The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-04-30
OH MISSION CHURCH.

/ times larger than Rhode Island and about
/ one-tenth as large as Pennsylvania This
/ vast territory is inhabited by less than
/ 1000 people, according TO the census O.
/ 1899, OF whom 6S5 are males over eighteen
/ years old.
| The population comprises the remnants
/ of eight tribes. viz, the Colvilles. Lakes
/ Okanogans, Nespilems, Column bias, Me
| thows, San Puells and Chief Joseph's band
| of Nez Perces, in former years one of the
] most hostile and troublesome of the Pacific
| coast tribes. The largest of these tribes,
| the Okanogans, numbers but S47 persons
all told, and the smallest, the NeSpilemS,
numbers but g. Other inhabitants are a
| considerable number of "squaw men
| whites who have married Indian or half
breed wives, but who have no other tribal
relations or possessory rights and few
white settlers who took up government
land prior to the creation Of the reseTva-
ton.
The Colville reservation was created by
executive act during Presidents Grants
administration, the first occupation by In
dams being in 1872. Prior TO that time the
several tribes were in nomadic condition
and did not recognize the guardianship or
protection of the government. Since that
time they have lived in apparent content
| ment on the reserve, for the most part
| along the banks and in the fertile valleys OF
the Columbia, Okanogan, San Puell, Bona
parte and Kettle rivers. Their summers
are spent in "shacksn or huts, rudely con
structed of logs or, II the family be well TO
do, the domicile is more pretentious and
built of rough pine boards. In the winter,
as a matter of greater comfort, they hud-
die together in the traditional tepee. Ow-
ing to the jealous ministrations OF the
Jesuits, who established mission near old
Fort Colyille in the thirties, the Indians
have attained degree Of intelligence and
civilization far above the average standard,
and the majority of them are inclined to
industry and thrift. But after ali, and
notwithstanding the restraints and disci-
pline of the Jesuit fathers, they are-In-
diaps.
In 1890 the commissioner of Indian az
fairs at the national capital appointed
commission to treat with the Indians for
portion of this reserve, and in May, 1891,
this commission met with them in a coun-
Gil of all the tribes and a treaty was made
and ratified, being signed by sos Indians,
whereby they ceded to the government
500 600 acres, or little more than the
north half of the reserve. For this the gov
eminent agrees TO pay S. 500 COG, build
school houses, a blacksmith shop, a saw
mill, furnish necessary instructors and OPP
orators, give each Indian over eighteen
years old eighty acres OF land in seyeralty
and make special grants in cash to certain
chiefs. The treaty was subseo uently ratified
by the commissioner of Indian affairs and
secretary of the interior, and received the
Endorsement of President Harrison
To secure to the people this valuable
tract of land requires an act of congress
appropriating from the public funds suf-
ficient sum for its purchase, and favorable
action is almost assured.
The western portion Of the reservation j.
beautiful, roRing country. but narr
strip bordering on the Columbia is
rugged and mountainous character, an
abounds in streams and fertile valleys.
large portion Of the land is arabic, although
probably not over 500 acres are DOW under
cultivation. While the valleys yield pro
ILLEGALLY Of cereals and vegetables. the bench
lands, even at an elevation of 2, coo feet, are
not less fertile, and are capable OF produc-
ing enormous crops. In other portions o.
Stevens county, bordering on the reservs
ton, better crops are garpered on the
bench lands than on the bottoms.