Arizona republican., 1893-11-29
WEALTHY INDIANS.
Ceur d'Alenes Who Are Prosper
 ing as Farmers.
They Take Good Care of Their Farming Implements and Are Noted for Their Industrious and
 Sober Habits.


 Washington and Idaho state line, one and one-half miles east of Tekoa, has just been made by Subagent J. J. Walsh. The returns, according to the Portland Oregonian, show that there are 501 Indians on the reservation, of which 457 are Ceur dAlenes and A are Spokanes. There are 6s school children, ranging from g to IS years of age. There are 138 families and these own 155 houses. Many families have a residence called a Sunday house" at the De Smet mission in addition to their residence on the farm. These Sunday houses" are occupied by the family on Sunday when all attend church at the mission.
 Last year this tribe received nearly $500, ,0O0 from the United States govern ment for portion of the reservation which was thrown open to settlement: This money was hoarded away or spent for permanent improvements on their farms. They built houses, barns, windmills and granaries; put up fences, bought farm implements, hacks, car riages and harness, and good heavy draft horses. Many built new resi- dences on their farms and Sunday houses" at the mission. No less than a dozen farm residences and Sunday houses" are now being built, and when the sawmill at the mission is com pleted many granaries, barns and other buildings will be erected. It is expected this mill will be turning out lumber ii q few weeks. This mill is being built by the government with portion of the purchase price of the land mentioned above. There is still due the Indians $15O,OOO, of which $500 goes for the erection and main tenance of the mill and the remaining S120,000 is to be paid in fifteen annual payments of $S,0OO each.
 The Occur d'Alenes are the wealthiest Indian tribe in the northwest. Many of the Ind ians have from $1 ,OOO to S5,- 900 on deposit in the local banks, with the local merchants, or in Spokane. They all own good farms, most of which are fenced and being rapidly placed in cultivation. They have good houses, and many are setting out nice orchards which will be bearing fruit in few years. They are very careful with their money, buying but few things they do not need and paying cash for each article as it is purchased, thus allowing no chance for cheating in figuring up bill. They understand making cha nge, but cannot compute figures. Many of them, especially the latter can be heard reading the signs aloud as they walk along the streets.
 Last year these Indians had 4,S00 acres in crop and sold S49.000 worth of farm produce ana stock. This season they have 13,O0O acres in crop, or near ly 100 acres for each family on the reservation, and the present prospects indicate an abundant yield. They have 192,0O0 acres under fence, having built 900 miles of barb-wire fence last year. They also erected last year sixty houses, worth S30,000.
 Agent Walsh says these Indians are good farmers and are making money in agricultural pursuits. They take good care of their crops, stock and i'm plements. They have comfortable houses, good barns and sheds wherein they store their machinery when not in use, thus setting good example be- fore their white brothers, a majority of whom leave their machinery ex- posed to all kinds of weather when it is not in use. Their farms compare favorably with those of the whites, and their grain yields equally as well. They are thrifty, industrious and sober.
 Drunkenness is severely punished by fine, imprisonment in the ''skookum' house GaiD, or whipping with heavy ''quirt'' upon the bare back. Chie1 Saltese lives at the mission, where he has a fine residence and courthouse He is the judge and jury in all cases and prescribes the mode and amount of punishment the offender may re ceive. His word is law, and from hi: decision there is no appeal. The res ervation is patrolled by Indian police on horseback. These are under con bIOl Ol d C1lCl O1 PO1lCC, WhO III oul u II under control of Saltese. Adultery ii punished by imprisonment or whipping or both. Only the male is punished for adultery, the squaw being helt as guiltless. The offender gets iron ten to sixty days in the "skookum' house, or from 50 to 150 lashes on tht bare back. The castigation is admin isted by an Indian policeman, who lay on the ''quirt" without mercy.
 Like all other Indians the C9u1 d'Alenes prefer to raise stock instead of farming, but they are adapting themselves to the latter occupation and MT. Walsh has great faith in mak ing good farmers of them. They owl 5000 head of horses, some of which ar quite valuable, and 1,50O head of cat tle They drive to town in hacks carts, or covered carriages, and hay good teams; wagons are never use except when produce is brought t market. A large amount of new so is being broken this summer; and neX season the acreage of grain will b nearly double that of the present sea son. A bright future seems to be be fore the tribe, which is fast assumin the occupations, dress and habits the whites.
 Medicine by RatiOns.