Executive Order: Malheur Reserve

Executive Order: Malheur Reserve

Malheur Reserve

March 8, 1871

Hon. E. S. Parker
Commissioner Indian Affairs
Washington

I would respectfully ask that the President withdraw for eighteen months all that portion of the country in the State of Oregon, situated between the forty-second and forty-fourth parallels of latitude, and from one hundred and seventeen to one hundred and twenty degrees of longitude, excepting so much as may have been or may be granted for military or wagon-road purposes, with a view of selecting an Indian reservation, on which to consolidate Indians east of the Cascade Mountains in said State, excepting those who may select lands in severalty from the reservation or reservations on which they are now located, and the President instructs me to proceed at the earliest practical time to select such reservation.

A. B. Meacham,
Superintendent Indian Affairs, Oregon


March 10, 1871

Department of the Interior
Office of Indian Affairs
Washington, D. C.

Sir: I have the honor to report that I am in receipt of a letter bearing date the 8th instant, from A. B. Meacham, eso., superintendent of Indian affairs in the State of Oregon, asking that the portion of that State lying between the forty-second and forty-fourth parallels of north latitude and the one hundred and seventeenth and the one hundred and twentieth degrees of west longitude (excepting so much thereof as may have been or may hereafter be granted for military or wagon-road purposes) be withdrawn from market as public lands, for the space of eighteen months, with a view to the selection of a reservation upon which to collect all the Indians in that State east of the Cascade Mountains, except those who may select lands in severalty upon the reservation on which they are now located.

The suggestion of Superintendent Meacham is concurred in, and I respectfully recommend that the President be requested to issue an Executive order withdrawing the tract of country described from market as public lands, for the period and purpose above indicated, and that this office be authorized to instruct the superintendent to proceed to select such reservation without unnecessary delay. 

A copy of Superintendent Meacham's letter is herewith transmitted, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. R. Clum, Acting Commissioner


March 14, 1871

Hon. C. Delano
Secretary of the Interior
Department of the Interior

The recommendation of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs contained in his accompanying report has my approval, and it is respectfully submitted to the President with the request that he direct the temporary withdrawal from market of the lands in Oregon as therein designated, with the exceptions stated, for the purpose of establishing a reservation for the Indians in that State. 

C. Delano, Secretary


March 14, 1871

Executive Mansion

I hereby direct the withdrawal of the lands referred to from market as public lands for the period of time and for the purpose indicated, as recommended by the Secretary of the Interior. 

U. S. Grant


September 4, 1872

Office of Indian Affairs
Washington

SIR: I have the honor to inclose herewith a report, dated the 22d ultimo (and accompanying map), received from T. B. Odeneal, esq., superintendent Indian affairs for Oregon, reciting the action taken by him relative to the establishment of a proposed reservation on the headwaters of Malheur River, in that State, for the Snake or Piute Indians, under instructions contained in letter to him from this office, dated the 6th of July last.

Superintendent Odeneal defines the boundaries of the tract of country selected by him for the proposed reservation as follows:

"Beginning at the mouth of the North Fork of the Malheur River; thence up said North Fork, including the waters thereof, to Castle Rock; thence in a northwesterly direction to Strawberry Butte; thence to Soda Spring, on the Canyon City and Camp Harney road; thence down Silvies River to Malheur Lake; thence east to the South Fork of the Malheur River; thence down said South Fork, including the waters thereof, to the place of beginning (to be known as Malheur Reservation), including all lands within said boundaries, excepting so much thereof as may have been granted for military or wagon-road purposes."

I respectfully recommend that the tract of country embraced within the foregoing limits be set apart and reserved as an Indian reservation, and that the President be requested to issue an Executive order accordingly.

It is also requested that the papers inclosed be returned to this office.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

F. A. Walker, Commissioner


September 7, 1872

The Hon. Secretary of the Interior
Department of the Interior
Washington, D. C.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a communication, dated the 4th instant, from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, inclosing a report (with map) of T. B. Odeneal, superintendent of Indian affairs for Oregon, and recommending that a reservation on the headwaters of the Malheur River, in the State of Oregon, the boundaries of which are set forth in the Commissioner's letter, be established for the Snake or Piute Indians.

The recommendation of the Commissioner meets with the approval of this Department, and I respectfully request that the President direct the same to be carried into effect.

I have the honor to be, your obedient servant,

W. H. Smith, Acting Secretary


September 12, 1872

Executive Mansion

Let the lands which are fully described in the accompanying letter of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs be set apart as a reservation for the Snake or Piute Indians, as recommended in the letter of the Secretary of the Interior of this date.

U. S. Grant


May 15, 1875

Executive Mansion

It is hereby ordered that the tract of country in Oregon embraced within the following-described boundaries, viz: Commencing at a point on the Malheur River where the range line between ranges 39 and 40 east of the Willamette meridian intersects the same; thence north, on said range line, to a point due east of Strawberry Butte; thence west to Strawberry Butte; thence southeastwardly to Castle Rock; thence to the west bank of the North Fork of the Malheur River; thence down and with the said west bank to the Malheur River; thence along and with the Malheur River to the place of beginning, be, and the same hereby is, withdrawn from sale or settlement, except such lands within said boundaries as have passed or may pass to The Dalles Military Road Company, under act of Congress approved February 27, 1867 (vol. 14, p. 409), and to the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Military Road Company, under act of Congress approved July 5, 1866 (vol. 14, p. 89), and the same set apart as an addition to the Malheur Indian Reservation, set apart by Executive order of September 12, 1872.

U. S. Grant


January 28, 1876

Executive Mansion

It is hereby ordered that the tract of country in Oregon lying within the following-described boundaries, viz: Beginning at a point on the right bank of the Malheur River where the range line between ranges 38 and 39 east of the Willamette meridian intersects the same; thence north on said range line to a point due east of the summit of Castle Rock; thence due west to the summit of Castle Rock; thence in a northwesterly direction to Strawberry Butte; thence to Soda Spring, on the Canyon City and Camp Harney road; thence down Silvies Creek to Malheur Lake; thence due east to the right bank of the South Fork of Malheur River; thence down said right bank of the South Fork to the Malheur River; thence down the right bank of the Malheur River to the place of beginning, except such lands within these limits as have passed or may pass to The Dalles Military Road on the north, and the Willamette Valley and Cascade Mountain Military Road on the south, be, and the same is hereby, withdrawn from sale and set apart for the use and occupancy of the Paiute and Snake Indians, to be known as the Malheur Indian Reservation; and that portion of country set apart by Executive order of May 15, 1875, not embraced in the limits of the above-described tract of country, is hereby restored to the public domain.

U. S. Grant