No. 161
Department of the Interior,
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T., October 20, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: We have the honor to submit herewith the following statement of the work of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes for the month of September 1903:
Cherokee Allotment Division
During the month of September 514 tickets of admission to the Cherokee land office were issued, 96 of which were issued to full-blood Cherokees, making a total of 11,700 tickets issued to the close of the month.
There were also issued 352 citizenship certificates, embracing the names of 808 persons, and 161 reservation certificates, embracing 249 persons.
Applications for 1,473 allotments were received during the month. Of this number 1,277 were made by persons who had not previously appeared at the land office, while the remainder were made l)y persons who had theretofore selected a portion of their allotments. Of the number of allotments made 1,013 were approved, the approval of 460 being withheld for the following reasons: 272 because the enrollment of the applicants had not been finally approved by the Secretary of the Interior; 51 because the land applied for had already been allotted, and 137 for miscellaneous causes.
The land allotted during the month of September aggregates 97,265.94 acres, valued at $313,064.27.
There have been prepared during the month 2,000 allotment and 2,000 homestead certificates, which have been executed by the Commission and mailed to the allottees.
Allotment Contest Division
The progress of the work in the allotment-contest division during the month of September and the condition of contested allotment cases at the close of the month are shown by the following detailed statement:
Cherokee Nation, total 525
The condition of the 458 Cherokee cases pending before the Commission on September 30, 1903, was as follows:
Total 458
Respectfully submitted.
Tams Bixby, Chairman.
T. B. Needles, Commissioner.
C. R. BRECKINRIDGE, Commissioner.
W. K. Stanley, Commissioner.
(Through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.)
No. 162
Department of the Interior,
Office of Indian Affairs,
Washington, November 19, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith report of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, of the 9th instant, giving a statement of the work of the Commission for the month of October 1903.
In this connection permit me to say that there are now pending in this Office citizenship cases as follows:
| Mississippi Choctaw | 89 |
| Choctaw | 28 |
| Chickasaws | 8 |
| Cherokee | 51 |
| Creek | 17 |
| Creek Freedmen | 3 |
| Cherokee Freedmen | 71 |
There are three land contests pending in the Office.
Very respectfully,
W. A. JONES, Commissioner
No. 163
Department of the Interior,
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T., November 9, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: We have the honor to submit herewith the following statement of the work of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes for the month of October, 1903.
Cherokee Allotment Division
During the month of October 161 tickets of admission to the Cherokee land office were issued, 22 of which were issued to full-blood Indians, making a total of 11,861 tickets issued to October 31, 1903.
In accordance with departmental instructions of October 5, the Cherokee land office was closed to the public on October 7, and so remains.
Seventy-eight citizenship certificates, embracing 164 persons, and 37 reservation certificates, embracing 59 persons, were issued during the month.
Applications for 276 allotments and homesteads were made during the month, in which were embraced the original applications of 246 persons, the remainder being the applications of persons who appeared to complete their original selections. Of the number of applications received 188 were approved, the approval of 98 being withheld for various causes. The lands allotted during the month of October aggregate 20,884.36 acres, valued at 662,288.98.
Since the close of the office to the public the employees have been constantly at work upon certificates of allotment and homestead certificates, and have completed the writing and verification of certificates for all allotments made since the opening of the office. The homestead and allotment certificates are written up preparatory to their issuance whenever such action may be authorized, and the office has made considerable progress in classifying and checking up the data relating to segregated Delaware land preparatory to such steps with reference thereto as may be necessary in as prompt compliance as possible with departmental instructions.
Allotment Context Division
The progress of the work in the allotment contest division during the month of October, and the condition of contested allotment cases at the close of the month, as indicated by the records of that division, are shown by the following detailed statement:
Cherokee Nation
| Contests instituted prior to October 1 | 521 | |
| Complaints received during October | 46 | |
| Complaints returned for correction during October | 7 | |
| Contests instituted during October | 39 | |
| Total number of contests instituted to October 31 | 560 | |
| Contests disposed of prior to October 1 | 63 | |
| Contests disposed of during October | 00 | |
| Contests pending before Commission October 31 | 496 | |
| Contests pending on appeal October 31 | 1 | |
| Total | 560 | |
The condition of the 496 Cherokee cases pending before the Commission on October 31 was as follows:
| Under advisement | 42 |
| Awaiting further action of parties | 11 |
| Under advisement on motion | 5 |
| Awaiting final determination of citizenship | 175 |
| Involved in Delaware segregation | 10 |
| Awaiting issuance of notice and summons | 253 |
| Total | 496 |
The case pending on appeal on October 31 was waiting for time to expire for filing reply to appeal.
