Yankton Agency, S. Dak.-Twenty-eight farming and grazing leases. The terms are from one to three years. The consideration is 10 cents per acre per annum. Forty-six grazing leases are pending before the Department; 183 leases have been executed upon which no action has been taken.

Improvements on leased lands.-At a majority of the agencies some of the leases provide for the erection of certain improvements on the premises leased, such as fences, barns, etc., and for the breaking of new land. July 16 last, the Department suggested to this office that future leases of Indian allotments should provide for some specific improvements, such as clearing the land, the breaking of new land, the erection of fences, barns, and other necessary permanent improvements, the character and value of which should be specifically stated in the lease, with a provision for keeping the same in first-class condition and repair. The Department regarded these substantial benefits as much more essential to the interests of the allottee, and for the future good and value of his property, than the temporary or present good an all money payment for rent would do him.

Instructions to that effect have been sent to all agencies where allotted lands are being leased.

Since the above-mentioned date farming and grazing leases for threeyear periods that have no provision therein for placing some substantial improvements on the lands or for breaking new lands, but are for a money consideration only, have been approved for the term of only two years. Grazing leases that are for a money consideration only have been approved for only one year, regardless of the term for which they were drawn.

UNALLOTTED OR TRIBAL LANDS.

Since the date of the last annual report the following leases of tribal lands have been approved:

Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache Reservation, Okla.-Ten grazing leases and one mining permit (for red sandstone only, at 75 cents per cord), described as follows:

TABLE 20.-Leases on Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache reservations.

John W. Light, for red sandstone only, at 75 cents per cord mined....

Wichita Reservation, Okla.-Twenty-one grazing leases, each for the term of three years from April 1, 1900, described as follows:

Omaha and Winnebago Reservations, Nebr.-Ten farming and grazing leases on the Omaha Reservation and sixty-eight on the Winnebago Reservation, each for the period of one year from March 1, 1900, described as follows:

Osage Reservation, Okla.-Forty farming and grazing leases, each for the period of one year (except lease of L. Appleby, for two years) from April 1, 1900, described as follows:

Crow Reservation, Mont.-One grazing lease, for the period of five years from July 1, 1900, as follows: Samuel H. Hardin, 371,000 acres, annual rent $7,420.

Shoshoni Reservation, Wyo.-Two grazing leases, for the period of four and one-half years from October 1, 1899, as follows: James Dickie, 283,000 acres, annual rent $5,660; John E. Landis, 100,000 acres, annual rent $2,000.

Uinta and White River Ute Reservation, Utah.-Three grazing leases, for the period of five years from April 1, 1900, as follows: Charles S. Carter, 280,000 acres, annual rent $7,000; James W. Clyde, 320,000 acres, annual rent $8,275; Murdock & Clyde, 100,000 acres, annual rent $3,205.

Ponca Reservation, Okla.-Eight farming and grazing leases, each for the period of three years from April 1, 1900, described as follows:

San Carlos Reservation, Ariz.-Four grazing permits, each for the period of one year from April 1, 1900, described as follows:

TABLE 25.-Leases on San Carlos Reservation.

TELEPHONE LINES ACROSS RESERVATIONS.

By act of Congress of June 6, 1900 (31 Stats., 658, and p. —of this report), the Seneca Telephone Company was authorized and empowered to construct and maintain telephone lines from Seneca, in the State of Missouri, to the Quapaw Agency, and to Wyandotte, Grand River, Fairland, Oseuma, Afton, and Vinita, in the Indian Territory, subject. to the rules and regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Interior, and to be approved by him, provided that cities and towns into or through which such telephone lines may be constructed shall have the power to regulate the manner of construction therein, and the company shall be subject to such municipal and Territorial taxation as may be provided for by law.

RAILROADS ACROSS RESERVATIONS.

In the last annual report (page 63) the office spoke of the importance of the general right-of-way act approved March 2, 1899, which grants right of way for the construction of a railway, telegraph, and telephone line through any Indian reservation, or through lands held by any Indian tribes or nations in the Indian Territory, or through any lands reserved for an Indian agency, or for other purposes in connection with the Indian service, to any railroad company duly organized under the laws of the United States or of any State or Territory which shall comply with the provisions of the act and with such rules and regulations as may be prescribed thereunder (30 Stats., 990). The act provides that the right of way shall not exceed 50 feet in width on each side of the central line of the road, except where there may be heavy cuts and fills, in which case it shall not exceed 100 feet, and that companies may also acquire station grounds adjacent to the right of way not exceeding 100 feet in width by a length of 200 feet. Under the provisions of this general act and subject to the regulations of the Department of April 18, 1899, authority has been granted, since the date of the last annual report, for railroad companies to locate and survey lines of road through Indian lands, as follows:

Arkansas and Oklahoma Railroad Company.-December 21, 1899, the Department accepted the proofs and papers in the application of the

above-named company and tacitly granted authority for it to locate and survey a line of road through a portion of the Cherokee Nation, commencing at the Missouri State line near Southwest City, Mo., in sec. 27, T. 25 N., R. 25 E., in the Cherokee Nation, and extending thence in a general westerly direction to and across Grand River, in sec. 24, T. 25 N., R. 25 E., a distance of 14.87 miles. The map of definite location of said line of route was also approved by the Department on the same date.

January 13, 1900, the Department designated Special United States Indian Agent Samuel L. Taggart, to make the appraisement of damages for right of way of said company through the Cherokee Nation, as shown by the company's approved map of definite location; and also to assess and determine the compensation that should be paid to the individual members of the Cherokee tribe for right of way through their personal holdings. April 21, 1900, the Department approved the assessment of tribal damages for right of way of the road through the Cherokee Nation as made by Special Agent Taggart, and also approved the assessment of damages in behalf of eight of the individual occupants with whom amicable settlement had been effected. May 9, 1900, the Department authorized the collection of a draft for $919.54, the amount assessed as tribal damages. May 28, the Department accepted and approved receipts of twenty-four individual occupants showing settlement by the company for right of way through their lands.

May 29, 1900, the Department appointed Dew M. Wisdom, Robert B. Ross, and W. G. Nelms, a commission to assess damages for right of way through the lands of individual occupants with whom amicable settlement could not be effected under the negotiations by Special Agent Taggart. July 24, 1900, the board of referees submitted their report and findings in behalf of the Indian occupants. This report was submitted to the Department September 7, and September 10 the office was authorized to notify the parties in interest of their rights in the matter of appealing from the award and findings of the board of referees. The office was also authorized to collect the several amounts awarded and to pay the same to the allottees rightly entitled thereto in case an appeal was not taken. This notice was given to the interested parties on September 14.

Arkansas Western Railroad Company.-January 19, 1900, the Department tacitly granted authority for the above-named company to locate and survey a line of road from a point on the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad near Heavener, Choctaw Nation, extending thence eastwardly to the west line of Arkansas, a distance of 9.848 miles. On the same date the Department approved the map of definite location of the company's line of road.

January 27, 1900, the Department designated Special Agent Samuel