OPA

Nearly 500 “mixed blood" members of the Ute Indian Tribe of the Uintah and Ouray Reservation in northern Utah have withdrawn from the tribe and are now in the process of setting up their own organization, Commissioner of Indian Affairs Glenn L. Emmons announced today.

The action was taken under Public Law 671 of the 83d Congress which provides for a division of tribal assets between "mixed blood" and "full blood" members and for termination of Federal trusteeship over the property and affairs of the “mixed blood" group by August 27, 1961.

Under the law a tribal member with one half or less Ute blood is automatically classified as a "mixed blood". Members having more than half Ute blood, however, were given the option of affiliating with either group. In the final roll published in the Federal Register on April 5 there were 490 "mixed bloods" and 1,314 "full bloods".

A proposed constitution and bylaws have already been drafted by the "mixed blood" group and approved by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Under the law they will go into effect when ratified by a majority of the adult "mixed blood" members voting in a special election held for that purpose. Superintendent John O. Crow of the Uintah and Ouray Agency at Fort Duchesne has been instructed to make arrangements for holding such an election sometime between May 5 and June 4.

The organization proposed by the "mixed blood" group would be a corporation under Utah law with authority to hold and manage the group's proportionate share of tribal assets and to receive income belonging to "mixed blood" members from assets which are not immediately susceptible to equitable or practicable division.

The “full blood" members, who live chiefly in the extreme northern and southern sections of the reservation, are now putting the final touches on a proposed development program aimed at making the Tribe and its members eventually self-supporting and independent of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The program would include family planning, improvement in resource utilization, health activities, both juvenile and adult education, and recreation.

Secretary of the Interior Walter J. Hickel will bestow the Department’s valor award on eight employees June 30 at ceremonies in Washington, D.C.’s Constitution Hall. The event also will honor 94 Interior employees for distinguished service.

The Department’s gold valor award will go to the following:

Dennis A. Long (to be awarded posthumously), Marquette, Mich., a National Park Service employee, who lost his life August 6, 1969, after saving a young woman from drowning in the rough waters of Lake Superior at Isle Royale National Park, Michigan. The rescue efforts tired Long and he was swept away by strong currents. Long resided at 355 E. Hewitt Ave., Marquette.

Lane J. Bouman, 640 Livingston Ave., Missoula, Mont., a Bureau of Land Management Natural resource specialist, who risked his life to rescue a 10-year old boy from swift-flowing, icy waters of the Blackfoot River, east of Missoula, July 4, 1968.

Roger B. Griffith, Route 2, West Alexander, Pa., who made a perilous night time ascent of Mount Huascaran peak in the Peruvian Andes, August 20-21 1969, in futile efforts to rescue John Hudson, a Brooklyn, N.Y., climber, killed in a 600-foot plunge down a glacier. Griffith, on a vacation from his job as a biologist with the Federal Water Quality Administration Offices in Wheeling, W. Va.. spent a total of 23 hours on the mountain in the rescue attempt.

Leonard J. Schmitt, Jr., 45 S. Dover St., Lakewood, Colo., and Douglas O. McKeever, 3210 N. 29th St., Tacoma, Wash., Geological Survey employees, who braved the threat of exploding fuel from a helicopter in rescuing a fatally injured pilot, Gerlad W. Bills, III. Bills had taken the two survey men to the remote Salmon river breaks primitive area in north-central Idaho July 23, 1968. The helicopter went out of control after Schmitt and McKeever alighted. It flipped over, pinning the pilot. Although the aircraft was afire, Schmitt and McKeever freed Bills and pulled him to safety. Moments later the entire craft was engulfed in flames. Bills died shortly after being rescued.

Eddie B. Robertson, 501 Ottawa St., Graylin , Mich., a Geological Survey employee, who rescued a 7-year-old boy from the flood-swollen Pigeon River at Afton, Mich., July 30, 1969. Robertson was making a stream measurement from a nearby bridge just as a canoe carrying two boys and their father crashed into a tree, throwing them into the torrential stream, Robertson plunged into the river Bod brought the younger boy safely to shore and helped the other boy out of the water at the river’s edge.

Ray Nasetoynewa, a Hopi Indian employee of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Tuba City, Ariz., who manned a bulldozer many hours in the snow-laden Gray Mountain region of Arizona to reach four Navajo children, trapped several days in a hogan. They were without food, and fuel supplies were low. Nasetoynewa Started the hazardous trip the night of December 18, 1967. And reached the snowbound children the following day.

