FEBRUARY 1958
KLAMATH TRIBUNE
Page 5
Exec. Comm. Members Issue Joint Statement At Wash, hearings
Four Executive Commit t e e
members, Dihhon Cook, Boyd
Jackson, Jessie L. Kirk, and Sel
don K. Kirk, presented a joint
statement before the Senate In
dian Sub-Committee on the inorn
of February 6, prefacing their re
marks by stating:
"We appear before your Sub
committee on what may be the
last crucial testimony affecting
the future destiny of the Klamath
and Modoc Tribes and Vahooskin
Hand of Snake Indians (herein
after referred to as the Klamath
Tribe) enrolled' at the Klamath
Indian Agency in Oregon. What
we have to say represents our
combined conclusions reached
only after serious and considered
deliberations among ourselves."
Their report pointed out that
Public Law 587 "as it presently
exists has created serious confu
sion and disturbances among
members of the Klamath Indian
Tribe. Much of the confusion and
uncertainty arises directly from
the fact that recent thinking with
respect to the Klamath problem
has been based on the estimate
that 70 per cent or more of the
Klamath .Tribe will choose to
withdraw from . tribal member
ship under the provisions of P. L.
587."
These members felt that the
Federal Government should pro
vide for the purchase of the en
tire reservation if as many as 70
percent o f the members are ser
ious about withdrawing, an esti
mate they felt to be "grossly er
roneous." These committee members, who
had an opportunity to speak indi
vidually later in the hearings,
jointly testified that they were
dissatisfied with the appraisal of
tribal property released by the
Indian Bureau on January 31.
As they stated: "On the after
noon of January 31, tlie Indian
Bureau released to us a general
summary of tribal assets, a docu
ment which we understand to set
forth the total "realization value"
of Klamath tribal assets arrived
at by the appraisers retained by
the Management Specialists pur
suant to Section 5 of P. L. 587.
The total value, after deductions
for "net budgeted expenditures
for fiscal vcar 1957" comes to
$1J 1.643.9 18. 10. As you will note,
the total value is arrived at by
appraisal of timber units, grazing
units, marsh units, farm units,
agency buildings, miscellaneous
economic units, and "net tribal
asets other than economic units.
"We believe that the total
figures arrived at by the ap
praisers are wholly inadequate as
reflecting the true market value
of Klamath assets. This seems
apparent on the face of the gen
eral summary furnished to us. P.
L. 587 provides that all tribal
property should be appraised. We
doubt this has been done."
The report states that the ap
praisal obviously fails to attribute
any value to subsurface rights,
including pumice, titanium, dia
tomaceous earth, water rights and
power resources.
"As an example, a 1950 survey
under the auspices of the Geo
logical Survey of the Department
of the Interior indicates a "mini
mum total volume of pumice (of)
about 0.000,000,000 yards" is pre
sent on about 1,100 square miles
of the Klamath Reservation.
Taken in conjunction with the
fact that production of pumice
within the State of Oregon has
been centered in the Bcnd-Che-mult
area north of the Reserva
tion, it is startling to us to believe
that any independent appraiser
could arrive at a valuation of the
Klamath Reservation without
taking this valuable resource into
consideration. Likewise, we be
lieve that there are valuable titan
ium deposits on the Reservation;
and there are considerable de
posits of diatomaccotts earth,
which is used for production of
cosmetics and other by-products."
The reoirrt also takes up the
matter of water rights and hunting-fishing
rights: "In addition
to the subsurface items just men
tioned, valuable water rights
guaranteed to the Klamath Tribe
by the United States are tied to
the land included within the
Reservation. Also, exclusive hunt
ing and fishing rights guaran
teed by the United States and
confirmed by its courts are not
considered, not even mentioned,
in the summary of the appraisal.
Furthermore, it is known that
the Army Fngineers have made
studies looking toward develop
ment of power facilities, utiliz
ing Williamson and Sprague
Rivers within the Reservation."
The Secretary was requested to
"be certain that such values as are
properly attributable to this re
source be included in the ap
praisal and that the subcommittee
perform a watch-dog function
seeing that proper values are in
cluded for all these resources."
"But first and foremost." the
report stated, "recent figures
furnished by the Klamath Agency
indicate that the Klamath Reser
vation contains approximately
5.5(X),(XX),(XX) board feet of cut
over and virgin merchantable tim
ber. Assuming, on the basisof
recent sales, and utilizing a mini
mum figure of $38.(X) per thou
sand, indicated by recent sales,
this timber alone would indicate
a value of $W,(XX),(XX).(X) as com
pared with the $1 18,(XX).(XX).(X) set
forth in the general summary of
the appraisal. Fvcn assuming that
approximately 1 ,885.(XX),(XX) board
teet is lodgepole pine pulp, and
that its minimum value is $8.(X)
per thousand board feet, we get
a figure approximating $150,0U),
(XX).OO. We believe that the wide
disparitv between $1 18,(XX),(XX).(X)
and $-W(0(XUXX).(X), or even $150,
(X).(XXUX) is unconscionable."
"Accordingly, we. protest be
fore this Subcommittee and the
public that the appraisal carried
out pursuant t P. L. 587 as rep
resented by the general summary
of tribal assets, is deficient in
giving due consideration to po
tential and specific values of the
Reservation. The apprais.rl re
port certainly should not be ap
proved by the Secretary of the
Interior until it includes full and
fair values for all resources. As
suming an extreme situation
where 10 per cent of the mem
bers choose to withdraw, the re
turns received would be less than
just compensation if the sales do
not bring at least appraised prices.
Aside from material values, we
cannot ignore other values which
mean much to us the fact that
the Reservation represents our
heritage and homeland, and pro
vides us with a measure of free
dom w hich it has been our custom
to enjoy."
Their report Concluded with the
following recommendation :
"If the United States Govern
ment is willing to pay a price
which is fair and equitable, we
wotdd favor federal purchase. We
think there should be negotia
tions between tribal representa
tives and representatives of the
United States to' reach a . price
satisfactory to the Tribe. In
order that there may be time for
this, we ask that this Committee
request that the Secretary defer
approval of the appraisal. If
agreement cannot be reached, we
ask that the property be trans
ferred to a legal entity to be
formed by the Tribe."
Respectfully submitted,
Scldon K. Kirk
Jesse L. Kirk, Sr.
Dihhon Cook
Boyd J. Jackson
Appraisal Summary Value-Units Given
Item
Klamath Timber Units
Klamath Grazing Units
Marsh Units
Farm Units
Agency Buildings
Fconomic Units other
than listed above
Xet Tribal assets other
than economic units
Appraised tribal net worth
Xet budgeted expenditures
Kstimated Assets available
for distribution
Xo. of
units
95
4
10
Realization Value
or other amount
$118,-107,5.V).rx)
InM.'X ).())
I07.05MH)
M.i.(XX).(X)
9M.)0
.?.W,7 1. 10
1.M.7 10.718. 10
2.08 1.1 (JO.OQ
12l.n59AIH.lO
The figures above represent a general summary of all the value
unit listed in the appraisal of tribal assets. They arc given according
to type of unit.