June 10, 1896 Blackfeet Agreement Article V

29 Stat. 321, 535-354

June 10, 1896

Agreement With The Indians of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation In Montana

Article V.

Since the stituation of the Blackfeet Reservation renders

it wholly unfit for agriculture, and since these Indians have

shown within the past four years that they can successfully

raise horned cattle, and there is every probability that they

will become self-supporting by attention to this industry,

it is agreed that during the existence of this agreement no

allotments of land in severalty shall be made to them, but

that this whole reservation shall continue to be held by

these indians as a communal grazing tract upon which

their herds may feed undisturbed; and that after the

expiration of this agreement the lands shall continue

to be held until such time as a majority of the adult

males of the tribe shall request in writing that

allotment in severalty shall be made of their lands:

Provided, That any member of the tribe may, with

the approval of the agent in charge, fence in such

area of land as he and the member of his family

would be entitled to under the allotment act, and

may file with the agent a description of such land

and of the improvements that he has made on the

same, and the filing of such description shall give

the said members of the tribe the right to take

such land when allotments of the land in severalty

shall be made.