St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-08-06
INDIANS WILL SIGN.
Success Among White Earth
and Red Lake Redskins.

and Red Lake Redskins.
Special to the Globe.
BRAINERD, Aug. 5.-The Northwest
ern Indian commission, except Bishop
Marty, who went to his home from
White Earth on account of indisposi-
ton, has arrived here from the latter
reservation, as the point from which to
further prosecute its labors on the pro-
posed treaties. The commission brings
to this people genuine and pleasant
surprise in the fact not hitherto known,
that instead of failure at White Earth,
as had been supposed from the reports,
especially from Washington, they made
a success there as great as previously
made at Red Lake. The commission is
accompanied by the new agent, Capt.
Shuler, of Minneapolis, who first stated
to the GLOBE correspondent the White
Earth success, and then presented him
to Commissioner Rice for particulars.
Mr.. Rice, promising that the COM
mlSSlonerS had previously pur-
posely kept their own coun-
sells, whence had probably arisen
the dubious reports of their work, stated
fully and frankly what has now been
accomplished, which renders success
with the treaties assured beyond all
question. The work accomplished at
Red Lake, he said, meant the opening
of the entire tract of Northern Mime
sofa, from Red Lake to the boundary
line. In addition to the ceSSion of three
to four million acres, the numbering
streams which run through the re-
served portions are secured free to run
ming logs and timber through them, a
privilege lumbermen have previously
been obliged to pay the Indians for.
The White Earth work has exceeded
all expectations, though requiring long
and painStaking effort to make the In
dians fully understand and see their
best interests. The commission got not
only the required number of signatures.
but almost or quite the entire roll of
Indians, except few absentees. Capt.
Shuler put the number of nOn-SignerS
at twelve, a very remarkable result.
The land of the reservation ceded in a
body is four townships, the northeast
erly four town in the corner of the res
ervation, those touched by the located
line of the Manitoba railroad, known as
the Brainerd q Northwestern, south
east from FosSton. All that the com
mission desired under their instructed
duties from this reservation was secured,
and besides magnificent farming lands
secured for general settlement vast
tracts of valuable pine are thus thrown
Oh the market, covering large amount
of the pine about the head waters of
the Mississippi. Commissioner Rice
stated that the more the Indians con-
slider this treaty the better they regard
its provisions for them; and the COM
mission have secured what they have
nnlN NV notinnf ond o.
which has taken much more time than
was expected. The Red Lakers have
followed the commissioners into White
Earth to thank them for what they have
done for them, and the White Earthers,
before the commissioners left, made the
same warm expressions.
The commissioners sent out runners
to-day to the Gull Lakers, who dwell
about the head of Gull lake, to collect
those Indians at Gull lake, whereupon
the commission, when Bishop Marty,
who is expected tomorrow, arrives,
will start northward for the Mississippi
river tribes, taking in the Gull Lakers
en- route, and going thence to Leech
lake. 1t is well known here that the
Leech LakerS have been disposed to
base opposition to signing upon the
grounds of their long standing and long
unpaid claims for damages to their rice
fields from overflow by the government
dams. This point was stated to
Commissioner Rice, who did not
seem to fear such an obstacle. In
fact the White Earthers example is
likely to be of overwhelming influence,
The commission also will have the sup
port of all the business men and re-
spectacle traders here and among the
Indians, who see now prospect fol-
wiping out by removal out of reach. OF
| the infamous traffic in whisky with the
Indians, which has been all these years
menace to settlement, and nuisance
wherever the Indians have been within
reach of it. The commissions remain
ing work is among the tribe of the fol
lowing reservations, and will be pre-
sented from this point in the order
named: Gull lake, Leech lake, Cass
lake, WinDebagoSish, White Oak point,
and Sandy lake, which will complete
the work to do on the Mississippi. This
done, they will go to Mile Lacs, and
from there to the Wisconsin and Lake
Superior reservoirs.