By reason of Department telegram of October 2, 1903, directing the Commission not to receive or act upon applications for allotments of land in the Cherokee Nation until further directed, all work in Cherokee allotment contest cases was suspended on October 7, 1903.
Respectfully submitted.
TAMS BIXBY, Chairman.
T. B. NEEDLES, Commissioner.
C. K. BRECKINRIDGE, Commissioner.
(Through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.)
No. 164
Department of the Interior,
Washington, November 30, 1903.
The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt of your report dated November 9, 1903, giving a statement of the work of your Commission for the month of October 1903. Enclosed is a copy of letter of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, dated November 19, 1903, transmitting said report.
Respectfully,
THOS. RYAN, Acting Secretary
No. 165
Department of the Interior,
Office of Indian Affairs,
Washington, November 19, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith report of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, of its work for the month of August 1903, which had been delayed in preparation until the present time.
Very respectfully,
W. A. JONES, Commissioner
No. 166
Department of the Interior,
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T., November 10, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Dear Sir: We have the honor to submit herewith the following statement of the work of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes for the month of August, 1903.
Cherokee Allotment Division
During the month of August, 1903, 816 tickets of admission to the Cherokee land office were issued, 145 being issued to full bloods. This makes a total of 11,186 tickets issued since the opening of the Cherokee land office.
Applications of all kinds by 1,688 persons for allotments and homesteads were received during the month. This number includes the original applications of 1,329 persons, the remainder being the applications of persons who had previously selected a portion of their allotments and returned to complete their selections. Of the number of applications for allotments made, 1,059 were approved by the Commission, the approval of 529 being undetermined claims or withheld for various causes.
The total acreage of the land allotted at the Cherokee land office during the month is 106,651.54 acres and the valuation thereof $352,865.24.
During the month 1,500 allotment and 1,500 homestead certificates have been written and verified.
Allotment Contest Division
The progress of the work in the allotment contest division during the month of August, and the condition of allotment contest cases at the close of the month, as indicated by the records of that division, are shown by the following statement:
Cherokee Nation:
| Contests instituted prior to August 1 | 291 | |
| Complaints received during August | 75 | |
| Complaints returned during August | 10 | |
| Contests instituted during August | 65 | |
| Total number of contests instituted up to and including August 31 | 356 | |
| Contests disposed of prior to August 1 | 5 | |
| Contests disposed of during August | 37 | |
| Contests pending before the Commission August 31 | 314 | |
| Total | 356 | |
The condition of the 314 Cherokee contest cases pending before the Commission on August 31 was as follows:
| Set for trial | 40 |
| Under advisement | 43 |
| Awaiting further action of parties | 9 |
| Awaiting final determination of citizenship | 100 |
| Involved in Delaware segregation | 9 |
| Awaiting issuance of notice and summons | 113 |
| Total | 314 |
Respectfully submitted.
TAMS BIXBY, Chairman.
T. B. NEEDLES, Commissioner.
C. R. BRECKENRIDGE, Commissioner.
(Through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.)
No. 167
Department of the Interior,
Washington, November 23, 1903.
The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes.
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt of your report dated November 10, 1903, giving a statement of the work of your Commission for the month of August, 1903.
Enclosed is a copy of letter of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, dated November 19, 1903, transmitting said report.
Respectfully,
THOS. RYAN, Acting Secretary.
No. 168
Department of the Interior,
Office of Indian Affairs,
Washington, December 22, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: I have the honor to forward a report of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, dated the 14th instant, giving details relative to the work of the Commission during the month of November, 1903.
There are now pending in this office the following citizenship cases:
| Mississippi Choctaw | 135 |
| Choctaw by blood | 9 |
| Cherokee by blood | 37 |
| Cherokee Freedmen | 44 |
| Creeks by blood | 18 |
| Creek Freedmen | 3 |
Very respectfully,
W. A. JONES, Commissioner
No. 169
Department op the Interior,
Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes,
Muscogee, Ind. T., December 14, 1903.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: We have the honor to transmit herewith the following statement of the work of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes for the month of November 1903.
Cherokee Allotment Division
During the month of November 39 tickets of admission to the Cherokee land office were issued, 6 of which were issued to full-blood Indians, making a total of 11,881 tickets issued to November 30, 1903.
