The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-04-14

NUMBER 81.

TULALIP AGENCY.-The Tulalip
agency consists of five reservations,
covering an area of SO square miles,
and containing population of 2S9S
Iadians. The agent, John OKeane,
reports that the manners and customs
of the Indians are undergoing consid-
erable change. They are gradually
discarding the peculiar habits that
formerly characterized them. An eX-
ception to this is found in a small
band of Indians living on the upper
Skagit, who, under the leadership OF
one John Campbell, refuse to live on
the reservations, and adopt the GUS
toms of civilization. He says these
Indians make it point whenever
practicable to taunt the Indians on
the Sound with their docility, and
they encourage outbreaks as means
by which to gain favors from the gov
ernment. They are in communica-
ton with the Indians east of the Can
adas, and their situation no doubt has
much to do with their peculiarities.
The young men and women from them
are fitted to not only attend to their
own business affairs but are prepared
to take an active part in the practical
duties of life. Their instruction in
other branches of mechanical labor,
among the boys, as well as cooking,
washing, sewing and other. useful do
nestle arts among the girls. The av-
eragc school attendance during the
year was l02 pupils. About 2400 of
the Tulalip Indians are attached to
the Roman Catholic religion. During
the past year the breaches of conduct
numbered only twelve. Whiskey,
away from the reservation, was the
cause of troubles that resulted in three
murders during the year. Those fol-
lowing agricultural pursuits have got
along so far as to engage in butter
making, 200 pounds of which they had
for sale last year. Others made l00,-
600 shingles, 130, 900 feet of lumber and
725 cords of wood Berry and salmon
drying are among the cOmmonest
pursuits. The girls boarding house
was enlarged last year by an addition
| oi 2lX40 feet two stories high. A
| school house was built at Lummi, 20
by 81 feet. and is good substantial
building, painted throughout, contain
ing two large ire-places. Among
other improvements made during the
last year, was the building OF store
| house, all iinishedand painted; repair
| ing of the wharf, by driving sixty new
| piles, which were secured with iron
| pins; the sawmill was reconstructed
| throughout, and q good substantial
| mill-dam built; road was made from
one end of the reservation to the other.
| The work on the dam and road was
done by Indians, who were paid in an
nuities at the rate of : per day; and
the principal portion of the material
was manufactured at the agency. The
work under way now at the reserva-
tion is the reclamation of about 1000
acres of land, by deepening the bed OF
creek that runs through marsh,
two or three feet. The buildings oc-
cupied 10y the employees are reported
to be in shaky condition, owing to
the rottiug away of the foundations,
etc, but these matters will all be
rghted ere long. The Indians on the
Swinomish have done very little in
the line of farming, owing to the rea-
son that they have no land in proper
condition for agricultural purposes.
An appropriation has been asked to
put a strip of tide land, sufficient in
size to accommodate most of the In
dians, in proper shape TO be cultivated
by them.