The Portland daily press., 1893-04-10
INDIAN HOMES.

INDIAN HOMES.
These Alligewi, so there is much rea-
son to believe, were the veritable mound
builders, and the word ALLEGHENY" is
but white mans corruption of their
name. But how strange it is that along
the banks Of the Allegheny river the de-
scendants Of the greatest enemies of the
mound builders still live!
In reservation Of some $4,000 acres,
a strip of territory 40 miles long by
about one mile in width, varying some
what as the width Of the valley varies,
with the broad and gentle Allegheny
flowing throughout its length, live some
900 Indians, almost all of them being
Senecas.
The original meaning of their Indian
name was, "they who are at the door
way" for the ancient Iroquois, by a
splendid conception, pictured their mag
nifcent realm as one great house, stretch
ing from the Hudson, where the Mo
hawks guarded the eastern portal, to the
great lakes, where the Senecas kept
watch at the western door.
One who passes through the dreary
Allegheny reservation, where the fields
are covered with countless stumps still
to be uprooted, and where but little
farming is carried on, and that but in a
sadly inefficient manner, thinks Of the
original meaning of the Seneca name,
for truly these Indians are still Eat the
doorway"
The reservation is hemmed in on either
hand by a line of dark and loftily abrupt
hills, and it is claimed that the Indians
were induced to accept such narrow
strip by being made to believe that 40
square miles meant the same as 40 miles
square n "a
Yet a generous government does not
forget them. By treaty they have the
right to the annual interest accruing
from the sum for which they sold their
former lands, and each one on the res
ervation receives therefore, each year
what is supposed or claimed to be the
worth of $4.20 in gingham or sheeting
or some such material.
The reservation consists largely of river
water, and through such part as is land
several railroads have been allowed to
run their tracks. while more than this,
one good sized city, Salamanca is located
within the reservation, and several small
er towns as well.
The whites went in without any right,
and recognizing the illegality of their
tenure put up frail, unsubstantial build
ings without foundations, SO that little
loss would ensue should they be COM
PEELED to remove.
But the government came to their re-
lief. Such deserving citizens ought not
to be neglected. tAnsaet was passed in
1875 allowing them the legal right to
lease lands of the Indians for quite term
of years. It was known that the majority
of the tribe would not refuse the small
amount of money offered, and the In
dams were therefore allowed to part
with the right to large portions of their
lands, no regard whatever being had for
future generations Of their race.
The Indians are confronted by a serious
problem. Their own timber has been
chopped down and is therefore no longer
a source of revenue They must either
obtain work in sawnill and, lumber re-
gions, as some of them already do, or
they must farm, and how to cultivate
those rough and stumpy fields is prob
lem.
The inside of an Indian home is usually
a scene of careless disorder. Articles of
furniture and use stand about in all sorts
of positions, and the walls, if papered at
all, are usually papered with newspapers
which more than likely are tapping and
loose.
Yet the Indians, both men and women,
are pleasantly happy as a rule and do
not seem to dread the future.
We took shelter one day from a heavy
rain in one of their homes and were re-
ceived by most pleasant, CHEEKY little
body, barefoot Indian woman, per-
fectly self possessed, with the brightest
of eyes and splendid form. well poised,
and finely shaped head, and pretty
mouth and nose. Poorly dressed she
was, but really handsome.
And how she loved and watched her
two little children-petting and fondling
them when frightened by the lightning
and thunder, and ever and anon break
ing into peals of gleeful, chirrupy laugh
ter! atfe
In the best room the ceiling was of
board whitewashed. The kitchen had
boards up the sides, while the ceiling was
lathed, but not plastered. There was at
one side little open cupboard of four
shelves, the upper and lower in disorder
but oddly enough the middle two care
fully arranged, with simple pieces of
glassware in the center, and on each side
two cups and two saucers, each saucer
inverted and with its cup on top
Two pieces of white cloth, each being
half width of sheeting, served for cur
tains, each of these curtains being tackled
in place at the two upper corners.
Most of the women are good looking
and have small feet. The children in
general are bright and chubby. The
men are stolid and grave, many Of them
being of rather heavy form and of clum
sv and far from athletic build. They no