Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1888-02-18

c6Ctl0, C00 m6Ct0T WOulO " 6EEAuBe
financially, a. it had been on several otht
neither he nor the Indians had received an
OF the money. Quivy spoke as il
HE VAS DISCUSSED
with the whole business, and it was notice
that the Deputy q. 8. Marshal VIII
attended to reservation affairs during tn
following winter, was not Quivy, but on
Jerry Watson, q carpetbagger from Wi
liamson's old haunts in Mississippi. O
course the cattle remained ON the reserve
ton, and soon afterwards Omar Hoskina
in asking that q certain item in that con
nection should be suppressed, salt
that it had cost the cattlemel
correspondent says 1.-THE farmers and othe'
comparatively poor people of the reserva
ton derive more benefit therefrom thar
any Others" There is not a farmer in tn
Yellowstone Valley, near the reservation
who would not give that assertion a very
| decided contradiction. While the larg'
owners, who could put up the Doodle to
satisfy Williamson. were allowed the privi
| lege Of the reservation. it was hard lines fol
any poor farmer who was caught trespass
ing there. During the very severe winter
/ of 1867 Jerry Watson, Williamson's de-
voted servant. kept close watch on the
farmers
ON THE SIDE
OF the Yellowstone. Many ofc.them had been
unable to lay in a sufficient supply OF fuel
for such hard winter; the squawmen on the
reservation could not get out coal to them
and they were forced to Cross the ice and
get some OF the dead cottonwood on the
reservation, to keep their families from
freezing. Watson gave them no warning,
but kept close watch until spring, BY which
time Re claimed to have discovered at least
forty farmers trespassing on the domain OF
the Crows. Then he opened the ball by
going before q United States COMMISSIONS
and swearing out warrants against nine OF
the old, respected settlers OF the valley.
They were, and are respected citizens, but
they were not provided with tho Doodle,
and they were to be offered up as sacrifices
to give a further proof of Williamson's on
scieptious discharge of his duties. Watson
said II he succeeded in convicting the first
batch, he would arrest thirty more.
Owing to a change of Commissioners it was
deemed advisable to delay execution of the
warrants. In the meantimea waveo Of
POPULAR INDIGNATION
found it's way into the press and began to
worry Williamson, who was then in Wash
He doubtless saw that the prose-
cution of tho farmers would react disas-
and Watson received notice to
drop the proceedings. which he did. The
above is but 4 portion of the history of the
reservation under Williamson's rule, and it
ought to be enough. It is q history the
OF which causes him to forget
his dignity. and turn the air blue with the
expressions brought forth by his
temper. The whole history is an
on the people of Montana. It has
been suppressed through the bulIdozing of
the Yellowstone papers by the cattle barons
Interested. Even the merchants OF such
as Billings, who can see the vast ad-
vantages that would accrue from the open
ng OF the reservation, are afraid to give
public expression to their sentiments for
ear of losing the trade of the cattlemen.
The parties interested speak of the reserva-
ion as being good for grazing only. If it
vas open to settlement it would 500 pro-
luce q thousand dollars for every one
hat is
PRODUCED BY ITS CATTLE.
The vast mineral deposits which underlie
greater part OF it's area would become
hives OF industry; it's valleys
'ould become populous agricultural re-
ions, and it's benches and foothills, which
onstitute the best wool growing country
q America, would soon be covered with
heep, and within five years Billings would
hip 5,OOO,O 600 pounds Of wool instead OF
500, 600 pounds as now. Hitherto the
has been a hotbed of jobbery,
y which both Indians and whites are sys-
.m~atically robbed, and the prosperity OF
he country generally most seriously re-
arded. It is used as a refuge from which
be cattle barons laugh at the Assessor OF
County, to which that -por-
ion West of the Big Horn belongs: Wit.
ess the suit OF the county against Nelson
eopIe are Professionally hoodwinked and
as to the prospects OF the reser-
alton being opened. Besides the cattle
1en there are powerful influences in the
orth to keep it closed, and thus prevent
he development of it's coal deposits. Last
there was a movement to
MOVE THE INDIANS
the Blackfoot to the Grow Reserva-
ion. The Yellowstone people protested,
nd they were again deceived and quoted
va telegram from Washington stating
hat the move could not be made, and the
row Reservation would o be opened up
nder 1.-THE allotment act" A moments
would have told them that there
no such act for opening Indian reserva-
ions; they are created by special act OF
~ongress, and cannot be opened except by
special act, and the telegram was a
blind" pure and simple. Their only hope
,r the opening of that reservation is
igilant, earnest and unceasing agitation,
,r if they remain quiescent there will be
little of it opened. There is now
efore Congress a bill to create permanent
for the Grow Indians. That
ill needs close Investigation.