Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-08-30
THE SILETZ RESERVE.
A Description of the Reserva-
tiOn'S Typographical
Features,

tive letter concerning the Siletz res
ervation written by B. F. Jones, of
this place, appeared in recent is
Sue Of the Salem Journal, and was
also reproduced in the Oregonian of
last Saturday. It is the best arti-
Gle that has been written concerning
the reservation:
\"As there have been a number
of statements made through the
press concerning the lands on the
tie Siletz Indian reservation soon
TO be thrown open for settlement,
will you kindly give one who has
lived in the vicinity Of the re3erya-
ton for the past "a years, space in
your valuable paper for brief de-
scription of this locality? AS we
do not wish to mislead any home.
seeker, or boom the country by
Misrepresentation. we snail endeav-
or to describe the lands as they ap-
pear having lived on the reservation
for time and being we'll acquain-
ted with it.
This country was formerly part
Of Tillamook county, but the act
creating Lincoln county gave this
land to the latter county. Within
the boundaries of the reservation
are about 23a,o acres of land,
$4,000 OF which has been designat-
ed and allotted to the Indians in
severalty, the balance to be opened
to settlers under the homestead law.
The agricultural lands are most.
ly along the Siletz and Salmon riv-
ers and their tributaries. The ST.
letz heads in or near the summit of
the Coast range, and empties its
clear, sparkling waters into the old
Pacific nea1 the center of the reser-
vation north and south. This
stream is very winding and crooked
and runs to every point of the COM
pass before it reaches the ocean.
This mouth of the bay is very mar
row and on either side are rolling
sand hills. Extending up the river
on the left bank for a distance of
three miles are large bodies of tide
lands, very high and only over
flowed in the winter or during full
moon tides in June. At this point
the mountain comes to the waters
edge, and on the right bank is
another large body of tide land.
From this point on up the stream
for distance of about go miles to
the head Of tide there are upon
either side of the river large tracts
Of bottom lands covered with crab
apples, alder and vine maple, and
occasionally a small prairie of from
10 to 40 acres. Along the noun
tain sides back of The bottoms, ex-
cept about three miles which is
rocl,y and rough, can be seen fine
saw timber, fir, larch, spruce and
cedar towering up toward the sky
from 100 to 200 feet; a green and
living reminder of one of the many
industries that are soon to spring
into existence in this favored local
ity as soon as the presidents proc
lamation shall have reached the ear
of the homeseeker. Six miles above
the head of tide is what is desig-
mated as the lower farm. During
former years the reserve was divid-
ed into three farming districts.
The middle farm, where is now To-
Gated all the government buildings,
the upper and lower farms, both of
which have white farmers, but for
number of years past one farmer,
located at the agency, has directed
the Indians in their farming pur-
suits. The lower farm is nearly
abandoned. Here one may travel
over fairly good road for dis
tance Of six or seven miles 10 tie
agency farm, passing one fine belt
OF land after another and seeing
nothing but vacated houses aud
broken-down fences and the fields
rrNwirr so - 'ves' - a~i =, .,er,
many of the Indians having either
died or moved to the coast, there to
fish or while away time according
to their ancient customs. At the
agency are some we'll kept farms,
including the government farm,
worked by the Indian school boys
under the direction of the industrial