The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-05-28
THE RED MEMS LAND.
Agent EellS Wants It Saved
From Real Estate Dealers.
iNCAPACITY OF THE INDIANS.
They Can't Take Care OF Money-wAaa
They Have Already Received ON the
Contracts Has Been squandered.

TACOMA, MAY q. - Especial Agent
Eells, of the Puyallup and other Indian
reservations, was in the city today. Some
of the most active young men among tho
Puyallups having resented Agent Eellss
statement that they are not able to take
care of the money prospcctively to be de-
rived from the sale of the Puyailup reser.
walton lands, he was asked his reasons for
the stand taken by him. He said:
Between $1,000 and $4,000 has been paid the
Indians on laud contracts. All of that money
has been squandered, and the indians are no
better of. Indeed, they are worse Off Roughly
estimated. should say onet third of the money
paid on contracts has been gambled away or
spent in drink. Another third has gone, should
say, for useless Injuries, such as horses and
carriages, which have been more or less wrecked.
Aud the other third, suppose, has gone for real
comforts, such as clothes, etc. Some new houses
have been built since this money has been psid
in on contracts, but as a rule, since being paid
money the Indians have acted like rich mems
sons and have stopped working. Besides, there
has been more drunkenness. II they sold all
their lands today, In five years they would NOT
have a cent.
Mr.. Eells was asked if he considered the
Indians honest, and if they would live up
to their contracts, even if the governments
refused to honor them. He laughed heart
lily while replying thus:
The Indians are laughing In their sleeves be-
cause they have got ahead OF the white man fog
once. They have got the white mans money
on contracts and the white man is out that
much, provided the government will not recog-
nize the contract, which IL will not, / suppose.
The contracts are swindles. According to the
commission, they provide for tho sale of the
lands at one-third their value. was informed
by the commission that two men had made Q
standing offer OF $250,O00 for the $50 acres q
Browns Point. That is the cream of tho reser-
walton, having about mile of water front. The
contract which calls for the sale of that land,
should the reservation be thrown open, Is for
$4,000, on which l suppose 81 900 or more has
been paid. The Indian woman who was lott
this property IS recently married.
1t has been said that Agent Eells desired
to continue the Payallup Indians under
government control in order to ensure his
position, which it is alleged is a sInecure.
About this Mr.. Eells said:
1t would not make particle Of difference to
ME IL the reservation was not | have seven
reservations In all to look after, and am paid
81 GOO year for my servicea don't consider 10
big pay or a sinecure either. OF course these
people who have contracted for lands say all
sorts OF things about me, and put the Indians
up to all sorts OF things. do not want to see
the Indian lose his money. look after the In.
dian schools principally, and the Psyallup In,
dian school and other reservation schools would
continue. even with the Payallup reservation
open. To open it all at once would benefit Ia.
coma more than to open it gradually. Az for
railroads, recommended that the railroad be
given right-of-way. but the senate committee in
fixing up the new bill known as the Dawes bill.
decides, / understand that it would not do TO
allow bogus roads to secure a franchise just for
Of ont IN
BY petitioning congress any bona tide road can.
believe, secure right-of-way.
Agent Eells does not believe that the
Indians will refuse to cooperate with the
Dawes bill in selling their lands. Augustus
kautz and other prominent Puyallup In.
dams say the Indians will do nothing
under the Dawes bill, thus defeating its
object. "They are so hard up for money"
SAID Agent Eells, they will sell the first
chance they get"
provided an Indian were honest, and
had been advanced money on contract,
he could protect the persons advancing
the money, even under the Dawes bill,
could he not? ?"
eyes; but you find an Indian who will
do it, and I'll give you half dollar
Under the Dawes bill three-fourths Of
the land is to be sold at auction at price
not less than the appraised value, the In.
dams to be paid on installments in five
years with per cent. interest. IL
the Indians were SO disposed they
could sell to their friends at fic.
titious values, without actually paying
cash for the consideration. But Agent
Eells intimates that Mr.. Indian is wide
awake for No. and Will not protect those
who have befriended him. Still, Frank G.
Ross and others who have advanced
money to and befriended the Puyallups
are confident that they will not go back on
their friends.
Regarding the $4,000 to be paid the
commission for appraising the land under
the original Dawes bill, Agent Eells says
only what is necessary would be spent.
Mr.. Ross says the commission could not
possibly spend over $1,000 or s., 900 legiti.
mately, therefore the balance would 90
into some interested parties pockets. Tho
appropriation is to be taxed pro rata upon
the reservation lands, and the Indians OBJ.
]ect to being taxed in that way; at least,
that is the claim of those who have been
in the city lately and have discussed the
Dawes bill. Agent Eells sums up the case
by saying the old Indians do about what
the young men say, and the young men
are in league with and are the tools Of the
alleged real estate sharks.
He is confident the government will pre-.
vent by force any attempt to push rail.
road through the reservation without
special permit. Provided he spent as much
time with the Indians as he intimates in.
terested parties do, Agent Ee.ls thinks he
could handle them as others now handle
them. Augustus Kautz and others of the
more intelligent Indians denounce Mr..
Eells, however, a, not representing them
or their views in his official dealings with
the government. In fact they have been
trying to boycott Eells, but his standing
with the government continues mistaken,
and he says he is confident that he is doing
the unselfishly right thing by the Indians
under his charge.
Importance OF Boring Sea FILTRATION.
Boston, MAY 2G-Speakiug of the Beylua SEA