Louis W. Robinson, 1902 Powhatan Rd West Hyattsville. Md., a private in the United States Park Police Force, who risked his life to aid Sgt. Robert L. House holder, Metropolitan Police Department, Washington. D. C. Householder was disabled by a shotgun blast from a man under siege in a Washington residence February 21. 1969. Private Robinson, assisted by Pvt. Lawrence Pasco of the Metropolitan Police, maneuver a patrol wagon between Sergeant Householder and the residence. Using the vehicle and his own body as a shield. Robinson then helped Sergeant Householder to a place of safety. 'The gunman, who had killed two persons, finally took his own life.

The Indian Bureau's adult education program, now getting under way in five tribal areas from Florida to Idaho, will be extended "to meet the broader needs of Indians as funds permit and as the interests of the Indians indicate," Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons indicated today.

Mr. Emmons’ comment was made in response to a resolution adopted February 25, by the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona representing 11 tribal groups of that State. In the resolution the intertribal group urged that the Bureau “be respectfully requested to plan, and the Congress of the United States be respectfully urged to appropriate special funds for the support of, adult education programs for all Arizona tribes."

In a letter of April 12, 1956 addressed to Clarence Wesley, San Carlos Apache president of the Arizona Council, Commissioner Emmons outlined the current status of the adult education program which is under way among the Seminoles of Florida, Rosebud Sioux of South Dakota, Papago of Arizona, Turtle Mountain Chippewa of North Dakota, and Shoshone-Bannock of Idaho.

The full text of the letter follows:

“Dear Mr. Wesley:

“I am pleased to learn from resolution that was passed on February 25, 1956 that the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona is interested in having the Adult Education Program, recently undertaken by the Bureau, extended to all the tribes in Arizona.

"This, as you know, is a new program and at the present time the Bureau is initiating a pilot program at five different agencies, including the Papago in Arizona, to test the techniques that we think should be used in conducting the program, the types of written materials that we think will be most valuable and several other things that we think we should know about before we launch a big program.

"We think that by beginning the program on a small scale we can give special training to the teachers who will work in the program and we can test the materials we have prepared. We also think that this pilot program will give us a better opportunity to learn about the types of training adult Indians want and how best to work with them. We shall have to learn which hours of the day and which days of the week the adults can attend classes, whether teaching should be done in classes, in family groups, or on an individual basis and a lot more. We would not be able to learn these things ahead of time if we were to try to launch a big program immediately. Then, too, funds are not yet available for a big program.

"A representative of this office will probably be in Arizona some time within the next three or four weeks. He will get in touch with you during his visit to tell you more about the program and to answer any question you may have. Perhaps arrangements for him to meet with the Inter-Tribal Council can be made if after talking to him you feel that a meeting would be helpful. In the meantime I want to assure you that as programs are proposed for additional Indian groups the members of the groups will be given an opportunity to assist in the planning of the program. I also want to assure you that the Adult Education Program will be extended to meet the broader needs of Indian groups as funds permit and as the interests of the Indians indicate.

"Thank you for sending me a copy of the resolution passed by the Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona. It is very gratifying to me and the members of my staff to know that you wish the Adult Education Program extended to all the tribes in Arizona.

Appointment of Joseph E. Noyes as Chief, Branch of Realty, Bureau of Indian Affairs, was announced today by Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons.

George W. Mathis, who has been serving as Acting Chief of the Branch since the retirement of Harry M. Critchfield last June, is being named to a new position as chief appraiser of the Bureau,

Mr. Noyes, a native of Washington, D. c., has been for the past five years supervisory real property officer with the Office of the Chief of Engineers, Department of the Army. His earlier experience with the Corps of Engineers included three years as real estate analyst, two as administrative officer, two as administrative assistant, and several months as statistician. Before joining the Corps, he served for eight years in land acquisition work with the United States Forest Service.

He attended Catholic University in Washington and had two years' service with the Marine Corps in the early 1930's.

Competitive bidding for mineral leases (other than oil and gas) on restricted lands belonging to individual Indians will be the rule rather than the exception under new Federal regulations announced today by Acting Secretary of the Interior Clarence A. Davis.

Under the regulations previously in effect, potential lessees frequently negotiated mineral leases with individual. Indian landowners after obtaining permission to do so from the local superintendent of the Indian Bureau. The new regulations require competitive bidding except where the Commissioner of Indian Affairs determines that a negotiated lease would be especially advantageous to the Indian owner.

In recommending the change in regulations, Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons pointed out that “in view of the increased mining activity on Indian lands, the best interests of the Indians will be served by requiring that leases be advertised for bids and that negotiations be the exception."

A new set of grazing regulations for the huge Navajo Indian Reservation of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, providing for greater Indian participation in administration and enforcement, was announced today by Acting Secretary of the Interior Clarence A. Davis.

The regulations, which were endorsed by the Navajo Tribal Council last January 27 and formally approved by Acting Secretary Davis April 25, are the culmination of nearly eight years of consultation and discussion between tribal representatives and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Under their provisions both the Central Grazing Committee of the Tribe and the district grazing committees, composed of Indians democratically selected in each of the Reservation's 16 land management districts, will have a considerable voice in the establishment of individual grazing rights, the issuance and transfer of permits, and similar matters.

