Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1893-10-08
WEALTHY INDIANS.
Coeur d'Aiencs Who Arc Prosper
ing as Farmers.
They Tnkc Good Care of Their Farming
Implements and Are Noted for
Their Industrious aud
Sober IIabIta.

Sober Habits.
a complete census of the Indians ON
the CGur d'Alene reservation, the
western boundary of which is the
Washington and Idaho state line, one
and one-hnlf miles east of Tekoa, has
just been made by Subagent j. J.
Walsh. The returns, according to the
Portland O~rcgonian, show that there
are sol Indians on the reservation, of
which i57 are C1ur d'Alenes and A
arc Spokanes. There are IS school
children, ranging from 0 to IS years OF
age. There are 1873 families and these
w l55 houses. Many families have
Il residence called a Sunday house, ut
the Dc Smct mission in addition to
their residence on the farm. Thcsc
sunday houses" nrc occupied by the
family on Sunday when all attend
church ut the mission.
Last year this tribe received nearly
$500. COO from the United States govern
mont for Il portion of the reservation
which was thrown open to settlement.
This money was boarded away or
spent for permanent improvements on
their farms. They built houses. barns,
windmills and granarics; put up fences,
'NS' . AiililSillNlllN, IuCkS, CHI
riagcs and harness, and good heavy
draft horses. Many built new resi-
denccs OH their farms and Sunday
houses" Mt the mission. No less than
n dozen farm residences and SUNDAY
houses arc now being built, and when
the Sawnill Mt the mission Is com
rictcd many granaries, barns AMI
Their buildings will be erected. II /;
| .-fN,.A.N.l tNs- ,a;1 ,-;lN l.. ...--
amber in a few weeks. This mill i;
being built by the government with .
portion of the purchase price of tn.
land mentioned above. There is sti,l
due the Indians $4,000 OF which
5000 goes for the erection and main
tcnancc of the mill and the remaining
10000 is to be paid in fifteen annual
/ payments of IS, 0 each.
The Corr d'Alcncsa are the wcalthiest
Indian tribe in the northwest. Many
of the Ind iars have from 81, OGO to So
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 rs it is purchased,
thus allowing no chance for cheating
in figuring up Il bill. They understand
making cha ngc, but cannot compute
figures. Many of them, especially the
children, can read and write, and the
latter can be heard reading the signs
nlond as they walk along the streets.
Last year these Indians mad $500
acres in crop and sold SIS, 900 worth OF
farm produce and stock. This season
they have $4,000 acres in crop, or ncin-
" 100 acres Tor each iuIuily on the
reservation, and the present prospects
Indicate nm abundant yield. They have
l?2,O09 acres under fence, having built
900 milca of barb-wire fence last wear.
They ais erected last year sixty
houses, worth $50, 000.
Agent Walsh says these Indians are
good farmers ard are making money
in agricultural pursuits. They AXE
good care OF their crops, stock and i'm
PIGMENTS. They have comfortable
houses, good barns and sheds wherein
they store their machinery when not
in use, thus setting Il good example be-
fore their white brothers. Il majority
of whom leave their machinery cx-
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 arc thrifty, Industrious and
sober.
Drunkenness Is severely punished by
fine, imprisonment i'm the 'sliooltum''
house GaiD, or whipping with Il heavy
"quirt' upon the bare baclS. Chief
SnltcSc lives at the mission. where he
has II fine residence and courthouse.
lie Is the judge and jury in all cases.
and prcscribcs the mode and amount
of punishment the offender may re-
ccivc. His word Is law, and from his
decision there Is no appeal. The res
%crvation Is patrollcd by Indian police
on horseback. These are under CON
troll of a chief Of police, who in turn ia
d control of Snltcsc. Adultery Is
punished by imprisonment or whipping
or both. Only the male IL punished
FOR adultery, the squaw being held
as Eiiiltlcss. The offender gcts from
ten to sixty days in the ''skookuin''
house, or from 80 TO $50 lashcs on tho
bare back. The castigation Is admin.
istcd by an Indian policeman, who lays
on the "quirt" without mercy.
Like all other Indians the CTur
d'Alcncs prefer TO raise stock instead
Of farming, but they are adapting
Themselves to the latter occupation.
md sir. Walsh has great faith In mni;-
ing good farmers of them. They own
p,CCO head OF horses. some OF which nrc
quite valuable, and 1900 head OF cat
tie. They drive to town In hacks,
carts, or covered carriages, and have
good teams: wagons are never used
except %hcn produce Is brought TO
market. n large amount of new sod
IL being broken this summers: and next
season the acreage of grain will DO
nearly double that OF the present sea-
CON. a bright future Gems so be be-
fore the tribe, which is fast assuming
the occupations, dress and habits of
the whites,