Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-09-13
Hopeful Indian Agency Reports.

Hopeful Indian Agency Reports.
The annual report of M. D. Gallagher,
agent at Pine Ridge, is given out from the
Indian bureau at Washington. The num-
Der of Indians at the reservation is 5.611;
number of acres of the reservation tiilable,
100000; number OF acres cultivated, APO;
number of stock of all kinds, 10000.
There were 273 births to 256 deaths during
the year. The amount of land left to the
reservation under the Sioux bill is 2,0O0,-
OnO acres-more than enough to give 800
acres to each Indian, man. woman and child
on the reservation. The crops have been
late and are rather poor. The Indians left
the crops to meet the Sioux commission
ers, and the cattle on the reservation de-
ctrovod a great port of thona. The agent
has had very little trouble with the Sioux,
and he believes the Ogallala ban at his
agency are superior to all other bands of
Sioux. Great improvement has been made
in the Obeguenes at this agency, and it is
believed the Sioux will in time become
supporting. The police have been
very efficient, and aided in preserving Or
der. There is great deal of complaint
made because of the practice of allowing
young bucks to be taken to exhibit in wild
west shows and circuses. The agent rec
ommends that it be stopped. Pine Ridge
has been "a favorable place for securing
wild west material. The stock of the In
dian is now branded by individual brands
instead of by bands, and each Indian owns
his own stock. The agent recommends
that sheep be purchased for the Indians.
There are three missions Catholic. Epis-
copal and Presbyterian. The Ogallala in
IL ct i0l 1,no al
being 100 scholars enrolled and only 70 I'M
for 200. More school buildings are rec
mended. he Irdians want the reserva-
ton surveyed ana the boundaries defined,
SO that no dispute may arise between the
whites and Indians, and that trespassers
may be kept off the Indian lands.
John w. Cramsle, agent at Fort Totten,
submits his eighth annual report for the
Devils Lake and Turtle Mountain Indians.
The Turtle Mountain tribe are wanderers
and are sometimes on the reservation and
sometimes in Manitoba. They do little
farming and ore in state far from civil
ization. At Turtle Mountain there are
1,34O Indians. The number of births were
fifty and deaths ninety-si1. There are
5000 acres of tillable land on the reserva-
ton. 1874 of which are under cultivation.
At Devils Lake there are 1,O16 Indians.
There were forty nine births and fifty four
deaths. There are 46, 600 acres of tillable
land on the reservation and $3.50 are Gull
tivated. There are $50 families living on
individual tracts, but no allotments have
been made. The crops this year have
been DESTROYED by the drought. Better
agency buildings are asked for, and ma
terlal for improving the Indian dwellings,.
The Indians want the land surveyed and
allot1nents made
James Mclaughlin, agent at Standing
Rock, reports 4,11O Indians at that agency,
and that they are living in 1000 dwelling
houses on individual lands, but which have
not yet been allotted. There are three
missions at the Standing Rock, Catholic,
Episcopal, Congregational. There have
been 5000 acres cultivated during the
year, and 1000 rods of fencing built. The
new division under the Sioux bill leaves
665.00h acres of the reservation IN
North Dakot. and 1,797,OOO a;ros in South
Dakota. The lans are best adapted for
grazing. and consequently an in reasiug
interest in stock raising. There are nine
government schools and two mission
schools, with a total enrolment of 593.
There are eighty-two children in school off
the reservation. The Indians want sur
Seys. The heads of families are already
located Oh individual claims, but allot-
ments can not be made unless surveys are
made