The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-07-16
One OF the Very Finest Sections Of
Country Within the
Arid Region.
Valley Of the Big and Little Horn
Would Support $4,000
People.
Abundant supply OF Water and the Land
Of tho Finest nnaltty-Rss0urces
Of Montana.

After twenty odd years of life In the
Rocky mountain region, ! think ! can ven-
ture tho assertion without the fear OF con-
tradiction, that the Grow Indian resetva-
tion in Montana ia one OF the very finest
sections OF country within the arid region.
! have been delightfully."- surprised to find
auoh . country.
Tho entire reservation embraces an area
Of nearly three and ono-half millions OF
ncres and could 1t be settled With white
people. and its agricultural and grazing re-
sources fully utilized, it would support a
population of fully 10O.O 600 people. l be
lieve the valleys Of the Big Horn river ana
the Little Hon river would support a pop
ulation of 30. 600 easily. There arc altogeth-
or about 1900 Crow Indians now living
and the number is constantly diminishing.
They do not seem to thrive under the care
and patronage of Uncle Sam. Like tie
buffalo, they are passing away, aAd within
a few yeas whom the tribe shall have been
reduced to a small number, with this mag
nifioent %patrimonial estate. thcy will I'M
doubtedly be one Of the wealthiest classes
OF people in the world. While, nj q tribe
they are like most Indians, comparatively
shiftless aud tritlinR, yet, there are striking
examples among them, quite to tho con
trary. Considering everything, have been
surprised ut the industry displayed by
some of thu N, mostly among the younger
members of tie tribe. They supplied
the contract for hay at the government
post, Fort Custer, this year. furnishing
about 2.0O tons, for which they received ~
tho neighborhood of $4,000. Most Of
them have been allotted lands and the gov
eminent has furnished and built for them,
or most of them, small log houses. but as q
rule, they do not live in them, preferrinR to
live in their ''teepees," grouped together ut
different point on the reservation, accord
ing to their family or tribal divisions. We
have found them very !caceRble and kindly
disposed, and very honest. l have yet to
know of a thievery OF any sort since l have
been among them. Some Of them have
raised small field of grain ind vegetables.
They hunt very. little; firearms We have
rarely seen. . :
They are a fairly good looking class of
people, with opsn and pleasant couEte-
nance and usually well built and strong,
but consumption seems to take a ready
hold on them, and va ious forms of sc!ofu.
litic diseases prevail among theM. But on
tho whole tho Crow Indian ia a retty good
Indian, and he certainly has a fine country.
l am trying to lay out a system OF lrrlga-
tion for them that will give each Indian in
the tribe a farm of 100 acres under ditch,'
in other words All irrigated farm Of 100
ncres. This, / think, l can do within the
two valleys above referred to. leaving the
larger portion of the reservation untouched,
to be disposed of or reserved for lease, and
nearly every ac:e of which is good grazing
land.
There is an abundant supply of water and
the land is of line quality. The problem is
TN interesting u and ! shall be very
Gratified If l can succeed in presenting the
matter satisfactorily before the authorities
of Washington.
I have been very much surprised to find
the people OF Montana so backward In np-
preciating the almost unlimited resources
of their state. With her large rivers and
great area of fine farming lands, the mag:
nihcent extent Of her grazing lands and her
Itch mines and coal fields, she should be.
n will be in time, one of the wealthiest
ind most %populous states Of the irrigation
empire. While / have seen only a portion
of the state, l an convinced that in point
Of resources Montana is ahead of Colorado,
and l am quite ready to dispose of my
Colorado farm 70. one here.
Ihe Irrigation development of the state
has scarcely commenced and l apprehend
that no better opportunities can be offered
anywhere in the west for settlers o. capital.
lists than Montana affords. Her people can
not long be indifferent to p:oclaiminQ her
possibilities and Observation-Disclosures II.
Graves in Salt Lake City Irrigation Age.