probable use of Government funds to assist the school district in constructing buildings and in supporting the schools. I wish also to refer again to my suggestions under agriculture, particularly with regard to continued reimbursable appropriations for starting Indians in the cattle business on the Fort Mohave Reservation and for an appropriation of an additional $25,000 of Indian moneys, proceeds of labor, Colorado River Indians, town site, $25,000 having already been provided and is revolving. Collections under this, however, are not sufficient to properly take care of the needs of these Indians. I wish to recommend that appropriations for roads within this reservation be continued; that either the appropriation be larger or that such appropriations as are made be more regular. We are urgently in need of more quarters, a new office, and a heating system. This was covered under the section on buildings in this report. In order to maintain a satisfactory personnel in such an isolated place as this is, one way is to keep them properly housed. We need a new office, as this one is inaccessible, as previously shown, and is needed for quarters. We need the heating system for comfort for our children and for economic heat and to get away from the fire hazard in the dormitories. We recommended that serious consideration be given by Congress and the departments interested in the establishment of an experimental farm within the Colorado River Reservation. The time is close at hand when this reservation will be turned into one of the larger irrigation projects in the Southwest. We already have, as has been shown in this report, 7,000 acres under cultivation and irrigation. There is not an experimental farm nearer than approximately 200 miles from this place. For purposes of securing information, seeds, plants, and benefits of demonstrations these farms are as remote from us as New York is from Washington, D. C. There is no getting around the fact that this tract of land is going to be developed. We might just as well concede this. We probably must also concede that the country in general does not need this land developed for production of ordinary staples. If we concede that it is going to be developed and we concede that we already have enough staple products in the United States, then it seems to be fitting and proper that we attempt to direct the agricultural pursuits here to new and noncompeitive crops. There is a wide field for his line of agricultural and horticultural work, and we have many reasons to believe that our soil and climate are adapted to such crops. It remains to be demonstrated, and it appears to me to be timely to undertake this demonstration. Attempts have been made on this project in irrigation since 1867. The project began to be successful by 1912. We have now reached the place that every irrigated project reaches. Our project is water-logged, and alkali has risen to the surface to such an extent that a considerable acreage has already been abandoned. We have officially transferred 104 Indian allotments on account of this water-logging and the resulting alkaline condition. This condition will eventually spread over the entire project, and there is only one means of correcting it. That is drainage. The quicker this can be started the less expensive it will be to actually reclaim the land and the less people we will have bankrupt. As conditions are now, we get an Indian started on his farm, load him up with a reimbursable debt for equipment, buildings, etc., and in a few years the land begins to be unproductive by reason of water-logging and alkali. He hangs on a few years during this condition, reluctant to move, and becomes a pauper. There is nothing eventually for him to do but to quit and get a job by the day somewhere, or start all over. This is a calamity, and nothing short of that. There should be a law compelling drainage to be completed simultaneously with the irrigation system. There is not an irrigated project in the United States, to my knowledge, that has not gone through this period, and it seems high time that this condition was being corrected here. I shall not attempt, in this narrative, to make recommendations for the benefit of these reservations under the irrigation systems contemplated. There is much room in this for study. I merely call it to your attention here as being a large proposition. It can be handled, in my opinion, so as to be an asset to our country in general. I presume it could be handled so as to be a liability, as some reclamation projects have proved to be. It needs careful thought. Respectfully submitted. C. H. GENSLER, Superintendent. C. H. GENSLER was thereupon called as a witness, and, after being first duly sworn, testified as follows: Senator THOMAS. Any other material you would like to especially present to the committee? Mr. GENSLER. No. Senator THOMAS. Your Indians are getting along as well as they are at other places? