The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-09-16
RICH WESTERN INDIANS.
SOME sAvAGEs WITH A TALENT
FOR MAKING MONEY.
How They Accumulated Their
Wealth-A Dislike for Ranking
MeIhOds-ReadInR the News

! Sun says that there are few red men in
various parts of the country who have
exhibited disposition to amass wealth,
and have succeeded pretty well.
Of the Shoshones in Nevada and Utah
there are three or four who may be said
to be Independent. George Washington
/ and Shoshone Jack are both bloated
bondholders and aristocrats. The former
! began stock raising in small way sew
eral years ago. At first it was hard work
for him to get anything or to keep it
| after he got it, because his dissolute.
happy-go-lucky companions excrted an
evil influence on him, but when he finally
succeeded in marketing a couple of pigs
he was in great glee. He put the first
money that he ever saved into bank,
and about half of his tribe followed him,
giving vent to their disgust in groans
and grunts. When the bank failed,
George was nearly beside himself with
disappointment and rage. 1t took half
dozen white men a week to
explain to him how it was that man
could put his money in bank and never
get it again, while the bankers were per-
mitted to go about their business.
George Washington believes to this day
that the bank failed on purpose to give
its officers a chance to run away with his
hard earned money.
Some white men gave George little
help after his misfortune, and he soon
had other pigs. Then he branched out
into stock-raislng in general, and by
careful economy and the most untiring
industry he has obtained a considerable
property. 1t is estimated that he now
owns. So, 500 worth of ponies, cattle and
pigs, and he has $500 or $4O0 on de-
post with a mine boss who once helped
him. He calls around to see the boss
every day of his life, and has done so for
five or SIX years. When he comes the
same dialogue is gone through with.
"You got 'em2" he will say.
eyes I've got 'em, " he will saw
"Well, you keep 'em. Me see you
every day. No see bank man; mebbe so
once, a year. Heap vamoose all same
coyote; no good"
Shoshone Jack Is meaner than dirt,
but he has a level head. Some of his
associates are envious of him, but most
Indians are too lazy. to care about an
others good fortune. :, Jack has farm,
house, several horses, COWS and pigs,
and considerable money. 1t is almost
out of the question for any one to beat
him in a trade of any kind. He is not
an untutored savage, for he knows every
trick, and he is one of the very few In
dians who make money by playing
poker. What he gets he keeps.
Jack has a great contempt for banks
and bankers, and no one has ever been
able to induce him even TO enter a
! banking house He carries his money
in an old leather girdle, and when he
! spends a cent it is because he wants
something pretty bad, and there is no
other way of getting it. He never pays
anything for railroad fare, though he
travels around a good deal, and what he
eats costs him little or nothing.
Old Colorow of the Utes is a man Of
some property, and takes particular de-
light in lording it over his associates.
He is too vain ever to be very prosper
GUS in financial way, as he will spend
money freely to crafty any whim that
he may have or to accomplish anything
that he thinks will add to his import.
ance in the eyes of other members of
his tribe. One of his pet schemes is to
buy papers or books, and assume to
read them to the savages. Whenever
he gets possession of pamphlet, maga-
zine, or book he will call as many of
the redskins about him as possible, and
in a dramatic way read them 'the
news" His only conception of printed
page is that it contains news, and
whether he holds it right side up or not
he Will reel off a lot of stuff about the
things that are going ION in the world
which will evoke many ki-yis from his
hearers and sage grunts from those who
do not pretend to understand. The
Utes have no regular money makers,
though a good many of them pretend
to do some farming. With the majority
the idea is that the government should
pay them for farming
One of the wealthiest Indians in the
country is Chief Pcone, of the Spokane
tribe, who lives near Spokane Falls
Washington Territory Not another
man in the tribe has q nickel which is
not morally certain to go in card playing
or horse racing. PeOne has a long head,
shrewd business tact, and a consuming
desire to get ahead of the world to some
extent. He never plays cards, races
horses, or drinks whisky. Many years
ago ne made up MS mlnd that 1t was
only question of time when the whites
would be wanting land at or near Spo.
kane Falls, and he took up the best land
in that vicinity and made some efforts to
cultivate it. He built a rude house and
lived there apart from his tribe, though
exercising his authority as usual. In the
course of time, when the Northern Pa
cific road was surveyed, he saw further
opportunities for money making, which
he did not permit to pass unimproved,
and by the time that white settlers began
to arrive he was in possession of the best
land in that vicinity. He sold out at
good prices, pocketed his money, and
said nothing When the town of Spo-
kane Falls was laid out it was found
that Peone owned several good lots in it.
These have been sold at a profit and the
money invested in cattle, horses and
Az ].