The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1880-01-31
slEc11er Al NxAiasAx.

INDdAN RIEc1leN Az NRAiaDA Z
NEAH BAY. CLALLAx Co.. W. T. J
January 26th. 1880.
Ed. IxrxLLlo1HoR:- -0a Saturday,
the 24tb, wss psessot. - intsrprstss
st . meeting OF the Aakah Indiana.
held in the large council hall Of the OF
sceooahooss st Nsah village for thl
purpose Of slscting chiefs for ths e.
suing yssr. andsr dirsstioa Of Capt G.
wiloushby. q. g. Isdiaa Agent.
One year ago. Capt. Willoughby,
alter . loag delibesasioa oo the part d
the Isdiaaa isdsssd thss - sdepe tbl
wsys Of white men % fir q D elect
ohisfs Of the different Villages to sssva
for one year in the capacity Of ss)set-
men or town council. AZ, nd mest-
ing, il Was expisined to Tho 1nd;aas tAal
roads were needed for their coovsa-
iencS sud in particular tlat ss4 cid
wsgoa road from N.ah Bsy % ths
Prsiris, which had beeo constructed
fourteen yesrs ago by their 6rst sgsot.
Mr.. H. A. Wsbstsz. and which, by
subsequent agspts. had bsss sui|esed "a
become impossible through neglect.
should be repaired; that it 10 customary
smong white people either to work .
certain time themselves to keep rosds
il repair. or to pay tax which i sp-
propriated to hiring suoh work done.
They wese told to delibeeals upea the
matter. and when they had made up
their mind, to let the agent know.
Mear rwhile. considerable pains we
taken by the agent and al the white
residents Of the Bay II explain about
our town system. and 1t last. after talk.
Ing the meter over several months. they
announced their resdiasss to 60 to work.
Their plau was tor each man Of the
tribe to work one day. Or pay half .
dollar. aad those who have horses, to
pay half dollar for each horse that
shall ps.s over the rosd. Ths work
~ss thus organized by tie sgsat. snd
Mr.. Peter Fisher, farmer to the reser-
vation. WAS appointed to supsristsnd
the construction. This hs did in such
an energetic aud faithful manner that
before the winter rains Get in. the In
dians. under his direction. had respsnsd
the road. and widsnsd it aad made Il
pssssble for teams. The lateuess OF
tho season as which tho work wss CON.
meneed prevented the road being On.
tirely completed. but il will b finished
this summer. After the meeting had
been called 10 order BY the agent, b
announced the 6rst business 70 be the
election Of chiefs to serve for one year.
The Indians belonging to different viii
lages were directed 70 occupy sSAes By
themselves; first, Nish village. then
Waatch. Tsooess and Htsett. The Nsah
Indians reelected David. OF the formsr
board. and the following new oose
Albrrs. John Smith. Lechsssar and
Bob. Waassh asd Tsoesss village re-
elected the chiefs Of lse yesr. SHssstt
village reelected the old hoaId. and
addsd one nsw chief. making six chiefs
tor thst village The method adopted
was - follows: The agent told then
to name some one. Aftsr . few min
uses Russian jim stepped forward with
Lechsssar. and said: Il name this man;
hs 10 . good man and will make COED
chief" The agsst thea said: "All Of
you who want Lecheesar % . chief foe
one year, h"ld up your hands." Every
man belonging 70 Nssh held up his
hand. aud Lechessar was declared snAn.
imously elected. This rsmaskabls pop.
ular,ty had undoubtedly bssn psodacs1,
ip . great measure. By the willy savage
who, e,nslstiog The diplosnatio wsys of
white men. bad purchased COW ol The
traders. which he killed that n0eniog
snd disesibutsd ameog the whole village.
OF course. every man who accepted
pisce OF meat voaed II his favor. Each
Of the others were then noninated 10
tssn. and upon . showing Il lasds and
. majoe,ty bsing 10 favor. wers declared
elected. Alter Neah village he'd voted,
the others we're called Spoa IL turn.
and when the Anal seanis vae ksowp,
the sssas addressed thtms Ho I'D
that one year ego when they dsst cAoss
their oaisfs thsyWese 10 doube. - the
syssem was new and uatfiod. Nov
they bad sesn e woekiee Soe The past
year. which hsd bosa estleely soiisfap-
tory. He eoopliaeated ~ retiring
chiefs fos their edloieocy snd - rad
iaess thsy bed svissed q IL eeansisns
to ald hia II earEJisg cut 6is Plsss fee
the bens6t Of ~ tribs. and hoped TIE
newly elected e. wsuld psovs -
faithful and sesn61e 10 working Ter tAs
public good.
II was . part Of ~ dsty Of the elsee.
"a chiefs 70 hsas "a 1oaplaistA and IL
they we're frivolo0o g Aismin them, q
Soe email u0buess . inlet some penal
ty II the shap6 u : ali Ans. cad See
. crave chas1A - lo1nrt then - he
agsst. This pona - iouod - vosk
adsirahly. k ssliessd ~ assas Il The
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