Past News Items

Further reduction of Federal responsibilities in Indian affairs and a sharper focusing of attention on major Indian problems were the two basic developments for the Bureau of Indian Affairs during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1954. According to the annual report of Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay released today.

Competitive bidding for oil and gas leases in the rich Williston Basin field, under supervision of the Bureau of Indian Affairs is bringing higher financial returns to Fort Peck Indians than if direct negotiations with the Indians for the lands were permitted, Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay said today.

Two good illustrations of the value of Bureau supervised sales were revealed this week at a competitive sale on the Fort Peck reservation in eastern Montana.

Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay today announced that the Indian Bureau's School of Practical Nursing now located at Lawton, Okla., will be transferred in early February to Albuquerque, N. Mex., where much more extensive training facilities are available.

The Alaska Native Service of the Bureau of Indian Affairs has completed arrangements for hospitalizing 290 Alaska native tuberculosis patients under contract in the Laurel Beach, Riverton and Firlands State Sanatoria at Seattle, Wash., Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay announced today.

Movement of the patients from Anchorage, the Territorial collecting point, by plane to Seattle will begin shortly and will involve about 75 patients during the remainder of the month.

The same number will be moved in November and December and the final group of 65 in January 1955.

Arthur N. Arntson, finance officer for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at Aberdeen, S. Dak,., has been appointed superintendent of the Wind River Agency, Fort Washakie, Wyo., Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay announced today. The transfer is effective July 18. He replaces W. Wendell Palmer who was transferred on June 13 to the superintendency at Klamath Agency, Oreg. Glenn R. Landbloom, previously announced as the new Wind River superintendent, will remain in the Aberdeen area office as assistant area director in charge of resources.

Secretary of the Interior Douglas McKay announced today he had signed two orders adjusting prices received by the Warm Springs Indians for the sale of timber on their reservation.

Under the order the Indians will receive approximate1y $250,000 additional income each year for the timber cut.

The Warm Springs Lumber Company will henceforth pay $26 a thousand board feet as compared to $16 it now pays. The Philip Dahl Company will pay $18 a thousand board feet instead of the $13 it now pays.

Leon V. Langan, assistant to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, was today designated by Commissioner Glenn L, Emmons to act as his representative in putting into effect the recommendations for reorganization recently made by the survey team which studied the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Mr. Langan will begin this assignment immediately.

Acting Secretary of the Interior Clarence A. Davis today announced the appointment of Roley Buck, Wetumka, Oklahoma, to a two-year term as Principal Chief of the Creek Nation, one of Oklahoma's Five Civilized Tribes.

Chief Buck, a full-blood Creek Indian, has long been active in tribal and church affairs. He is the father of seven children, two of whom are now serving in the United States Army. The new chief himself served in the Army along the Mexican border in 1916 and 1917 and with the infantry in France in 1918.

This joint meeting of officials of the Department of Interior's Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Public Health Service of the Department of Health, Educations and Welfare will begin at 9:30 A.M., May 16, at the Shirley-Savoy Hotel. The conference was called for the purpose of advancing the orderly transfer of the Indian Health Program from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to the Public Health Service in accordance with Public Law 568, 83rd Congress. This transfer of responsibility becomes effective July 1, 1955.

Appointment of three new relocation officers to take charge of the Indian Bureau’s field relocation offices in California at San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Jose was announced today by the Department of the Interior.

At San Francisco George M. Felshaw from the Bureau’s area office at Muskogee, Okla., will move in January 13, 1957, replacing H. M. Mathiesen who retires November 30.