Sun River sun. [volume] (Sun River, Mont.) 1884-1885, 1884-10-23
The Richest Redskins.


Of all the Indians in the United
States, says a correspondent, the
Crows are perhaps the richest, us they
certainly are the latest. According
to their own estimate they number
1,l0O women, 300 men, ITO boys and
$40 girls-3,500 in all, about 800 in
excess of what the interior depart
ment at Washington has it.
The Crows have 4,713,OOO acres re-
served to them, which comprises some
of the very best agricultural and graz
ing lands in the United States. Their
reservation is in Custer county, Mon
tana, and contains more land than
some Of the States OF our Union. It
is situated on the south bank of the
Yellowstone River, with a frontage of
nearly ono hundred miles on that
stream, and takes in complete the
beautiful valleys Of the Little and Big
Horn rivers, besides many other rich
meadow lands made fertile by the
numerous streams which take their
rise in tho Big Horn mountains. It
is indeed n beautiful country, and the
Indians know ii as we'll rs the whites
do; for it was in the same beautiful
valley of the Little Horn, eight years
ago, that Sitting Bull and his thous-
and warriors, rather than give up their
birthright to the palc faces, fought
General Custer and his soldiers until
the last cavalryman lay dead on the
field. Ever since that memorable day
in 1876 the Sioux have had no home.
They were hunted by the United States
and renegades Of their own tribe,
were driven about from point to point
all over Northern Montana, and final
ly compelled to capitulate to Colonel
1lges and the military at Poplin river
on June Z, 1880. As soon as the last
Sioux Indian was made a prisoner,
Congress took in hand the matter of
their inheritanc, and by an agree
ment made with the Crows on June
II, 1880 five days after the surrender),
and approved by Congress on June II,
1872, the Crow Indians fell heir to
the very lands the Sioux Indians had
forfeited for reason Of being at war
with the United States government.
This was the bitterest pill the Sioux
had over been forced to swallow. It
distressed them more to see their
hated foes established in their own
beloved home than all the losses they
had sustained in the Little Horn fight.
But the Crows are there, FREQ to
roam at will over four million acres of
beautiful mountain and river lands,
while their ancient enemies, the un-
fortunate Sioux, are penned up ut
Pine Ridge, Standing Rock and other
agencies, under the surveillance Of the
military, virtually prisoners Of war;
or these four million seven hundred
and thirteen acres belonging 10 the
Crows at least one million acres are
capable Of the highest cultivation.
Yet, during all OF last year and up to
the present date, there were but ten
acres cultivated by the government
for the Indians, and one hundred and
twenty-five acres titled by the Crows
themselves without the assistance of
anybody. From the one hundred and
twenty-five acres handled by the red
men were obtained about one thous-
and five hundred bushels Of vegeta-
bles, which were consumed entirely
by themselves. Last year the Crows
put up thirty five tons of hay and cut
over three hundred cords of wood.
The winter months, as is the custom
among all tribes, were spent in hunt
ing for game among the mountains
and on the plains.
But tho Crows. with a kecner in
sight than is possessed by ordinary
redskins, have always kept an eye to
business as well as to pleasure, and in
consequence they returned from their
last winters hunt with not only
goodly supply of meat for their
squaws and papooscs, but also with
nine thousand dollars worth of robes,
furs, pcltries and skins. The princi-
pal wealth of tho Crows lies in their
large and fine herds of ponies, which
are unequalled on the continent for
mettle and endurance.
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Cuss Him.
MIR. Branner was president of the
East Tennessee & Virginia Railroad
twenty years ago. OF naughty DISPOSE