The US GenWeb Archives provide genealogical and historical data to the general public without fee or charge of any kind. It is intended that this material not be used in a commercial manner. Submitted by Kevin Fraley from public records Feb. 26, 1997. Both above notices must remain when copied or downloaded. swimref@cmc.net Executive Order regarding Puyallup Reservation, 1873 (Area, 1 square mile; occupied by Muckleshoot, Nisqualli, Puyallup, Skwawksnamish, Stailakoom and five other tribes; treaty December 22, 1854.) SIR: By the second article of the treaty concluded with the Nisqually and other Indians December 26, 1854 (Stat. at Large, vol. 10, p. 1132), "a square tract containing two sections, or 1,280 acres, lying on the south side of Commencement Bay," was set apart as a reservation for said Indians, and is known as the Puyallup Reserve. It appears from the records of this office that Governor Stevens, finding the Indians dissatisfied with the size and location of the reserve, as indicated by said treaty, agreed, at a conference held with them August, 1856, to a readjustment of said reservation, the exterior boundaries of which were surveyed and established by his order. This was done prior to the extension of the lines of the public surveys over the surrounding and adjacent lands. A map of the survey was transmitted by Governor Stevens to this office, under date of December 5, 1856, giving a description of the courses and distances of said exterior boundaries of the reserve, as taken from the field-notes of the survey on file in the office of superintendent Indian affairs, Washington Territory This reservation, as readjusted and indicated on said map, was set apart for these Indians by Executive order dated January 20, 1857. It was intended to have this reservation bounded on its western side by the waters of Commencement Bay, from the southeasterly extremity of said bay, around northwardly to the northwest corner of the reservation on the southerly shore of Admiralty Inlet. The survey was thought to be made so as to give to the Indians this frontage upon the bay, with free access to the waters thereof. More recent surveys, however, develop the fact that there is land along this shore, and outside the reservation, arising from an error of the surveyor in leaving the line of low-water mark, along the shore of said bay, and running a direct line to the place of beginning. In a report dated March 20 last, Superintendent Milroy calls attention to this inadvertence; and for the adjustment of the western boundary of said reservation, so that it may conform to the intentions of those agreeing to the same, as well as for the comfort and wants of the Indians, he recommends the following change, viz: Instead of the direct line to the place of beginning, to follow the shore line, at low-water mark, to the place of beginning. Inasmuch as the lands proposed to be covered by this change are in part already covered by the grant to the Northern Pacific Railroad Company and by donation claims, I would respectfully recommend that the President be requested to make an order setting apart for the use of these Indians an addition to said Puyallup Reservation, as follows, viz: All that portion of section 34, township 21 north, range 3 east, in Washington Territory, not already included within the limits of the reservation. This would give them a mile of water frontage directly north of Puyallup River, and free access to the waters of Commencement Bay at that point. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. R. CLUM, Acting Commissioner. The Hon. SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Washington, D.C., August 28, 1873. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a copy of a communication addressed to this Department on the 26th instant, by the Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs, relative to the extension by Executive order of the reservation in Washington Territory known as the Puyallup Reservation, described as follows, to wit: All that portion of section 34, township 21 north, range 3 east, in Washington Territory, not already included within the limits of the reservation. I agree with the Acting Commissioner in his views, and respectfully request that in accordance with his recommendation an Executive order be issued setting apart the tract of land described for the purpose indicated. I have the honor to be, etc., W. H. SMITH, Acting Secretary. The PRESIDENT. EXECUTIVE MANSION, September 6, 1873. Agreeable to the recommendation of the Acting Secretary of the Interior, it is hereby ordered that the Puyallup Reservation in Washington Territory be so extended as to include within its limits all that portion of section 34, township 21 north, range 3 east, not already included within the reservation. U. S. GRANT.