The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-10-31
LArorrrr, Lake Superior, Aug 81, ls47
Indian Payments-Mode of Making them Inter- sting
Infnr

LAPofrTE, Lake superior, aug ~, lS91
Indian Payments-Aode of Making hem-Inter,stins
Information
Population increases hourly by the arrival of
from every river empyng into the head Of the lake. but
especially from the Montreal river southeast Of us
the running into the bay called Fond du Lac
and north By the former there forty mile por
tage connecting with the Chppeway river which
the into Mississippi at Lake Pepn, distance Of about
three four hundred miles frcm this place While
visit to the Falls Of Montreal" accident afforded OPP
portunty to notice this trail which would to have
been we'll travelled. In its length hundred and
twenty-five encampments resting places, where the
frames Of the wgwams and lodges are always found
and the marks of domestic operations are dis
tincty be At these places the stops his
journey to distant home laden with the avais of his
annuity, to re-invgorate himself and family; and at
many OF them the bark covered grave gives mournfu
that the fell destroyer soourns with the soourner
The route by the st. Croix and St. Louis rivers
Pepin and has but and half miles portage between
the heads Of the two rivers and another hall mile around
the falls on the 81 Gron Ime Gay o,pno be remote
known waters q beaten highway to the Gulf Of Mexico
the Pacific ocean.
The payment at this place Is made only to those In
dams designated the "Chppeways Of the Mississippi
and Lake SUPERIOR This includes the whole Of the
Chippeways in the far west except portion known
the Pagers' who have separate political existence.
OF some thirty bands encamped IN greater or less
strength portion from the Crow Wing and other
to the westward OF it, who have padded their
nearly thousand miles to receive the small stipend ap
poroned to them under treaties made with the govern
ment for the purchase Of their right Of soil In certain
lands The distance these and others required to
in such cases. entirely too great and has caused
much distress among them Last year, owing to an I'M
avodable detention in the arrival Of the disbursng
agent the scanty provisions OF the remote travellers be-
exhausted long before supplies could be furnished
the stores Of the neghboring bands insufficient for
the emergency; the whole body OF men, women, and
children exceeding three Thousand in number suffered
overwhelmingly that several hundred perished from
the famine such a1monish Of the necessity
paying them points to their homes by divd
the pay list The result this year has been to reduce
the in attendance to less than eighteen hundred
the arrivals to be tardy The agents. with
numerous attendants, have been more than week
poyed preparing pay ss and have not yet perfected
them; they began to-day in the delivery
Of goods The Treaties Of July 29th 1887 and Oct 4th
l54a under which these payments are made stpulate
for portion be paid In goods and the balance In cash
Under tho pure patrarcha form OF Indian polty each
living member Of the tribe is entitled to proportonste
s
becomes necessary each year to construct new list by
bands, families and Individuals Marriages. births and
DEATHS in the Interim all contributing to dissrrange for
mer great Is required in preparing them with
accuracy
rhs plan of making them up, Is by simply call
ing In tho chiefs and head men Of each band seps-
ratey and receiving from them the Of the heads
Of all the families in their band, together with the
Number Of men, women and children, ssveray, In each
family The goods allotted by distributing fami
lies such articles as suitable for their MEMBERS
distribution adopted on this occasion.
Blankets-Ons to each person, age and dstermin-
ing size and quality but where the family four
in number, one additional to each family.
Calico and linsey-Two yards TO each person.
Scarlet coth-About three -eghths yards to each Dor
son.
Cotton shawls, flannel shirts, kettles, gun worms
combs, fire stees scissors butchers knives, avis tin
cups and tin pans-One to each family.
Oiunpowder. shot. and hnts-To families having
adult males IN proportion to number.
Ciuns-Only 10 such as the chiefs designate
Cloth blsnkets-One to u family Of less than seven
members; two to larger families.
TINS other dry goods such as ribbons, gathering
ing silk, linen thread needless leggns breeching, SO,
are divided on similar principles, we'll the provi-
sions, consisting OF Hour, corn, and salt meat
The total cost OF these goods appears by the seve
raj contractors accounts In the agents Office $4,000,
which Is understood to include balance due last
The cash. which Is In silver amounts to 2o-l00,
and Will divide, as near ~ may be, four collars per
capita.
The goods excellent, and reflect credit on the de-
parment as well a. the contractors Messrs Grant ana
Barton Of New York; j. Watson, OF Detroit w, Hy
slop, aud H. X 1ryon, also OF New York. The blankets
Understood to be OF American manufacture, are supe
rior article, and deserve special notice
One large warehouses Of the Fur Compsnyn oe-
ing useor sottng the goods in, by putting
intended for family In parcel, snd attaching 70 ~
paper number corresponding with the numnsr o. tns
family handing sganst It on agents LIST Of the band
The psroes placed In order OF NUMBER ana oano un