rly all occupied by white persons who have
driven the Indians from their homes--in some instances with violence.
There is great necessity that some relief should be afforded to them by
legislation of Congress, authorizing the issue of patents to the
allottees or giving them power to sell and convey.

In this way they will be enabled to realize something from the land, and
the occupants can secure titles for their homes.

Apparently in the line of this recommendation, and in an attempt to
remedy the condition of affairs then existing, an act was passed on the
19th day of February, 1873, permitting heads of families and single
persons over 21 years of age who had made settlements and improvements
upon and were _bona fide_ claimants and occupants of the lands for
which the thirty-two certificates of allotments were issued to enter and
purchase at the proper land office such lands so occupied by them, not
exceeding 160 acres, upon paying therefor the appraised value of said
tracts respectively, to be ascertained by three disinterested and
competent appraisers, to be appointed by the Secretary of the Interior,
who should report the value of such lands, exclusive of improvements,
but that no sale should be made under said act for less than $3.75 per
acre.

It was further provided that the entries allowed should be made within
twelve months after the promulgation by the Secretary of the Interior of
regulations to carry said act into effect, and that the money arising
upon such sales should be paid into the Treasury of the United States
in trust for and to be paid to the Indians respectively to whom such
certificates of allotment had been issued, or to their heirs, upon
satisfactory proof of their identity, at any time within five years from
the passage of the act, and that in default of such proof the money
should become a part of the public moneys of the United States.

It was also further provided that any Indian to whom any certificate of
allotment had been issued, and who was then occupying the land allotted
thereby, should be entitled to receive a patent therefor.

Pursuant to this statute these lands were appraised. The lowest value
per acre fixed by the appraisers was $3.75, and the highest was $10,
making the average for the whole $4.90 per acre.

It is reported that only eight pieces, containing 879.76 acres of land
taken from six of these Indian allotments, were sold under this statute
to the sett