Taking in all tribally owned trust land within the Reservation boundaries except Land Management District No, 6 (Hopi), the regulations apply to nearly 14,500,000 acres of range with an established grazing capacity of over 500,000 sheep units. Under the regulations one horse, mule or burro counts as five sheep units; one head of cattle as four; and one goat as one. Stocking of the Navajo range is now approximately at the capacity level.

After careful consideration of a progress report submitted in person recently by T. B. Watters and Eugene G. Favell, management specialists working under Secretarial contract with the Klamath Indian Tribe of Oregon, Assistant Secretary of the Interior Wesley A. D'Ewart today expressed the opinion that amendment of the Klamath Termination Act (Public Law 587 of the 83rd Congress) would be premature at the present time.

"Until the appraisal of Klamath tribal resources is completed and tribal members exercise the option given them by the Act to withdraw from or remain in the Tribe,” Mr. D’Ewart said, "I do not believe it is possible to make an intelligent or well-informed decision on amendment of the statute. Once the appraisal is completed, probably in February 1957, we should be in a much better position than we are today to decide, first, whether any amendments are needed and, secondly, what form the amendments should take if they are required."

Mr. Watters and Mr. Favell, together with their staff forester, Earle C, Wilcox, met with Under Secretary Clarence A. Davis and other officials of the Department and the Indian Bureau for several days beginning May 15. During their visit to Washington they also reported on progress under P. L. 587 to the Senate Interior and Insular Affairs Committee.

Three changes in the Federal regulations governing the leasing of Indian lands for development of minerals other than oil and gas were announced today by Commissioner of Indian Affairs Glenn L. Emmons.

One change, involving the acreage of Indian land which may be leased to any one operator in a single State for development of uranium and associated minerals, removes the previous limitation of 960 acres and permits leasing for such purposes without acreage limitation.

Another modification fixes the annual rental under all mineral leases (except oil and gas) at a flat rate of one dollar per acre per year unless otherwise authorized by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. This represents an increase in rental since the former regulations provided generally for a sliding scale of 25 cents per acre the first year, 50 cents the second and third years, and one dollar thereafter.

The third amendment affects the development expenditures to be required in leases covering coal or uranium and associated minerals. Under the former regulations the minimum required was an amount which, with the annual rental, would add up to $100 for each 160 acres or fraction thereof. The new regulations require development expenditures which, with the annual rental, will amount to not less than $10 for every acre under lease.

Successful bidders for oil and gas leases on Indian lands will be required to deposit 25 percent of the bonus bid and will be given 30 days to complete the lease under new regulations announced today by Commissioner of Indian Affairs Glenn L. Emmons.

The amended rules also require the successful bidder to remit, within the 30-day period, the balance due on the bonus bid, the first year’s rental, and his share of the costs of advertising. In the event of failure to meet these requirements, the deposit will be forfeited."

The chief significance of the amendments, Commissioner Emmons said, is that they will bring uniformity into a field where there has been considerable diversity of practice. Under the former regulations the general but not uniform practice was to require 20 percent of the bonus bid as an initial deposit and to allow 20 days for completion of the lease.

The new regulations also call for a uniform 30-day period of advertising for Indian oil and gas leases unless a shorter period is authorized by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Most advertising in the past has been for 30 days but there have been many local variations in practice.

Percy E. Melis, chief of the Indian Bureau's Branch of Forestry for the past three years, will become area director for the Bureau at Billings, Montana, on June 15, Commissioner Glenn L. Emmons announced today.

George S. Kephart, assistant chief of the Forestry Branch, will succeed Melis as chief.

In his new assignment Mr. Melis replaces John M. Cooper, who retired March 31. He will be responsible for supervising all Bureau activities in Montana and Wyoming. Before becoming forestry chief in 1953, he served for about a year as area forester for the Bureau at Window Rock, Ariz. Prior to that he had 17 years of experience with the United States Forest Service in responsible positions throughout the Western States. He also served for eight years in forestry work with the Indian Bureau in the State of Washington before joining the Forest Service in 1935. Following his graduation in logging engineering from Oregon State College in 1924, he worked three years for the Office of Blister Rust Control at Spokane. He was born at Mist, Oreg., in 1898.

Mr. Kephart, a native of St. Louis, Mo., has been engaged in forestry work for the Indian Bureau since 1934 and held positions at Minneapolis, Minn., Klamath Agency, Oreg., and Spokane, Wash., before coming to the central office in 1944. He is a veteran of World War I and a graduate of Cornell University in forestry. From 1919 to 1934 he held numerous jobs in private business.