, 1890-08-28
THE FADING RACE.
Indian Inspector Gardiner and
Agent Cole Upon Tour
OF Inspection.
Interesting Facts About the Tribes
of Eastern Washington
and Idaho.

Oulttu lSUtteS lnulhu iusINCtot
Robert 5. Gardiner, and Mr. III. j.
Cole, agent ofthe Colville and C9u
d. Alene Indian reservations, left this
city Saturday morning for Marcus.
While there inquiry will be made
into the case of w. II. Waters, who
has been running u ferry across the
Columbia river at that point for
the last thirty years, but who was
recently forced by the government
to suspend operations, because one
landing was made on the reserva-
ton, and IL was claimed that the
ferry interfered with the Indians
who occasionally had opportunities
to paddle passengers across the river
In canoes, and that these were les
sened by the running of the ferry
boat and a source of revenue was
thereby cut Off from them.
The Lake aud Colville tribes of
Indians will probably also be visited
by Inspector Gardiner and Agent
Cole, while North, and after return
ing to this city they will visit Ceur
d'Alene reservation.
Agent Cole reports these Indians
as In u prosperous and flourishing
condition. Their crops are good,
with the exception of those in the
Nespilem valley, where the crickets
have done much damage. The In
dams on this reservation are
wealthy and very industrious, and
have fine ranches, well improved
and well stocked, with good houses,
painted inside and out, and as diff
ierent from the typical Indian lodge
as can be imagined. The govern
ment does nothing toward their
support besides providing schools
for them and physician in case Of
sickness.
The item sent by telegraph from
Washington city few days since,
stating that these Indians would
cede to the government 100000
acres of their land at the rate of ~
cents per acre, was incorrect. The
reservation contains but sos, 800
acres altogether, and of this the In
dians will sell 100000 acres, receiv-
ing therefor $500, 200, and as there
are but 422 Indians in the tribe, the
share of this sum for every man,
woman and child among them will
be over sl, 100. The Indians retain
over half the reservation, including
all the agricultural lands.
In 1877 AN order was made TO the
effect that the Upper Spokanes, of
which there are about l75 left, and
to which tribe the Indians seen
about this city belong, should he
placed upon the Coeur d'Alene
reserve, and 500, 900 was granted for
the purchase of farming imple-
ments, ETC.. for their Use, but the
order was never ratified, and, con-
sequently, not enforced.
On the reservations under Agent
Coles care there are altogether 3,OlO
Indians. Besides those mentioned,
there are All Lower Spokane, 200
Calispel, and over 1900 Colville
Indians.
This last named tribe have more
of n wandering disposition than the
CGur dAlenes, and, in conse-
quence, are not so wealthy, nor so
comfortably established us the
latter.
Agent Cole a month ago returned
from Lake Chelan, where he had
gone with n body of troops from
Fort Spokane to effect the capture
of renegades from Chief Moses
band, who refused to remain upon
the reservation. The three principal
leaders We're brought back and
placed in the agency jail, where
they are now awaiting the action of
the government.
Mr.. Coles headquarters are across
the river from Fort Spokane, at the
junction of the Spokane and Column
bia, instead of at Colville, as Is the
general impression.