, 1890-08-28
LIFE IN THE WEST.
Indian Hop Pickers Assem-
bling on the Sound.
10000 TO ENTER THE FIELDS
Earning Money to Squander in
Red Dresses. Gay Blankets
and Gambling.

inc mop picking season VIII Degir
this year about September 10, say'
the Seattle Press, and will last
about three weeks. The largest por
ton Of this work will bo done as
formerly by Indians. The grea
bulk of these people come to Seattle
in canoes. They are employed by
the hop-raisers at this point.
Already the dusky yaborigines have
commenced to put I'm an appearance
and many Of those from British
Columbia and other Sound points
are camped all the way from the
head of Elliott bay to Salmon bay
In former years the Ballast isle has
been a great camping place for these
aborlgines, but last year the camps
on this island were broken up by
the civil authorities, on account oi
the filthy condition in which the
camps were left, and now with the
exception Of n few stray canoes,
nothing can he seen of the dusky
hop-pickors.
The habits Of these people are pc
culiar. For years they have made
an annual pilgrimage from their
Northern homes to the Puget Sound
country, where they pick hops for Il
few weeks, spend their money thus
earned for foolish trilles, and then
return to their Northern homes.
Many Indians come down from
Southern Alaska, making the peril
Gus voyage of over 1000 miles in
open canoes They start often early
in the spring, visiting along the way
with friends and relatives, and here
and there picking up members OF
other tribes.
AS yet the large body of pickers
has not arrived. 1t Is understood,
however, that a larger number Is on
the way here from the North than
has ever before visited Seattle, and
may be expected here In about two
weeks.
1t Is estimated that fully 10000
Indians, men, women and children,
will start out from Seattle for the
hop fields this season.
One result of this annual visit OF
the Indians is invariably large
crop of cases before United States
Commissioner Emery of selling
liquor to Indians, which is n United
States offense. The number of ar
rests and convictions on this of
fense each season is generally about
fifty.
Although the siwashes are slow
and clumsy looking race of people
they generally manage to get
there" when they are picking hops,
and Mt the price of 81 per box, which
is the average price paid, u good
healthy Siwush can make from 81
to So per day, while n white man, to
undertake the task, would earn
about 81 the first day, and spend
the next two or three in getting over
the effects of his hard work.
But the money earned by these
people does them but little good. AS
soon as they receive their pay they
can not rest until it is disposed of.
They generally buy plaid shawls,
bright red dresses, or something of
the sort. Brass kettles also take
their eye, and hardware dealers say
that they sell an immense number
of these articles toward the close OF
the hop-picking season.
Another vice OF the siwash is
gambling. At the Snoqualmie hop
ranch, which is probably the biggest
one In the world, isan old cow-shed,
and Dick .Jefis, the manager of the
ranch, is responsible for the state
ment that hundreds of dollars, if
among the Indians under this shed
In single night.
In about two weeks the largest
part of the Indians, of which the re-
cent arrivals are but the advance
guard, will arrive, ana then the
streets of Seattle will for short
time present an appearance that
will cause the Eastern visitor to
wonder ii Seattle is situated in the
midst of an Indian reservation.
The most daring stage robbery
chronicled in the history of British
Columbia, says the Victoria Colo
mist, was perpctrated ON the b. G.
express conpany's stage which
runs from Carlboo to Ashcroft, on
Monday evening at 5 o'clock, in
volving loss of about $4,000. On
the road, mt the ninety-seven mile
post. n masked man met the stage,
and at the mu2zle of a Winchester
called n halt, demanding the treas
ure. The driver offered u bag with
81, 900 in 1t, but the robber refused
to take it. He said he wanted the
safe and didn't intend to make a
third request, SO he was allowed to
take the iron safe. After throwing
it from the stage, and saluting the
driver and single passenger with
mock politeness, followed with a
volley of the most profane Ian
guage, the robber ordered the
stage to drive on. Usually the stage
is not worth much, but as 1t is wash
ing up time now, the man knew his
game and took IA good time to make
his attack, indicating O thorough
acquaintance with the neighborhoo
and the arrangements of the express
company. A posse OF Indians and
q white leader are on the hunt, and
Constable Burr, of Ashcroft, has
Joined in the chase. The method
pursued by the robber is exactly
similar to that of the celebrated
Black Bart. Mondays makes the
third stage robbery of the same kind
on the old CariboO road, but on the
previous occasions two men instead
of one did the work. Their identity
has never been discovered, but IL Is
stIpnOeed that thpy were residepta of