The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-01
THE MOSES RESERVATION.
Forbidden to Settlement BY White
Men.
Eager Prospectors Long to Invade the
Red Mans Reserve Fabied
Wealth and Resources.
CoLvrLLr. Wash. Dee. % 1sq.o

CoLyILLE, Wash, Dec %, 1890.
The Colville Indian reservation COM
pr1ses an area OF about 500 square miles.
1t Is largely mountainous country and
covered With heavy growth of timber.
About one-fourth of the area. comprising
$4,000 acres, Is valuable agricultural land.
At IS per acre one-fourth of this land
would be worth all of 100000. 10 say
nothing OF the value of the other three
fourths of the territory set aside for the
hoerty-ioving savages 20 iazily exist upon
at government expense. Neither have We
valued the timber or the mineral wealth
that abounds IN unknown millions in the
rock-Tibbed mountain Businesses OF thar
reservation that IS as large as the state of
Connecticut This reservation is cut In
twain By a range Of mountains that sfon.e
westward 10 the Okanogan county line and
eastward and south 10 the Columbia rivaw
that divides u from the civilization ef
stevens county. These slopec are notified
with timber and prairie openings OF bunch
grass. The Ioglands are such as lie along
the valleys OF streams emptying into the
columbia Every now and then are
beautiful stretches of country that
would make the agriculturist and orchard.
isf smile with envy. The Columbia river
bench lands are very fine. and orchards
that few Of the christianizsd Siwasbs.
nave been induced TO cultivate exhfhit q
wonderful capacity for the production of
frUlt IN almost endless variety. The
Kettle rlver vaileyi It's general nature i
somewhat ike that Of the ColyiIle The
Iand near the stream is very productive Of
fhay, and the uplands. that are cravaII,,
lsoil, produce remarkable Yields of wheat
oats, oarley, potatoes and other merchant.
abie laTnn produce The mountains along
the Kettle TIyer on either side are rich in
minerals Gold exists in rich bodies Of
white or sulphurets of iron. also conner
SILVER and lead have been found in Iars-a
ana very rich lodges. 1t is hard for the
prospector.s conscience 70 look across the
SoluLnoia rser upon portion of his own
country, so rich and yet forbidden mis- IN.
spectlon. Stlu, despite the efforts az tho
agency 70 keep away white people from
the reservation, they do 90 over there and
not q le" Oh these sturdy frontiersmeD s-e
qlleLE pursuing their vocation. One mar
mas sho"n the writer collection NJ rn;,-
erdI tnat ne has gathered from the yase-
F&tloh. inclUdlng mica in beautiful zhaets
. 1901 square also specimen of nura
anthracite coal that he claims came sro-.
a iedge three feet thick at depth Of fon-.
teen Iees from the surface, and locsfad ~,
hettie ryer, and inn0merable sueciner.
OF mineral rs
u i indeed a rich country 10 be in
haolsed by less than a thousand frs;.n.
nall OF whom come from British c oI,,,t;s
regions or the interior towns of on- a1,-r.
country where they inhabit the sn-t,,rs .
ana drink IRE water all summer ana 49,.
gregate at the agency 10 draw Their ,re..
OF wagon supplies for winter. 81, aa a.s
Nhieh they take away with them 70 -. ~
snapped on for more ire water Oe
;, lonasKet Is the name of the big chief as
tne triee, numbering about 500. thai IN