The case against the Midwest Co. was begun in February, 1913, and finally submitted to the Supreme Court in May, 1914. Five other suits involving the withdrawal order of September 27, 1909, are pending in California. The progress of all of this litigation, however, was halted by the adverse decision of the district court for the district of Wyoming in the Midwest Oil Co.'s case and a similar decision rendered by the district court in one of the California cases.

The six suits involve, all told, less than 1,000 acres, which, though immensely valuable, is but a drop in the bucket when compared with the acreage which must be included, and promptly included, in litigation, if the rights of the United States are to be protected. Questions of fact due to the effort of defendants to come in under the protection of the act of June 25, 1910, will be presented in many, if not all, the suits; questions of value and of accounting for oil taken, receiverships, etc., will be unavoidable.

All this will entail a large expense in addition to the usual expenses of the department. Adequate relief can not be had-even the unlawful operations in the extraction and waste of oil can not be stayedwithout vigorous action. In a word, the fund is to be employed in an effort to save the existing oil domain of the United States and to secure reparation for oil illegally taken therefrom.

In many cases the department's opponents will be opulent corporations armed with all the means of resistance which money can provide.

It is believed that, because of the situation above indicated, which was not taken into full account when the regular estimates were made, all of the additional money now asked will be needed during the next fiscal year; and the appropriation is therefore most earnestly requested.

3d Session.

CLAIM OF OLD BETTIS.

LETTER

FROM

THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY,

TRANSMITTING

COMMUNICATION OF THE ACTING SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR SUBMITTING AN ESTIMATE OF APPROPRIATION PRESENTED BY THE ALASKAN ENGINEERING COMMISSION TO PAY OLD BETTIS, A NATIVE INDIAN OF NENANA, ALASKA, FOR LOSS OF CABIN AND CONTENTS BY FIRE, SET BY PARTIES OF THE ALASKAN ENGINEERING COMMISSION DURING THE SUMMER OF 1914.

FEBRUARY 26, 1915.-Referred to the Committee on Appropriations and ordered to be printed.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT,
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY,
Washington, February 25, 1915.

The SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of Congress, a communication of the Acting Secretary of the Interior of this date, submitting an estimate of appropriation in the sum of $343.50, presented by the Alaskan Engineering Commission, to pay to Old Bettis, a native Indian of Nenana, Alaska, in compensation for a cabin, with its contents, consisting of traps, guns, clothing, and other articles, which was burned as a result of a fire from a smudge set by parties of the Alaskan Engineering Commission during the summer of 1914.

Respectfully,

BYRON R. NEWTON,
Acting Secretary.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, February 25, 1915. MY DEAR MR. SECRETARY: I have the honor to transmit herewith an estimate, reading as follows:

The Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to pay to Old Bettis, a native Indian of Nenana, Alaska, the sum of $343.50, in compensation for a cabin, with its contents, consisting of traps, guns, clothing, and other articles, which was burned as a result of a fire running from a smudge set by parties of the Alaskan Engineering Commission during the summer of nineteen hundred and four

teen.

This estimate is submitted by the Alaskan Engineering Commission, to be incorporated in the urgent deficiency bill now pending before the Congress.

The facts of this case are reported by the commission to be about as follows:

On or about June 25, while the party of Mr. R. A. Gray was going up the Nenana River, and in camp near 30-mile road house, to lessen the pest of mosquitoes on the horses the packers set out smudges, near the cabin of Old Bettis. In the morning it was thought that the fire had been extinguished, but it seems that there was still a remnant of fire in the thick moss. This undoubtedly spread and the flames completely destroyed the cabin and all its contents.

Old Bettis makes a claim against the commission for $603.25, and while he probably paid this amount for the cabin and contents, still we have given thereto only the value for which it could be replaced. The commission considers this claim to be a just claim and trusts that legislation may be enacted to reimburse the Indian.

Under the ruling of the comptroller we are unable to pay this claim from funds of the commission.

This claim was not before the department at the time the regular annual estimates were submitted. The necessity for the payment sufficiently appears, I believe, from the statement of the Alaskan Engineering Commission.

The estimate has received the approval of the President.

Cordially, yours,

The SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.

A. A. JONES, Acting Secretary.

Estimates of appropriations required for the service of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1915, by the Department of the Interior, Alaskan Engineering Commission.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR.

Construction and operation of railroads in Alaska

The Secretary of the Treasury be, and is hereby, authorized and directed to pay to Old Bettis, a native Indian of Nenana, Alaska, the sum of $343.50 in compensation for a cabin, with its contents, consisting of traps, guns, clothing, and other articles, which was burned as a result of a fire running from a smudge set by parties of the Alaskan Engineering Commission during the summer of 1914 (submitted)....

O

$343.50

BRIG "ATLANTIC," JONATHAN DALTON, MASTER.

LETTER FROM THE CHIEF CLERK OF THE COURT OF CLAIMS TRANSMITTING A CERTIFIED COPY OF THE FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAW IN THE FRENCH SPOLIATION CLAIMS RELATING TO THE BRIG “ATLANTIC,” IN THE CASE OF ROBERT CODMAN, ADMINISTRATOR OF THE ESTATE OF EBENEZER WHEELWRIGHT, DECEASED, ET AL., AGAINST THE UNITED

STATES.

FEBRUARY 27, 1915-Referred to the Committee on Claims and ordered to be printed.

Hon. CHAMP CLARK,

COURT OF CLAIMS, CLERK'S OFFICE,
Washington, D. C., February 26, 1915.

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

SIR: Pursuant to the order of the Court of Claims, I transmit herewith the findings of fact and conclusions of law filed under the act of January 20, 1885, in the French spoliation claims set out in the annexed findings by the court relating to the brig Atlantic, Jonathan Dalton, master.

I am, very respectfully yours, etc.,

SAML. A. PUTNAM, Chief Clerk Court of Claims.

Court of Claims. French Spoliations. Act of Jan. 20, 1885, 23 Stat. L., 283. Vol. 1, Supplement to R. S., 2d ed., 471. Brig Atlantic. Jonathan Dalton, master.] No. of case.

Claimant.

1670. Robert Codman, administrator of the estate of Ebenezer Wheelwright, deceased, v. The United States.

1789. Charles G. Wood, administrator of the estate of Abner Wood, deceased, v. The United States.

2503. Jeremiah Nelson, administrator of the estate of Jeremiah Nelson, deceased,

v. The United States.

2503. Benjamin F. Peach, administrator of the estate of Moses Savory, deceased, v. The United States.

3875. Francis A. Jewett, administrator of the estate of James Prince, deceased, v. The United States.

4300. Franklin A. Wilson, administrator of the estate of John Pearson, deceased, v. The United States.

4311. Franklin A. Wilson, administrator of the estate of John Pearson, deceased, v. The United States.

4334. Franklin A. Wilson, administrator of the estate of John Pearson, deceased, v. The United States.

4300. Amos Noyes, administrator of the estate of Zebedee Cook, deceased, v. The United States.