The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1869-10-01

AND fCRL1s0EA
DEER LONE CITY, FRIDAY, OCT. I.
THE FLATNEAD RESERTA-
TEON Nv BITTEH ROOT
Valley.
General Sul;y, Indian Commissioner fox
Montana. left Deer :~'lge yesterday for Mis-.
soula. The principal object Of the visit is 70
examine the situation of affnirs in regard to
the Bitter Root Valley Reservation. and to
make such a report thereon to Washington
~ l'e may deem for the general good. The
people Of Missouls expect good from this
visit. They believe General Sul!y honest,
Inprcjudiccd, possessed Of COOL judgment
..,d experience, and having sufficient inllu.
cncc and confidence ut Washington 10 in.
lurc such action rs he may recommend. We
lelicvc the same. Their troubles orc not .
tiit!ic"it matter 10 end. Under the terms Of
the Stevens Treaty, the whites arc trcsspas.
tcrs upon ground held in reserve from white
occupation, until the President should have
the valley surveyed aid examined, and see,
1! in his judgment. one Of the best valleys
il" Montana had better bc turned over to bar.
tarisnl, In addition to the 5000 square miles
IA ill.,, Jock" Reservation, or be opened up
I" settlement and civilization. We give he.
low the portion of ,Ae treaty upon the sub.
jet:
TREATY bttmttn Gorernor J. T. S,.rens and tic
uNeaas u.d o,h.rh.b~s 4, mai. y.!y IGta, 1898
9 el%m., A~" ls'a, 1854. tsrATu7rs At LARGE.
ART. XI. 1t IL moreover provided that the Bitter
kot Valley. above the Lo La Fork shall be carefully
surveyed and sxam.e', and II Il shall prove IN the
judgment Of the President, to be better adapted to the
wants vi the III thcsa tribe than the gvuersi
to p'o'ia.d for IN this treaty, then such portions Of
Il w may Dc Necessary, shall b. ~: apl: separate
reservation Tor the said tribe. No portion Ut the Bit
Ter Root valley above 10 10 Fork shall DC opened
~ settlement. Unit; such examination 10 had anu tue
DECISION OF the President. n,ada known.
The general treaty had been drawn and
sgrced 10 without this article. A few Flat.
h...:s subsequently became dissatisfied, gave
trouble. and this was the compromise arti-
sie. 1t was a blind, rs will be seen from its
rms. All Tie valley of any account is
above l"-Lo Fork. Major Owen was hold.
ing go acres under settlement and tho act
"f Congress, when this Was drafted, and
lad been living there five years when the
treaty was made. The Indians--perhaps
!. jOO--!,ad over , 900 acres each reserved for
them in the JOcko. Governor Stevens did
,,", intend TO give them the entire country,
Tut was compelled by the pervcrsity of the
dissatisfied chiefs to make this eleventh a..
lie. |. was never supposed the President
would turn over the entire valley to them,
and such portions OF it as may bc necessa.
~" is not, At the most, more than what they
IN the failure TO survey and examine and
decide" For fourteen yea,3 tehite .etAe.
".tnl has been proscribed BY tie ine1cusab!e
negligence Of the Government The survey
und examination is the first thing to he done
then the decision Of the President that it
il not "bct,cr adapted u the Fathca,ls than
the JocKU reservation" and the barriers to
the settlement Of over 5000 square miles Of
valuable lands, arc removed. We have,
within ten days, visited every portion Of the
Bitter Root valley. Some Of the best farms
and best pcoplcof Montana, are there. There
xrc nearly one hundred farms cultivated by
whites, and producing excellent harvests.
There arc little villages, stores, Touring
mills. churches school houses and schools.
Many farmers have made valuable improve
u,en,s; Others are only waiting the settle.
n,ent of this question. Taking it all in all,
VIC pronounce i,--above Fort Owcn-thc
best agricultural, tim5ered and grazing val
l.y in settled Montana, and We have been in
oil but the Jocko. Probably thrcc.fourths
ot the produce consumed in tho mining
camps Of Deer Lodge comes from the Bitter
loot valley. Settle this question 80 the peo-
ple can obtain titles to their property, and
the number Of farmers willqusdruplein two
years. even If the Railrsd be not built,
while their value vii! be increased by fcnc'
ing and better buildings. With scarce an
exception. tho people would bc satisfied with
joint occupation. allowing Indian farmers,
who arc generally old men, 10 Acquire title
to farms. hut there are possible and probable
evils attending this, and tho bulk Of the tribe
would he better in the Jocko, where pro.
vision and appropriations are made for an
agency. hospital, shops, schools, etc. II
would " letter, however, than the present
A,ntc Of affairs. We are satisfied General
Sully will take the same view, and having
the means and disposition to fulfill the. other
terms Of the treaty, the Indians will profis
.. well a the whites.
1.-THE ROAD WILL BE