Weekly Trinity journal., 1869-02-20
Lower Trinity and the Indian Reservs4isn

Z Concursfsg testimony establishssthe fact thai
lower Trinity possesses considerabls farming
land, fertile and productive, an extensye grazing
range, a mild and equabls climSte, and i rich
in gold, iron, coal and copper. Rich in every
thing necessary to make up the permanence OF
communities, we find that with all these advant-
ages, lower Trinity lags far behind in popula-
tion and enterprise. Among the reasons offered,
the residents of that section assign the Indian
troubles as by far the most prominent. We are
not sufficiently advised to say whether or no the
present or past Indian Agents in that quarter are
deserving of blame in that connection, but we
do know that considerable dissatisfaction exists
in that section with the reservation system and
its management at Hoopa valley. An intelligent
and seemingly wellinformed correspondent Of
the San Francisco Morning Chronicle, writing
from Arcata, argues that the Indians should be
removed. We give the following extract.
five cannot have truly competent Agent
the Indians should be removed further south,
where the chance for mischief would be less
ened, and it would soon appear how rapidly
the three counties of Trinity, Klamath and
Humboldt can be settled. The hills Of Trinity
will be more efectually explored, and I am
sanguine that good placer diggings would be
found, Could the entire safety of the district
be secured, enterprises Of the most varied char
acter would be set on foot. Thus we would
have gold, copper. iron, and coal in mining,
and plenty of hill room for stock raising oi
every grade. No finer place for sheep exists in
the State thar these hills; free from briars, dry
and affording excellent pastures in winter and
summer alike; and in agriculture we can raise
fine grapes, melons, peaches, pears, apricots
and all the other luxuries of life in abundance
1t is thought that fine grade of tobacco might
be grown here, far exceeding in quality oil
sweetness any grown elsewhere, and free from
that terrible nicotia in which the California
varieties abound.
The district, before the reservation was
formed, was finely intersected with roads, cut
very often at individual expense, and answering
admirably well all the purposes of communica.
ton. Hoopa valley was the acknowledged cen.
ter. Now the exclusiveness of the reservation
has forced travel by other routes, without afford
ing compensation or security. Hoopa valley is
the avenue to the mines upon all sides, and
should be preserved as such without question.
1t is not possible to isolate the valley, because
it is the point of divergence to the entire dis.
trict. A powerful effort should be made to in
duce and sustain immigration. The life of ex.
citement, which in former days animated the
Californian and led to ruinously erratic course
is gradually giving way to the quiet comforts Of
home life. These we have to offer, but the
baleful shadow is the uncertainty of the savage
Better thousand times remove them to some
reservation, where the utmost facilities could be
afforded to keep them in their allotted range
than to have them roaming at large, desolatine
region of country which is able to maintain g
large population. Let the project of Catalina OF
TETON as general rendezvous be resumed, OF
send them all to -, place not found on any Of
our maps.
Three counties languishing under the
bunglipg workings of system designed to give
security to the people, when it really trammels
all their efforts. If the Indians were all In the
hills, instead of the reserve, the nuisance would
not outast season.
If, as is represented, the reservation is an in
surmountable obstacle to the rapid settlement of
the surrounding country, steps should be taken
to obtain its immediate removal. We under
stand that the Indians, who it might be claimed
are entitled to residence in that quarter by
reason of their nativity are but few in number.
1t is mistaken humanity that exposes the white
settler to loss of life and property from bands of
rowing Indians, and application should be made
at headquarters to have them transferred to some
suitable place, with none to modest or be mo-
Tested by them