The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-10

The Ceur d'AIene Reserve and
Its Pastoral Occupants.
FINE FARMS AND FAT cRANARlEs



which lies one and one-half miles east Of
here. has just been made by sub-Aeent J.
j. Walsh. The returns show that there
are 457 Ceur d'Alenes and forsy-four
spoksnes living on the reservation. There
are Us families who owa l55 houses,
many families owning . house 1t Dc
smes mission In addition TO their farm
residence. These houses are called Sun
day houses" because they are occupied by
the Indians when they attend church at
the mission on Saturday nights and Sun
days. There are eighty-eight school
children, Of ages ranging from Q to II
years.
nearly $500 COO, received by these Indians
for their lands last summer large amount
OF permanent improvements were made
and are being made. At least dozen nice
residences and Sunday houses" are now
being built upon the reservation and at
the mission. The new sawmiiI At the mis-
sion will be completed in few weeks and
then building will be pushed. as many
Indians contemplate erecting large barns,
granaries ana other buildings. The
money to build this mill IL furnished by
the government, there being still $4,000
$50. 90 is to be used for the erection and
maintenance Of the mill. and the remain
ing $12o, COO is TO be paid in fifteen annual
payments of $500 each. which, with the
interest allowed, will make about $50 for
every family living on the reservation.
The Cnur 'Alenes are the wealthiest
tribe OF Indians in the Northwest. Many
Of them have from ST. 900 to s. 900 on de-
srs$ 6,A Ssh D kA
chants, or In Spokane.
Last year these Indians had 4 800 acres
under cultivation and sold $500 worth
Of farm produce and stock. This year
they have 1900 acres in crop, or nearly
100 acres for every family on the reserva-
ton. They have about 192, 900 acres under
fence. Last year they built sixty houses
at cost of $50 600. and built 800 miles Of
barb wire fence.
Agent Walsh says the C9ur d'Alenes
are good farmers and take good care of
their crops, stock and machinery. They
have comfortable houses good barns and
sheds wherein to store their machinery
when NOT In use, thus setting . good ex-
ample for their white brothers. many of
whom leave their farm implements oct in
the fields or fence corners when it Is not in
use. They cultivate the ground well and
their crops give promise of an abundant
yield. They are thifty, industrious and
generally sooer. Drunkenness is punished
by fine, imprisonment in the "skookum
house." or jail. or by lashes on the back
Chief Saltese Is judge and jury in all
cases and imposes the fine or other pun
ishment. He lives At the mission. where
he has court room, and his
word is law in all cases. A police
force patrols the reservation on horse
back, all the policemen being Indians.
Adultery is punished by ,ashes, from fifty
to TO iashes with quirt being admins
tered upon the bare back of the offender
BY an Indian policeman, or the guilty per-
son Is confined in the skookum house for
from ten to sixty days. Only the males
are punished for adultery. the squaws
being released from all blame.
There are two stores operated by full
blooded Indians at the mission, but most
all the Indians and the proprietors Of
these stores buy their goods in Tekoa,
paying cash for nearly everything pur-
chased, although few are able to obtain
credit At the stores. An Indian
always pays for every article as
It is purchased instead of waiting
until his whole order is filled and then
paying the entire bill. This is done be-
cause few Of them can compute figures.
Your correspondent saw an Indian pur-
chase $50 worth OF goods at one of the
stores in Tekoa a few days ago. and he
paid for each article separately as it was
bought and laid aside for him.
The Indians prefer TO raise stock instead
OF farming, but they are taking very
kindly to the latter occupation. and are
very successful farmers. They now have
about 9,""o horses and 800 cattle on
the reservation. Many of their
horses are valuable ana their teams
are ali good. They drive to town
in hacks. covered carriages and carts.
never coming in wagons except when they
bring grain or other produce. A large
amount OF new soil is being broken this
year and the acreage Of grain next season
will DC nearly ensble that of this year.