The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-01-02
The New Reservations.

Action will probably 20 be taken by
congress as to cutting down the old
Blackfoot reservation, or rather the ss-
Enlistment Of boundaries for ene OF
more new reserves for the red man. II
would be we'll for us to examine the
boundaries that have been given to their
new reservations by the Indians them
selves. At the council Of Gros Ventres
and Assinaboines, held at Fort Assina-
boine last fall at the time Of Major Ma
ginnis and Senator Vests visit for that
purpose, q line running north and south,
east Of the Bears Paw was proposed as
the western limit of the new reserve,
which would I'll from there east to the
Dakota line. We understand that the
Piegans want the head waters OF the
Marias and the Sweet Grass hills in their
new reservation, the western and south
ern boundary to be the same as at pres
ent-the Marias and Birch creek-and
the eastern boundary to be a north and
south line running east of the Sweet
Grass hills. According to this proposed
settlement of the boundaries a strip OF
country would be opened up to the
whites extending from the Missouri and
Marias on the south to the international
boundary line on the north. About IS
miles square, or 5,625 square miles OF
the whole 45, 900 square miles, would by
this be given up to the whites. or about
one-ninth of the present reservation.
Out Of tha5 would have to be taken q
liberal military reservation on Beaver
creek and the Sandy for Fort Assina-
boine, which would still further curtail
the small portion to be coded to the
whites. This cession would give for set
Element only the Bears Paw country
including the streams which flow north
from those mountains into Milk river
and those which run south into the Mis-
souri-also the upper or most unimpor-
tant part OF the Milk river country. The
5000 Indians in the northern reservation
now have AZ, 900 square miles of territory
and under the arrangement they still
want 40, 900 square miles left them. We
cannot see what 5000 Indians want o. q
vast country like that when hunting
is a thing of the past and they are now
dependent almost upon beef and flour
provided by the government for their
subsistence. Suppose they were allowed
part of their reservation, from the 1O7th
meridian, which would cut the Missouri
river about Fort Peck, east to the Dako-
ia line. This would give them some
1000 square miles ofterritory, including
the lower part Of Milk river, about $50
miles of the Missouri river valley, Pop
lar river, Porcupine creek and innumer-
able smaller streams. If these people
want to keep herds Of cattle and bands
of horses, to farm and become civilized,
as are the inhabitants of the Indian ter
ritory, surely this is all the country they
would need for that purpose. AS these
government paupers will have to be fed
at a few agencies what is the sense in
trying to spread some 5000 redskins
90 SSi =E1 taS1 11l14OC Go tEO c.OOO,.
600 white people Of the state OF New
York possess? At some of the Indian
agencies in Dakota, on the lower Mis-
souri,, you will find thousands Of the
natives gathered around one agency,
learning to use the pillow and hoe, and
all contented because they are we'll fed.
If they can not raise enough to support
themselves the government supplies the
deficiency and the fierce and war-like
Sioux with a full stomach becomes as
gentle as the proverpial lamb. It is only
a question of time that the 5000 Indians
this immense northern reserve will
be treated in the same manner What
is the use of clipping off 5000 square
miles alta time when there is a grand
total of As, 900 that is bound to be coded
to the whites in a very few years. The
small proposed section of country to be
opened up will only give temporary re-
lief. Another year will see the stock
men, ranchers and prospectus again
clamoring for more land and mountains,
and the same work will have to be gone
all over again.
The three robbers, Marion Gamble,
Thomas Sheldon and Fred. Wiley, who
held up the Deer Lodge coach last sum
nanr hava hnm,a triad 81 no@r I-a