Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1894-01-16
WEALTHY INDIANS.
Cpur dAlenes Who Are Prosper
ing as Farmers.
They Take Good Care of Their Farming
Implements and Are Noted for
Their Industrious and
Sober Habits.

the CHur dAlene reservation, the
western boundary of which is the
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 sol Indians on the reservation, of
which 457 are Ceur d'Alenes and a
are Spokanes There are So school
children, ranging from to IS years of
age. There are 13S families and these
own 1876 houses. Many families have
a residence called 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, 900 from the United States govern
ment for 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 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
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. 1t is
expected this mill will be turning out
lumber in a 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,0OO, of which
$780, GOO goes for the erection and main
tenance of the mill and the remaining
$4,000 is to be paid in fifteen annual
payments of $4,000 each.
The Cour d'Alenes are the wealthiest
Indian tribe in the northwest. Many
of the Ind ians have from 81 900 to S.
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,
al, al,
in figuring up bill. They understand
making cha nge, but cannot compute
figures. Many of them, especially the
children, can read and write, and the
latter can be heard reading the signs
aloud as they walk along the streets.
Last year these Indians had 1880
acres in crop and sold S4S. 900 worth of
farm produce and stock. This season
they have $4,000 acres in crop, or near
ly 100 acres for each family on the
reservation, and the present prospects
indicate an abundant yield. They have
10000 acres under fence, having built
900 miles of barb-wire fence last year
They also erected last year sixty
houses, worth $780,
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 a 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 we'll.
They are thrifty, industrious and
sober
Drunkenness is severely punished by
fine, Imprisonment in the 'skookum"
house GALL, or whipping with a heavy
''quirt" upon the bare back. Chief
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 his
decision there is no appeal. The res
ervation is patrolled by Indian police
on horseback. These are under con-
troll of chief of police, who in turn is
under control of Saltese. Adultery is
punished by imprisonment or whipping
or both. Only the male is punished
for adultery, the squaw being held
as guiltless. The offender gets from
ten to sixty days in the ''skookum
bare back. The castigation is admin
listed by an Indian policeman, who lays
on the ''quirt" without mercy.
Like all other Indians the Ceur
d'Alenes prefer to raise stock instead
of farming, but they are adapting
themselves to the latter occupation,
and Mr.. Walsh has great faith in max,
ing good farmers of them. They own
5000 head of horses, some of which are
quite valuable, and 1000 head of cat
tie. They drive to town in hacks
carts, or covered carriages, and have
good teams; wagons are never used
except when produce is brought tc
market. A large amount of new SOD
is being broken this summer; and next
season the acreage of grain will be
nearly double that of the present sea
son. A bright future seems to be be
fore the tribe, which is fast assuming
the occupations, dress and habits Of
the whites.