The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-04-04
On the Simcoe. J..

la descending the long declivity o.
the Simcoe Mountains northward, di-
rectly before one. lies the Simcoe val
ley, varying in width from six TO tif-
teen miles, and in length, from twenty
tive 20 thirty. hedged Ia by treeless
mountains. which are covered by grass
and chsparrel, make ing grand panora
ma that gives a be.uty of landscape t.
the stranger never 10 be forgotten. Iu
drinking IN the beauty one almost for
gets the houses that are scattered here
and there through il, and the thought.
well settled up by the yeomanry.
Does the American people never stop
gong westward but stay, these farms
which you see, with their improve
ments, painted houses, fields of glist-
ening grain. are owned and kept by
Indians, who hsSe been educated and
civilized by Father Wilbur aud his
good wife. The question comes up in
ones mind, through what agencies
have the results been arrived az, and
why have the Simcoes made such an
advance in civilization. 1t is apparent
when you see the church edifice and the
earnest worshipers gathered to conse-
crate an hour or two. to learn OF the
Great Teacher and Giver of all Good.
There are pearlv one hundred farms Of
from forty to one hundred and sixty
acres each enclosed with good fences.
and having we'll built frame houses,
with windows, panel doors; aud withal
painted very tastefuiiy. The occupants
own all and IN most cases have had
them built at their own expense. You
ask the question to whom do these pre-
misses belong, and the response ''ali
you see Is mine" horses. plows. cows,
wagons. plows, aud IN some cases reap
ers. They have desire to be near
their great Tyee as they call Father
Wilbur. aud consequently have settled
near the agency as general rule. The
reservation is. perhaps. the largest on
the Pacific Coast; having an area OF
2.400 square miles, and half Of it is
supposed to have arabic lands enough
to make four thousand good farms,
which If sown in grain would yield
several million bushels. The Indians
look forward with regret to the day
when they will evidently have TO
bid adieu 10 their adviser who has
been with them nearly fifteen years
the terms of their treaty expiring in
1879. by which time it is hoped they
will be able tn care for themselves.
Sometime during the year messen-
gers were sent out by the Sioux to
the various tribes Of Indians on the
hpyN5nu n apf IN
their scheme of extetminating the
pale faces. la their effort to accom-
pllsh their great end, they did no.
forget the Slmcoe's aud Yakima's
joe Stuire :he head chief, aud withal
an earnest christian man was visited
10y their emissaries and urged - lend a
helping hand, but Stuire peremptorily
told them no. that they could not help
but see he hved III a good house, had u
good farm, his subjects were happy.
bad. in n measure, houses like his.
and that there was their church, point
ing to an excellent Building near by
wherein they met TO learn of God, and
that it all cost money; that the gov
ernment had expended large sums TO
mane them like the white people, and
that they had learned that the heart
of the savage Indian was hot good
that the Great Spirit would cut them
off the land in his anger, and that if
he Sioux wished 10 bc happy and
sawed from destruction. do as they did
On the reservation Is good FIGURING
mill. which turns out Is good -four as
oar best city mills, also they have two
saw mills, one water aud the other
steam. The steam mill when fully
manned cuts l3 600 feet Of lumber per
day besides several thousand shingles;
this mill is quite source of revenue to
the Indians, as it supplies settlers to
some extent beyond the limits of the
reservation.
The produciiyeness Of the soil is re-
markahle. grapes. fruit. vegetables.
grain of all kinds, i'll fact everything
common to a temperat eclime grows 10
perfection An Indian there, need not
sigh lsi the happy hunting grounds. if
he will only use means placed At his dis
posal