Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-07-12
The Siletz Reserve.

INST. PUBLISHES q statement ron
some person concerning the Sis
reservation lands that is 50 full d
errors that We believe it should be
. corrected. The article reads as
follows:
"Siuce the government allotted
the Indians Of the SiIetz agency
their lands in seyerality and plr-
chased the remainder Of the reserve
to be sold TO actual settlers at ST. 80
per acre Upon a years residence by
the applicant, dozens of home-seek-
ers have gone into that country to
spy out the land. We have heard
Of number Of secret expeditions
with a view to squattirg upon choice
pieces, but as the government has
not formally thrown these lands
open to settlement, no claims have
been officially taken. a Agentleman
who but recently returned from a
careful inspection of the country,
does not give 4 very fatteriDg re-
port, in fact his account was filled
with ting CT ill-Concealed disgust.
Said he: "The best land has been
gobblel BY the Indians who, of
course, had the first show. They
took their allotment of $50 acres
each man, woman and child-and
left only the hills and the poorest
of the bottom lands for the white
trash. This latter land is covered
with a growth Of brush and small
trees as thick as hair OH a dogs
back. The Indians, with an eye
to business, have taken all the open
tide lands. The Siwashes are op-
posed to anything like clearing
land, so they leave that for Lo! the
poor white man. About f0ur-ffths
of the lanl left by the Indians is
not worth 50 cents all acre, let
alone $3.50. If the government
expects to get the purchase price,
SI85, 900, out Of the land remain
lug at $3.50 per acre, with which
to reimburse the Indians, it will be
a long time in paying Mr.. Indian
a few claims may be had, it is
likely, that might be redeemed from
trees and brush and coverted into
farms, but they are very few, and
the fact that there is little if any
desirable land left for white settlers,
will retard the settlement of that
section"
The person quoted by the Herald
is mistaken as the conditions of the
S requirements. He must
make a three years residence, in
stead of one, and must pay 50 cents
per acre at the time Of entry and
81 per acre additional at time of
proof. We think that he
IS again mistaken when he states
hat "dozens of homeseekers have
gone iton that country to spy out
he land" Some may have started
or that purpose, but when they
came in contact with Agent Gather
md the Indian police they conclud-
I'd not to Spy out the land"
This will probably account for the
Herald's informant's i'll. concealed |
lisgust. Again he is wrong as to
lllotments. The Indians only get
50 acres Of land each, instead Of
100. The poor fellows wall of
only hill land and the poorest bot
ON land being left fer the whites
IS comical. Again the land only
costs the government S143.6oo i'll.
stead Of SG85, 900 as is misintormed |
above.
The fact Of the matter is that tie
Indians very scnsibly selected for
their allotments in great many |
instances the lands which thev
had improved, and in evey iu-
stance they aimed to get the best
and. If the Herald's informant
thinks that he is going to get to |
sail in and settle upon some 16o
acres that the Indians have i'm
proved, he is mistaken. But there
ire thousands of acres Of as good |
and as there is III Oregon that will |
De open for settlement. This LAND |
will be i'll its wild state, but the
strong arm of the sturdy home
'teader will improve them and
make them as good as the laaas
allotted the Indians.
If the Herald's informant will
wait until tie reservation is legally
'pened we can show him land un-
'ilo.ted on the SiIetz that will make
lim ashamed Of the misstatements
lie has made.
-"$SNs--<-s-
SCHOOL REPORT.