Agreement with the Uintah and White River Ute, 1898

January 8, 1898

Whereas Benjamin F. Barge, Charles G. Hoyt, and James H. McNeeley, being duly appointed and acting commissioners on behalf of the United States for such purposes, have concluded an agreement with the headmen and a majority of the adult males of the Uintah and White River Ute tribes of Indians upon the Uintah Indian Reservation, in the State of Utah, which agreement is as follows:

And whereas the aforesaid commissioners were appointed by the Secretary of the Interior, under and by virtue of an act of Congress approved June the tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six (29 U. S. Stat. L., p. 341 ), entitled "An act making appropriations for current and contingent expenses of the Indian Bureau of the Interior Department and fulfilling treaty stipulations with the various Indian tribes for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-.seven, and for other purposes," and by said act were authorized to negotiate with the Uintah and White River Ute Indians, in the State of Utah, for the cession of part of their surplus lands to the United States. And whereas, under instructions of the Indian Bureau, dated August thirty-first, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, approved by the Secretary of the Interior, this commission was directed to negotiate with the Uintah and White River Utes for relinquishment of lands on their reservation for the allotment of the same in severalty to the Uncompahgre Utes, or such of them as may choose to reside thereon.

And whereas the Indians of the Uintah and White River Ute Reservation are willing to sell part of their surplus lands in the State of Utah, reserved as a home for them by Executive order dated October third, eighteen hundred and sixty-one, as confirmed in effect by an act of Congress approved May fifth, eighteen hundred and sixty-four (13 U. S. Stat., p. 63), and slightly modified by act of Congress approved May twenty-fourth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight (25 U. S. Stat., p. 157), restoring a small portion of said reservation to the public domain;

Now, therefore, this agreement, made and entered into by and between the aforesaid commissioners, on behalf of the United States of America, and by the headmen and male adults of the Uintah and White River Ute tribe of Indians, located on the aforesaid reservation in the State of Utah, witnesseth:

ARTICLE I.

That the aforesaid Uintah and White River Ute Indians hereby consent (in the manner hereinbefore stated) to cede, sell, and relinquish to the United States, for the use of such Uncompahgre Ute Indians as may conclude to remove to the Uintah Ute Reservation, all right, title, and interest which they may have to the lands necessary for such purpose that are not required for the use of the Uintah and White River Utes; the quantities to be determined, and plainly and durably marked by surveys, under direction of the Secretary of the Interior.

ARTICLE II.

The price to be paid to said Uintah and White River Utes by the United States for said lands is to be one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre ($1.25) for agricultural and grazing lands; said moneys to be paid into the Treasury of the United States, to be expended for the benefit" of the Uintah and White River Utes, under direction of the Secretary of the Interior, and to bear interest at the rate of four per centum per annum.

ARTICLE III.

This agreement shall not take effect and be in force until signed by the commissioners and by a majority of the adult male Indians of the Uintah and White River Ute tribes and ratified by the Congress of the United States if, in the opinion of the Secretary of the Interior, such action is necessary.

Signed on the part of the United States Government by the commissioners aforesaid and by the following Indians of the Uintah and White River tribes of Utes.

Benjamin F. Barge, Commissioner.
Charles G. Hoyt, Commissioner.
James H. McNeeley, Commissioner.

UINTAH INDIAN AGENCY,
White Rocks, Utah, January 8, 1898.