All proceedings looking to the allotment of land in the Cherokee Nation having been suspended, under instructions from the Interior Department of October 6, 1903, no applications for allotment were received during this month.
The total area of land in the Cherokee Nation heretofore applied for has been computed, and is found to be 1,055,892.07 acres, valued at $3,573,369.37, and in addition to this work the employees of this division have continued at work accumulating and classifying data in anticipation of such plan as may be adopted relative to the correction of what is at present known as the Delaware segregation.
Two special field parties were sent out from this office to complete the platting of improvements upon land in the neighborhood of Bartlesville and Vinita, both thickly settled communities. These parties were in the field about two weeks and located and platted improvements on 31 sections in several townships near Vinita, 61 full and 12 fractional sections in several townships near Bartlesville, and 9 sections in different localities elsewhere. This completes the platting of improvements for all that part of the Cherokee Nation in which it has been deemed desirable to do such work.
Allotment Contest Division
The progress of the work in the allotment contest division during the month of November, and the condition of allotment contest cases at the close of the month, indicated by the records of that division, are shown in the following detailed statement:
Cherokee Nation
No work in connection with allotment contests was accomplished during the month of November, this work having been suspended in accordance with departmental telegram of October 2, 1903, referred to in the report for October. The employees in that division were, however, constantly employed upon enrollment work. The following statement regarding Cherokee allotment contests is therefore practically the same as that contained in the report for October.
| Contests instituted prior to November 1 | 560 |
| Contests instituted during November | 00 |
| Total number of contests instituted up to and including November 30 | 560 |
| Contests disposed of prior to November 1 | 63 |
| Contests disposed of during November | 0 |
| Contests pending before the Commission November 30 | 496 |
| Contests pending on appeal on November 30 | 1 |
| Total | 560 |
The condition of the 490 Cherokee cases pending before the Commission on November 30 was as follows:
| Under advisement | 42 |
| Awaiting further action of parties | 11 |
| Under advisement on motion | 5 |
| Awaiting final determination of citizenship | 175 |
| Involved in Delaware segregation | 10 |
| Awaiting issuance of notice and summons | 253 |
| Total | 496 |
The case pending on appeal on November 30 was waiting for time to expire for filing reply to appeal.
Respectfully submitted.
TAMS BIXBY, Chairman.
T. B. NEEDLES, Commissioner
C. R. BRECKINRIDGE, Commissioner
(Through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.)
No. 170
Department of the Interior,
Washington, December 29, 1903.
The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Muskogee, Ind. T.
Gentlemen: The Department is in receipt of your report dated December 14, 1903, giving a statement of the work of your Commission for the months of November, 1903. Enclosed is a copy of the letter of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, dated December 22, 1903, transmitting said report.
Respectfully,
THOS. RYAN, Acting Secretary
No. 171
Department of the Interior,
Office of Indian Affairs,
Washington, January 12, 1904.
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: Referring to previous correspondence concerning the Delaware segregation, I have the honor to transmit herewith a report from the chairman of the Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes, dated January 8, 1904, transmitting a report of the Commission, dated December 31 last, relative to this subject. The Commission’s report is in triplicate, as are also the different schedules. One copy of the Commission’s report has heretofore been furnished the Department informally. The report and schedules, together with all of the previous correspondence relating to this subject, have been carefully considered, and I can not recommend the approval of the schedules. Said report and schedules are therefore transmitted for such action as the Department may be pleased to take in the premises. One copy of the Commission’s report of December 31. 1903, has been retained by the office. All of the other papers received with the chairman’s report of January 6, except the copy of the Commission’s report informally furnished the Department, are enclosed herewith.
Very respectfully,
W. A. Jones, Commissioner.
No. 172
Department of the Interior,
The Commission to the Five Civilized Tribes
Muskogee, Ind. T., January 6, 1903 (4)
The Secretary of the Interior
Sir: There is transmitted herewith a report and recommendation, as called for in Departmental letter of October 6, 1903, in regard to the Delaware segregation, together with the exhibits referred to in the report.
There is also transmitted an extra copy of the report and exhibits for the use of Mr. Boneparte in case the Department deems it desirable to furnish him with such copies, he having made inquiries when here as to this particular matter.
Respectfully,
TAMS BIXBY, Chairman.
(Through the Commissioner of Indian Affairs.)