Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-23

eminently successful. and these Indians
have now taken their places as perhaps
the wealthiest and most promising In the
whole northwest.
very rich tribes. the Nee Perces and the
Occur dAlenes. The latter. numbering but
457. own 59S.500 acres Of land. Last year
they received half a million dollars from
walton. Many Of them besides possessing
good farms. well stocked and improved
with permanent buildings, have each from
Slooo to 5000 deposited in the local saw
ings banks or loaned out to merchants
over in Spokane. Wash. Last year they
had $500 acres under prime cultivation and
sold $4,000 worth of stock and produce.
This season they have 1900 acres in crop.
or nearly 100 acres for every family on the
whole reservation. They also have about
$4,000 acres under fence. They hold 5000
Nee Perces are larger tribe. numbering
1.S28 persons. They possess 1861 acres of
excellent land. or 406 acres per capita,
large proportion of which is under thor
munerat1ve returns.
Down in Arizona is a large and wonder
fuily rich tribe Of nomadic and pastoral
and owning a206. 40 acres Of land admirably
suited to grazing. They pursue stock rails
ing As q national avocation, and have l.
bS,754 head of sheep. 11s.79s head of horses
bly, the best armed and equipped Indians
on the continent, and are able to put from
5000 to 1000 aghting men in the field on the
shortest notice. The MoQuis of Arizona
and the Pueblos of New Mexico, neighbors
OF the Navajos. are also quite rich and live
under an ancient form of government,
holding their lands by patents issued BY
since confirmed by the United States gov
eminent. The Pueblos alone own 900 900
acres OF land, which Is very valuable. being
worth. exclusive Of the towns. 100000
Coming toi
the Eastern Cherokees, forming a body
polite Incorporated under the laws Of
North Carolina, are another favored race
There are ass of them and they hold
5000 acres of land. of which 20 900 acres
are arabic. $4,000 well suited for grazing
and 10000 covered with valuable timber.
The Six Nations Of New York, progeny of
the original 1roQuois. made famous by
Coopers novels, are made up of the Onon-
daga, Oneida, Tonowanda, Aliegany, Cat
taraugus. Tuscarora and st. Regis tribes,
ana live on reservations Of their own, be-
ing soveretgnties within themselves, nations
within the nation, governed by a constltu-
ton ratified by the legislature Of the state
OF New York. They are further advanced
IN civilization than any other reservation
Indians. They speak and read English,
wear citizens clothes and own 81, 327 acres
of land. valued at q. $40. &c. and other prop
erty valued at 8. 2S4. 9S8. II this wealth were
divided among them equally 1t would give
to each OF the 500 Indians and adopted
persons there 1895.
The Indian Depreciation Claim.
A great deal Of money has been dissi-
pated by some OF the richer tribes in pay
ing to attorneys and claim agents in Wash
ington exorbitant retainers and contln-
gent fees for procuring legislation in their
interest at the national capital. But the
greatest menace to Indian wealth Is the
Indian depreciation claim. dating back in
numberless instances almost to the begin
ming Of the government. The property al
legged to have been taken or destroyed in
depredatfons by rampant tribes is as varied
as the times and localities in which the
raids took place. Indemnity is asked by
descendants of early white settlers and
many Of later date for slaves taken, for
mining machinery damaged, for gold coin
kinds, houses barns and fences, and In
one case recorded for a luxuriant head of
hair. valued at several thousand dollars
by the fair claimant who was despoiled of
Ii, but who happily escaped further injury
The officials of the Department Of Justice
relate droll stories illustrating the marvel
Gus tendency TO indefinite multiplication
observable in these claims. A single COW
or a few starving sheep, after the lapse of
few misty years, become transformed
into enormous herd or flock in the inag
ination and even belief of the claimant.
and a primitive hut or cabin I'm the woods
Is localized into a noble and luxurious man.
sion. and so on down the list of all articles
and things that could be taken or injured
by maraudng Indians
Peculiar legal machinery has been pro-
vided for the adjudication OF these claims.
which, though just in many cases. are
trumped Up and dishonest in the mass. I'm
der the operations of this machinery the
Court OF Claims can render judgment
against the United States and different
tribes of Indians for upward OF sS4.0OO. 900
without service of process upon one Of the
Judgment debtors. and the judgment 70
rendered must be paid by the government
k.rN <xiv 81 trft
whose remote ancestors are charged with
committing the depredations. Over 10000
actions of this kind have already been
brought. and last year 4l3 OF them were
against the Indians and the government
and 122 rendered in their favor. The ag
gregate amount claimed in the actions ed
Indicated was 81. 1872. Unless some new
these claims the wealth of certain tribes Of
wariike prociivities in the past Is in dam
ger OF being wiped out entirely.
Reverting to the condition OF the five
interesting to note that they have 7s5
church organizations and own and main
tain AZ church edifices proper, besides S0s
halls, in which they worship. OF the total
s.. 900 souls composing the five tribes. 2s.521
are church members and communicates, or
the surprisingly large proportion Of II per
cent-probably not e0uaied or exceiled by
any other race Of people under heaven.
Exclusive Of the Five Tribes, there are
1888 Indians who wear citizens dress
wholly, and 5,4S4 in part. %. 4s4 who can
read English, and 80. $50 who can speak 1t
for ordinary purposes Among the tribes
not before mentioned that are entirely self
supporting are the Pfmas. Papagos and
Maricopas Of Arizona; the Mission and Tule
River ADaches Of California; the Eastern
Shawnees. Miamis. Ottawas Peorias Qua
paws, Senecas and Wyandottes Of the In
dian territory; the 1owas, Chippewas and
Sacs and Foxes Of Kansas: the Chehalis
inequalities. S'Klallam. S'Kokomish. Much
leshoat and Swinomish of Washington; the
Menomenees. Oneidas and Stockbridges of
Wisconsin, and the Chippewas of Mime
sofa Among them are 10000 dwelling houses.
together with 2a1 church buildings in which
5000 communicates assemble regularly to
worship. Counting in the communicates
in the Five Civilized Tribes II will be seen
that there are nearly $4,000 Christian church
members among our Indians, or 20 per cent
OF tina entire aboriginal population
However wicked and murderous the Sioux
Utes and certain other unregenerate tribes
may yet be, 1t cannot be denied that this
10 a wonderful showing of progress toward
higher civilization - all gained since
the Pilgrims ana Puritans first fell
upon their knees and then upon
the aborigtnes. And whatever may be
said as to the present policy of the gov
eminent in still further educa ting and ola