Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-12-26


area of such lands however is but a
very small part Of the whole, and
where situated in vicinity of a mar
ket is all taken up and held At a very
high value.
Fruits and vegetables grow abun-
dainty in many localities in favor
able seasons. Peaches, pears,
plums, apples, apricots and all small
fruit are to be found, of good
quality, but for some reason the
quantity produced is surprisingly
small. Fruits Of like variety are
sold cheaper in Wisconsin, brought
from long distances, than in the
local markets here.
10 some respects the climate is an
Improvement on that Of Wisconsin,
but its average is no better The
winters are much shorter and not so
cold. March, April and May are
said to be the pleasantest months Of
the year. October and November
somewhat resemble the same months
IN Wisconsin, but moi 20 cool. June,
July and August are excessively
warm go TO 100 in the shade al.
most daily. During these months
and September and October no rain
falls; there is no dew, and the alkali
dust often reaching a depth Of six
inches, is something worth consid-
ering by those looking this way for
escape from the unpleasant charac-
teristics of Wisconsin climate.
The Yakima Indian reservation,
where | am situated, is about 40 by
80 miles in extent, and is said to be
better than the average of Eastern
Washington for farming and stock
raising purposes. / have traversed
the greater part Of the reserve, and
am confident that not to exceed one
third of it eau ever be utilized ex-
cept for grazing; the remaining two
thirds being stony mountain spurs
and sage brush and greasewood up.
lands which it is impracticable to
irrigate This being considered one
of the best tracts in the state, the
disproportion of "bone to meat in
the whole can be surmised.
A few words of the Reservation
and the Indians may be interesting.
The reserve was set off and assigned
to several small tribes grouped to-
gether and called the "Yakama
Nation" by treaty in 1859. The
population WAS then estimated at
about 5000. To-day less than 1900
are found here. They have been
"wards of the Nation" during all
these 80 years-in charge Of an
agent. School houses, with full
equipment of teachers, books, appa-
ratus, clothing and food have been
constantly provided for the children,
farming implements, blankets and
other supplies in limited quantities
for the people. A saw mill, grist
mill, blacksmith shop, carpenter aud
wagon shop, and harness shop have
been operated at government eX-
pense, where logs are sawed into
lumber, wheat ground into -four,
blacksmithiug, carpenter and wagon
work and harness work done for the
Indians without fee. Industrial
teachers have been employed to
instruct and encourage in the build
ing Of houses, fencing and cultivat-
ing lands, etc The Methodist Epis
copal church has maintained a mis-
sionary to furnish religious instruc-
ton. As a result Of all this, perhaps
oue-tenth Of the adults can write
their names and read a little In
English. About $50 are church
communicates, Perhaps two-thirds
Of the whole haye fixed habitations,
the remainder continuing nomadic.
There are few families that have
fairly good houses, and furniture,
living substantially as the white
ranchers Of the country. There
are said to ~ about 500 families
3 ]