter-section line, thence east on said quarter-section line 22.41 chains, to place of beginning, the last-described tract containing 10.96 acres, and in all 120 acres, all lying in sec. 32, T. 83 N., R. 15 W.; consideration, $3,000.

7. Deed, dated May 23, 1883, from Mary A. Gallagher, widow of William Gallagher, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust, as above, the undivided one-third of the NW. of the NW. of sec. 29, T. 83 N., R. 15 W.; consideration, $166.67. 8. Deed, dated May 23, 1883, from Mary A. Gallagher, as guardian of Anna Cora and William S. Minor, heirs of William Gallagher, in virtue of authority vested in her by the circuit court of Tama County, Iowa, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust, as above, the undivided two-thirds of the NW. 1 of the NW. 1 of sec. 29, T. 83 N., R. 15 W.; consideration, $333.33. This deed was approved by the said court May 26, 1883, and ordered of record in probate records No. 2, page 216.

9. Deed, dated February 19, 1883, from J. A. Berger and Minerva, his wife, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust, as above, the SW. 1 of the SW. of sec. 20, T. 83 N., R. 15 W.; consideration, $500.

10. Deed, dated February 22, 1883, from James Burge and Ellen S., his wife, to Buren R. Sherman, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust, as above, the SW. of the NE. 4 of the NE. 4, the W. of the SE. of the NE. of the NE. 1, the W. of the NW. 4 of the NE. of the NE. 4, and 4 acres off the E. of the NE. 4 of the NE. 1, commencing 24 rods south of the northeast corner, thence west 40 rods, thence south 16 rods, thence east 40 rods, thence north 16 rods to the place of beginning, all in sec. 30, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., containing 24 acres; consideration, $600.

11. Deed, dated June 15, 1892, from John Fife and Anna J., his wife, to Horace Boies, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust for the Sac and Fox Indians in Iowa, the SE. † of sec. 31, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., except the west 2.84 chains thereof, also except the north 50 links of the west 113 rods thereof, together with the east 39.25 acres south of the Iowa River, of the E. of the NE. of sec. 31, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., containing 187 acres of land, more or less; consideration, $10,285. Recorded in Book 100, page 111, recorder's office, Tama County, Iowa.

12. Deed, dated July 21, 1892, from H. J. Stiger and Carrie E., his wife, to Horace Boies, governor of Iowa, and his successors in office, in trust for the Sac and Fox Indians in Iowa, the W. of the SW. 4, the NE. of the SW. 4 of sec. 4, the S. of the SE. of sec. 5, the N. of the NE. of sec. 8, all in T. 82 N., R. 15 W., containing 280 acres; consideration, $9,800. This deed is recorded in Book 100, page 154, recorder's office, Tama County, Iowa.

13. Deed, dated July 21, 1892, from same vendors to same vendees in trust, etc., the following lands: E. of the SE. 4 of the NE. † of sec. 8, T. 82 R. 15; E. of the NE. 4 of the SE. 4 of sec. 8, T. 82, R. 15; the NW. and the NW. 4 of the SW. 4 of sec. 9, T. 82, R. 15, purporting to convey 240 acres; consideration, $7,680. This deed is recorded in Book 100, page 153, recorder's office, Tama County, Iowa.

14. Deed, dated October 12, 1892, from John N. Adams and Lucy R., his wife, to same grantee, in trust, etc., the SE. of the NW. 4, the S. of the east 28 acres of the SW. of the NW. 4, and the NE. 4 of the SW. 4, and the N. of the SE. 1 of the SW. 1, all in sec. 19, T. 83 N., R. 15 W., containing 124 acres; consideration, $3,503. This deed is recorded in Book 100, page 380.

15. Deed, dated October 12, 1892, from Daniel S. Hinegardner and Mary J., his wife, to the same vendee in trust, etc., the SE. 1, except 6 acres railroad and 4 acres south of the Iowa River, in sec. 24, T. 83 N., R. 16 W., and the south 6 acres of the west 12 acres of the SW. of the NW. 4, and the S. of the SE. † of the SW. 4, and commencing at the SW. corner of the SE. 4 of sec. 19; thence north on quarter-section line 7.10 chains, S. 69° 30′ E., 6.31 chains S. 50° 10′ E., 6.78 chains to south line of said section; thence west 11.31 chains to beginning, containing 4 acres; and all that part of the NW. of the NE. and the N. of the NW. of sèc. 30, that lies north of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, except 5 acres in the northeast corner thereof, commencing at the NE. corner of the NW. 4 of the NE. 4 of said sec. 30; thence west 20 rods, south 40 rods, east 20 rods, north 40 rods to beginning, containing 27.5 acres; all in T. 83 N., R. 15 W., and containing in all 197.625 acres of land; consideration $5,928.75. This deed is recorded in Book 101, pages 256, 257.

16. Deed, dated October 21, 1892, from Sarah C. Connell, Mary C. Forker and Allison, her husband, William M. Connell and Addie L,, his wife, William C. Walters and Mary H., his wife, to the same vendee in trust, etc., the NE. of the SW.; the south 5.75 acres of the W. of the SE. 4 of the SE. ; the west 3 acres of the north 14.25 acres of the W. of the SE. of the SE. 4; the SW. 4 of the SE. ; the S. of the SW. of sec. 13, and the NW. and the NE. and all of the SW. that lies north of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway, containing 124 acres, all of [in] section 24; all of the above land being in T. 83 N., R. 16 W., and containing in all 612.75 acres; consideration $20,067. This deed is recorded in Book 101, page 254.

By reference to the annual reports of this office for the year 1867, page 347, and 1884, page 100, it appeared that tracts of land other than the 2,480.075 acres contained in the above enumerated sixteen tracts had been purchased, owned, and claimed by these Indians, and it was important that this office should have a record of all deeds conveying land to them. The United States Indian agent, Horace M. Rebok, was instructed, July 18, 1896, to have an examination made to date of the deed records for Tama County, Iowa, from and including the year 1857, which appeared to have been the earliest land purchase made by these Indians.

After making a preliminary examination of the records, Agent Rebok reported, July 25, 1896, a record of about thirty additional deeds conveying seventeen tracts of land belonging to these Indians, a certified