Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-09-16
CALIFORNIA INDIANS.
The Round Valley reservation. Msnaooino
County.


Rev. II. B. Sheldon, agent at the Round
Valley 1ndisn Agency. Mendocino county,
and member of tho III. L. Conference recently
in session in Sacramento, reported generally
the condition of church work among the IL.
dians. HIS official report TO the proper
bureau Of the United States Government has
been prepared, and from it these facss have
been CLEANED The reservation includes I02..
1879 acres, from which 600 acres of school
and other patented lands are TO be deducted,
SIS slso 0S0 acres swamp land in litigation
aud 80 coo acres of grazing lands in posses.
sion of settlers, who have never been paid I, Z
their improvements. OF the remainder all
but 2 SEQ acres is rough and mountainous.
About ! go acres are under cultivation.
There are places that would yield well If
fenced and cultivated, but are now being de-
stroyed by the sheep and cattle and hogs Of
the settlers. There are at the agency $50
Indians, 2Sl males and 2SS females. The Ii.
diaGs that fall properly TO the csre Of this
agency number about 8 coo. The Iniians in
the State number z OPS These Indians should
be visited and induced to send thsir children o
the Agency school. There are over 1000
indians in Mendocino county, and at the
least all Of these ought to be kept on the
Agency and guarded from the evils of drunk
enness. Sufficient land cannot be allotted to
the Indians for agricultural purposes until
tbs settlers claims are paid eff and the lands
given over to the Government. At present
the titled land is worked in community of in
tsrest, with distinct garden patches to each
family for growth of vegetables. The pro-
duet of the crops goes mostly to the Govern
ment more being raised than is consumed
Wheat, barley, oats and hops are raised as
also melons, pumpkins and hay. The hop
product last yesr alone was 8. 302 y. There
are on the reservation 60 horses, Is mules, 20
oxen, 452 cattle increase past year, 500, 149
hogs The Indians have Ito ponies. mules
ard liz hogs. During the year Is houses
were built for the Indians by themselves, I'M
der superintendent of the carpenters. The
mill has ground 250. sos pounds of wheat for
the agency, 24,799 pounds for the In
diens, and cracked 32,4l1 pounds of
barley for citizens. The sawmill has
cut III, 600 feet Of lumber. The mill
has been moved to locality where tim
Der is more plenty. The indians, while low
ing to hunt, do not suhsist by the chase. All
that are able ara required to work either for
themselves or the agency. The settlers annoy
the Indians who attempt TO raise sheep on
shares, and force them TO abandon the in
uuSbTY. L ne SejbitTS UuSIb " DC pau tn ttitl
sent from the reservation. OF apprentices
there are two blacksmiths, two carpenters,
two milers three herdmen, one logger, one
one assistant clerk, and have
made commendable progress. Delays seem
ingly inseparable from Government business)
prevented the agent from opening the board
ing school, but buildings have been prepared
at Camp Wright to accommodate from fifty
to one hundred pupils. 1t is hoped to open the
school III October. Day-school was maintained
nine and one-third months the past year, and
progress was made Cramming has been good
avoided, and thorough understanding of what
is taught arrived at instead. and it has been
sought to draw cut and develop the minds Of
the Indians and show them the value of
to themselves. This process &c
quires teachers of peculiar qualifications
There have been sixteen births ard sixteen
deaths among the wards of the Government
The sanitary condition of the Indians is
greatly improved. The missionary, Rev. j.
s. Fisher, has been prevented by sickness
from doing as much as he desired. Sunday
school has been maintained, and regular
services by the Agent and native helpers, as
supplementary TO thu missionary work.
There is a good field fer a devoted missionary.
The drawbacks to progress have been gam.
bling. licentiousness and drinking. Indians
appear to be gamblers by instinct. They
get liquor only by going off the reservation,
or by its bsiug smuggled in. L is impossible
to keep them on the reservation, as they aye
looked to to do most Of the work OF the va }ey,
and getting money for work, and iquor for
is an aim Of the Indian. Il is diff.
cult TO fix g case Of selling liquor to Indians
as if the sale is proved, tken it must be
proven the article Misunderstanding. and lastly
the mileage allowed witnesses wall nos pay
the expenses of attending the United States
District Court and the loss of from sixteen to
twenty DAYS time.