4. PINE RIDGE AGENCY Hon. JAMES E. MURRAY, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, D. C. OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, Pine Ridge, S. Dak., June 6, 1958. MY DEAR SENATOR MURRAY: Reference is made to your letter dated April 17, 1958, relative to the questionnaire and associated information requested for use by the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. We are herewith submitting answers to the questionnaire as it relates to the Pine Ridge Reservation which are included in the following: Part I. Volume of transactions involving Indian lands and relative information and including tribal resolutions numbers 458, 471, and 57-28A. Part II. Information concerning key tracts. Part III. Extent to which the Oglala Sioux Tribe has assumed responsibility in real estate activities. Exhibit 1. Table showing acquisitions and disposals of Indian trust lands on the Pine Ridge Reservation for the 10-year period 1948 through 1957. Exhibit 2. Table enumerating Federal lands on the Pine Ridge Reservation since 1930 showing number of tracts, authorities, dates of acquisition, purpose of acquisition, and current use. Exhibit 3. History of tribal land employment during the last 10 years. Exhibit 4. The effects of old-age assistance on the Indians' desire to sell their lands. With reference to exhibit 1 concerning acquisition and disposal of Indian trust lands for the 10-year period 1948 through 1957, we believe the following additional table should be presented for the current year: Summary of trust land acreage within the Pine Ridge Reservation becoming nonrestricted or taxable during the period May 1, 1957, to 154 April 30, 1958, as reported to the Department of Revenue, State of QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE DISPOSITION AND ACQUISITION OF INDIAN LANDS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS PART I 1. How many acres were there in tribal ownership on July 1, 1947? How many acres in trust? How many acres which the trible had acquired in fee? Tribal ownership....... In trust.. Acquired in fee by tribe---- Acres 250, 987 250, 987 None 2. How many acres of trust or restricted land were there in individual Indian ownership as of July 1, 1947? Trust or restricted land in individual Indian ownership as of July 1, 1947: 1,548,319 acres. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Refer to exhibit 1 of this report for answers from item 3 through item 10. 11. How many acres were there in tribal ownership on Decomber 31, 1957? How many acres held by the United States in trust? How many acres which the tribe had acquired in fee? Tribal ownership In trust. Acquired in fee by tribe--- 1 This acreage is approximate. Acres 1 327, 790 including undivided ownership interests. 30451-58--12 12. How many acres of trust or restricted land were there in individual Indian ownership on December 31, 1957? Trust or restricted land in individual Indian ownership on December 31, 1957: 1,307,482 acres. 13. Cite and discuss briefly any special acts of Congress which have affected the acquisition and disposal of Indian lands (termination acts, private acts directing the issuance of patents in fee, etc.). What study is being made of the cause and effect of sales? Has the tribal council passed or considered any resolution on this subject? Please elaborate and include any resolutions approved. There have not been any special acts for the Pine Ridge Reservation as of the date of this report which would affect the acquisition and disposal of Indian lands. We have initiated a study concerning the cause and effect of sales which has not been completed. Initial significant findings which are not as yet conclusive indicate that much of the individual allotted interests are in the hands of the older generations. These older people are more interested in making use of the land sale proceeds while they are alive rather than to have the benefits pass on to their heirs. We further find that in a large number of instances funds derived from land sales have been and are being utilized for consumer goods such as for food, clothes, and secondhand automobiles. Only a small proportion of land-sale funds are being used for permanent betterment such as building new homes, purchasing more suitable lands, or in the establishment of an enterprise which might result in a livelihood or a better living standard. The tribal council has passed several resolutions on this subject. Three resolutions which appear to have a direct bearing on tribal policy and plans are as follows, which are attached: No. 458, resolution to adopt the land-purchase program, adopted April 16, 1947. No. 471, plan of operations of the Oglala Sioux Tribe leasing service enterprise, adopted June 20, 1947. No. 57-28A, resolution of the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council to declare a moratorium in the sale of trust Indian land upon the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation to nonmembers, adopted April 14, 1957. The Oglala Sioux Tribal Council, as an organized body, has in the past 10 years adopted an official policy opposing land sales. However, individual members of the tribal council have been among the first to file applications and to press action for the sale of their individual allotments and interests. Action of the council has enabled the tribe to acquire trust allotments to the limit of funds available and to effect land exchanges whereby the individual members of the tribe could obtain tracts which they could profitably utilize. In turn the tribe has been able to accomplish a consolidation of its land interests although there is still much to be done to effect further consolidation of its holdings. The council is aware that approximately one-half of Bennett County comprising the southern portion has been alienated. Alienation has progressed since 1918 to such an extent in this particular county that an estimated two-thirds of the land has been removed from trust status. The council is also cognizant that an estimated one-fourth of Washabaugh County, the northeastern portion of the reservation, is now under nontrust ownership. This would approximate one-half of the entire acreage within Washabaugh County is composed of timber reserves and badlands, which are in tribal ownership and not salable. Approximately nine-tenths of the lands in Shannon County, the stronghold of trust interests, is still not alienated. Practically all the alienated land lies in the extreme southeastern portion of the county from Wounded Knee east to the Shannon-Bennett County line. An estimated one-half of this vicinity is still in trust but it must be realized that, even though the alienated acreage is small, this southeastern portion is considered the most valuable from a land standpoint. It is composed of farmland, subirrigated meadowlands, and excellent grazing land. 14. Discuss to what extent, if any, the heirship, or multiple ownership problem has affected the acquisition and disposal of Indian lands, with particular reference to the following facets of the problem: (a) Undivided interest owned by the tribe; (b) Undivided interest owned by non-Indians and alien Indians; (c) Undivided interest owned by minors on reservations which are under the Indian Reorganization Act. (d) Difficulty of reaching agreement among all heirs as to use or disposal of lands; (e) What use has been made of the Secretary's authority to sell heirship lands when the owners have died intestate and have left minor or incompetent heirs? To what extent has the tribe been encouraged or permitted to buy such lands? (a) The Oglala Sioux Tribe owns an undivided interest in 85 individual allotments on the Pine Ridge Reservation ranging from onetwelfth to three-fourths interests. Tribal plans provide for the purchase or exchange, when practicable, of the remaining interests. The lack of available funds and the fact that many of the heirs to these interests are scattered throughout the Nation has made it difficult to complete this program. Only two of these cases were completed in 1957 due to this. (b) An estimated 40 non-Indians hold interests in around 100 Indian allotments. These cases result in some difficulty as far as administering trust lands is concerned, since the non-Indian interests are alienated and cannot be administered by the Bureau. Only the trust interests can be sold under Bureau supervision. Approximately 1,200 alien Indians own undivided interests on the reservation in possibly 2,000 allotments. The majority are members of the Rosebud Sioux. The remaining alien Indians with such interests are scattered over the Dakotas and the Midwest reservations. As far as can be ascertained most of these Indians desire to dispose of their interests and use the proceeds of the land sales ostensibly to establish themselves on their own reservations or wherever they might be residing. (c) The interests of minor children are quite extensive. There are an estimated 800 minors owning land interests on the reservation, most of which are small undivided interests ranging from one-sixteenth down to one one-hundredth. Under this condition it is difficult to |