, 1890-08-21
THE INDIAN WINS.
The Marcus Ferry Closed by
an Official Order.
RED MEMS RIGHTS DEFINED
An Interesting Letter From the
Interior Department to w.
II. Walters.

MARCUS, Aug. 2o.-Mr. w. A. Walters
owner of the ferry at Marcus, is In re-.
ceipt of q very interesting letter from tho
department of the interior at Washing
ton, which he permits the REVIEW to re-
produce. Mr. Walters has for two years
operated the ferry under n county
license, having purchased the privilege
from the heirs of tho late W. b. Brown,
who acquired IL from James Lee. The
ferry was established thirty years ago,
and has been operated under two char
ters besides the county license. Recent
ly an Indian has established q ferry
about mile further up the stream, and
is naturally desirous OF closing down tho
old institution. The letter referred to
indicates that tho red man Is SO far vic
torious, Notwithstanding the fact that
under the law an Indian 10 not RESPONSE
Bile for losses or other damage, while the
white man who operates y ferry is re-
quired to execute a heavy bond to cover
all losses occasioned by negligence or de-
fectivo appliances. What the outcome
of this contest will be cannot be forotold,
but Mr.. Walters has appealed his case
to Representative Wilson, who Is now
investigating the matter, and there is q
possibility that tho order may be re-
scinded. Following In
THE LETTER.:
DEPARTMENT OF THE ISTERroR, OFFICE
OF INDIAN AFFAIRs, WAsBisoroS, Aug.
2, 1S0o-W. III. Walters. Marcus, Ste
vons county, Wash. -Siri / am in re-
ceipt of your letter dated July 1, 1890,
stating that you are engaged in operat-
ing ferry boat on the Columbia river at
Marcus, Wash, under a county license
granted by the county commissioners of
Stevens county, that state; that the
said ferry has been In operation for thir-
ty years and fourteen years prior to the
establishment of the Coivillc Indian res.
ervation, by executive order, In said
state; that orders have been issued by
U. s. Indian Agent Cole, of said reserva-
tion, and forwarded to you, forbiddipg
you to land your boat on the reservation
side of said river; that this action of tho
agent ifnot stopped, will create a preju-
dice in the minds of the settlers against
the Indian service and department, and
requesting that tho aforesaid order bo
rescinded, to the end that litigation may
be prevented.
In reply have to advise you that this
office is in possession of informa-
tion to the effect that the Indians
of that reservation have for many
ferred to their own boats for the pur-
pose of transporting passengers and
freight across the said river; that by SO
doing they have been able to make some
money, which is quite q help to them;
and, that you have not only interfered,
with their ferry operations, but Forbid
den them to run boats for the purposes
above indicated.
Under date of May 8, 1890, Agent Cole
was informed that, as appeared from the
records OF this office, you had no author
ity to make a ferry landing ON the reser-
walton side of said river, and the fact
that you held county license to operate
ferry on the same gave you no right or
authority to make such landing.
He was also advised by this office to
notify you to cease landing your boat,
passengers or freight carried thereon, on
that reservation, and warn you to keep
thority under section 2, LAT United States
revised statutes to remove all persons
| from the Indian country found therein
contrary to law, if such action became
necessary.
Section 9, 14s of said statutes provides
that any person who has been removed
from the Indian country. and who shall
thereafter at any time return thereto or
be found therein, shall be liable to a
penalty OF $1,000; and Agent Cole was
instructed, If the provisions of this sec
ton were violated by you, to take GER
tain steps looking to the Institution of
proceedings against you Hereunder in
the proper United States district court.
He was further instructed to inform
the Indians of the action of this Office in
this matter, and to encourage them to
continue the operation of their boats,
transporting both passengers and freight
whenever call should be made for that
purpose. Very respectfully,
L. j. MORGAN, commissioner.