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir. Senator THOMAS. Are your children in school? Mr. GENSLER. They are in school. Senator FRAZIER. Have you hospitals for the sick? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir. Senator FRAZIER. How about your health conditions? Mr. GENSLER. Well, we have our problems. We have all the diseases known to the Indians in this territory. There are no special epidemics. Senator THOMAS. How many Indians have you under your jurisdiction? Mr. GENSLER. One thousand one hundred and forty-eight on April 1. Senator THOMAS. How much property do those Indians have? Mr. GENSLER. We have 270,000 acres of land, approximately; I forget just the correct acreage. It is in here. Senator THOMAS. Good land or poor land? Mr. GENSLER. The best land in Arizona or in anybody else's State. Senator THOMAS. All of it? Mr. GENSLER. Probably 130,000 acres. Senator THOMAS. Irrigated land? Mr. GENSLER. Seven thousand acres irrigated now. The balance is under the Boulder project and will be developed. Senator THOMAS. So that the possibilities are unlimited, with very good conditions existing at the present time. Is that correct? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir. Senator FRAZIER. Are they farming their own land? Mr. GENSLER. About half of the families are and the other half reside in Needles and do not take to farming. Senator FRAZIER. Those that reside at Needles are working at the railroad shops and on the railroad? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir; some of them draw more money than I do. Senator FRAZIER. They do not want to come back to the reservation? Mr. GENSLER. Well, they have never been on a reservation. Senator FRAZIER. Were they not given a little land there at Needles so that they could build their own homes? Mr. GENSLER. No, sir; that was up before Congress but was turned down. Senator FRAZIER. The bill was not passed? Mr. GENSLER. No. Senator HAYDEN. I think that is one thing that ought to be attended to. There ought to be a tract of land bought there in Needles. Mr. GENSLER. Either a tract of land there, if they are going to stay there, and they apparently want to, or develop the Fort Mojave Reservation. We are staking them right along to cattle on that reservation but that won't support the tribe. Senator FRAZIER. How many families live at Needles? Mr. GENSLER. Oh, yes; we always do. Senator THOMAS. Every year? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir; to some old indigent Indians. Senator THOMAS. To how many Indians do you issued rations? Mr. GENSLER. Ordinarily about 40 or 45 Indians. Senator THOMAS. Has the Red Cross been called upon to furnish any of the Indians help this last winter? Mr. GENSLER. No. Senator THOMAS. You have handled it yourself? Mr. GENSLER. I have handled it entirely. Mr. GRORUD. Have you discussed the land problem in your statement? Mr. GENSLER. Well, I discussed that Needles problem and merely call attention to the Boulder project. Mr. GRORUD. How about the additional land that you seek? Did you discuss that? Mr. GENSLER. Yes; I have covered that. Mr. SCATTERGOOD. Is that consolidation of the areas for grazing purposes working out satisfactorily? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir; that is working out satisfactorily. We are building a fence up there and everybody is satisfied. Mr. SCATTERGOOD. The Indians are all satisfied? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir; the Indians are satisfied. I wrote you possibly four weeks ago that they had still turned that down, but we got rid of an agitator and the boys started in all right. Senator FRAZIER. An Indian agitator? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir; we have a man connected up with the Riverside Senator FRAZIER. You mean with that federation? Mr. GENSLER. Yes, sir; he has been connected with them. He is a good fellow part of the time. Senator FRAZIER. Have you had any trouble with this federation? Mr. GENSLER. No; only this one Indian. Once in a while he is all right. He is a good fellow when he is on the right track. Senator FRAZIER. Well, get him on the right track, then. (Witness excused.) X Annexation, request of Yuma Indians for additional lands------ 8034-8035 Irrigation and water development, statement showing amounts ex- 7970 Lands for Indians, statement showing amounts expended for. 7969 7972 7954 Arizona Pharmical Association, bulletin of__ 8112 Arizona State Board of Health, Stroud, Dr. R. G., statement, re_. 8160 Phoenix Indian School__ Yuma and Cocopah Indians, re- Brown, C. B., county agriculture agent. Brown, John B.- Duties as superintendent_. Recalled. 26465-32-PT 17—61 Boarding Schools (see also Off reservation schools): San Carlos Apache School.. Yuma Boarding School--- Boise Cattle Co., lessee, San Carlos Apache Reservation__ Bootlegging: Cosby, M. P., testimony, re- 8058 8512 7978 8522 8649, 8686 8386 8040 8695 8080 8104-8109, 8219 8337 7988 Brosius, S. M., memorandum, re Walapai Tribe re railroad grant_. 8822 8472 8058 8883 8225,8185 1 |