The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1885-10-23
MONTANA INTERESTS.
REPORT OF GOVERNOR HAUsER TO
SECRETARY LAMAR.
Some strong Point. on the silver Question.

SECRETARY LAMAR.
Some strong Points ON the silver Question.
HELENA, MONT. October 10, 1885.
TO Tie Hon. L. @. G. Lamar, Secretary Of the
Interior, Washington, ID. C.-SIR: Complying
with your request Of August "a, 1885, / have
the honor to submit the following sugges-
tions and statements of the affairs and con-
dition Of the Territory of Montana.
Having entered upon the discharge OF the
duties of this Office since the close of the
fiscal year. am unable to do $50 far M sta
tistics are concerned) more than to direct
your attention to such matters as can be
cleaned from the biennial reports of the
Auditor anu Treasurer of the Territory.
From these 10 appears that the total assess
ment of property in the Territory for the
year 1884, amounted to S49, $40, OO7 81, the
same being an increase of 90, 900 900 In round
numbers over the previous year. 1t should
be remembered that the assessment does not
give the full value of our property, and does
not include our mines, which are worth
great many millions.
POPULATION.
No census Of the population Of the Terri
tory has been taken since 1880, at which
time IL was 80 ,l57 At present 1t can only be
estimated by the total vote cast at the gen.
erai election in November, 1884, which, as
appears from the report Of the Auditor and
Treasurer, was $500. From the same off,
cial source IL appears that at the preceding
general election the total vote cast in 1882
was % ,3l8. The increase has been greater
during the past two years than Mt any other
period, and our population may be fairly
estimated at 100000 to 10000.
AGRICULTURE.
The numerous valleys of the Territory are
remarkably fertile, with proper facilities for
irrigation, yielding large returns in wheat,
oats, barley, and all kinds of vegetables, un-
surpassed in quality. Owing 10 the high
price Of labor here, as in all mining coun-
tries, and the great distance from the mar
kets of the world, our farmers have been
unable to compete successfully In foreign
markets with those of Dakota on the east,
and Washington and Oregon on the west /;
consequently nothing more Is attempted
than the supply of the home demand, which
Is large, owing to the great number Of men
employed in the mines. In all those por-
tons Of the Territory where the necessary
care and attention has been given to the
planting and cultivation of fruit trees, it has
been demonstrated that the hardy varieties
of fruit of all kinds can be successfully raised.
Small fruits of all kinds succeed everywhere
In the Territory, and the yield is simply
enormous.
INDIAN DEPREpATIoNs.
am advised from reliable sources that
| during the past season numerous depreda-
tions have been committed upon the rights
Of stockmen by rowing bands Of Indians,
who have been suffered to leave their reser-
vations and to roam promiscuously through
| a region of country where there is absolutely
no game, and where to sustain life these In.
| dams have killed cattle running upon the
ranges, and in several instances have run off
the horses belonging to the stockmen. This
| has been carried on to such an extent that
the stockmen have become greatly and justly
exasperated. I can but renew the request so
frequently made by my predecessors, that
some such action be taken by your Depart
ment as will result in restrain ming and con-
| filming these Indians upon their reservations,
| which embrace an empire of the fairest and
best portion of the Territory, and from which
the whites are rgidly excluded.
RESERVATIONS.
From statistics furnished by the U. s. Sur
| veyor Generals Office for Montana, it ap-
pears that three Indian reservations in this
| Territory embrace an area of $4,000 square
| miles, including nearly thirty million acres
of the finest agricultural lands TO be found
on the continent. ] would earnestly urge
upon your Department the necessity of cut
| ting down these reservations to a size COM
mensurate with the needs of the Indians.
| The greater portion of these lands, so nects-
sary for the use of actual settlers, is Of no use
whatever to the Indians. Since the extinc
ton of the buffalo there is little or no game,
and but small portion, If any, Of these lands
are cultivated. Why not throw the reserva-
lions open for settlement and sale, reserving
portion for the Indians, to be held by them
In severalty; break up their tribal relations
and reserve portion Of the proceeds Of the
sale of the lands for the use and benefit of
the Indians during the period and process of
education and civilization? Without troub-
| ling you with details which will suggest
themselves to you, such a policy would be
charity to the Indians, and result in furnish
ing homes to hundreds Of thousands of our
own race, besides furnishing the world with
over a million cattle which would and could
| be grazed and sustained on the lands. That
they (the Indiansl can be educated and civil
| ICED, has been demonstrated by the Fathers
| at St. Ignatius Mission, In their boarding
schools and workshops on the Jocko reser-
walton, in this Territory, and doubtless at
other places.
| STOCK RAISING.
Next to mining, stock raising Is the largest
and leading industry In the Territory. Ac-
cording to the official report of the Auditor
and Treasurer for the fiscal year ending De-
cember 81, 1884, the whole number Of horses
assessed was 80, s43; mules and asses, 1854;
Sheep, S96; cattle, sos, 1853. Since the as
sessment there have been q large number of
cattle driven into the Territory. Allowing
for these and under assessment, and the in
crease, would estimate that we now have
| in the Territory ..a...
1 Cattle ..... .....s.-......s..s''a oVV,Voo hc"u
Horses......... ..............'. lZu,Vu heau
4 Sheep OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ,DO,VoV neao