The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1895-12-14
Surveys Disclose Fine AgricuI-
turaI Lands.
TIE BUNCH GRASS BENCHES
A Graphic Description of the Beautiful
LaNes, streams, Forests, Valleys
and Mountains.

The COlVllle reservation proper, dS
first set apart in the presidents order
of April 8, 1872, included the Colville
valley, but on July 6, 1872, by executive
order, the reserve was changed to its
present location on the west side OF the
Columbia river, writes George II. era
mer in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
This region then, as now, was little
known to the whites. 1t was conceded
to be a mountainous country, of little
value except as hunting ground for
the Indians. This estimation OF 1t
holds good in the main, but the gov
erment surveys just completed have de-
veloped the fact that the opinion is err
roneous to some extent. While in fact
the general topography of the north
half of the reserve is mountainous this
feature is relieved here and there by
small picturesque valleys of rich agri-
cultural land, susceptible of high Gull
tivation.
AS you travel west from Marcus, on
the Columbia river, over the old Hud-
son Bay Company's trail, you climb
steadily the first range of mountains
between the Columbia and the Okano-
gan rivers until you reach the summit
some 5000 feet above the sea. Here
grand panorama of mountain scenery
spreads out before you. Dim in the
distance are the towering snow-capped
peaks of the Cascades, nearer the lesser
mountains of the MethOw to the MOI N,
dim and blue in the distance the big
snow-clad mountains in British Column
bia, while at your feet, snugly ensconc-
ed among bunchgrass hills, among
rock-ribbed and timber covered noun
tains, is the Curlew valley.
10 n
valley, as it is known on the maps of
this region, is narrow valley about
20 miles in length, while it's average
width will not exceed one mile. 1t is
fertile, we'll watered and well adapted
to the cultivation of cereals, Vegeta-
bles and stock raising. At present
there are a few families of Indians
and half-breeds settled in the valley
They are principally employed in farm
ing, but all of them raise horses and
have few head of cattle. Their farm
ing so far has been very successful, be-
ing under direct supervision. of farmer
employed by the government and it
may be we'll to state that through the
careful supervision of the agents APP
pointed by the government these In
dams have attained fair degree of
civilization and are now well able to
Odlllt dlOuc lOl SAloASiiCts
During the past summer in and
about this valley the government sur
veyors surveyed something over 10000
acres of land. In the main this is not
purely agricultural land, but there are
benches and small bottoms in canyons
leading into the main valley that, when
properly irrigated will make beauti-
full and fruitful farms for the
incoming white settler. This sec
ton of the reserve is vel
timbered. There are several diff
ferent varieties of pine and fir from
which merchantable lumber can be
manufactured.
CURLEW LAKE.
In the upper end of the valley i:
Curlew lake, beautiful sheet of water
in whose depths sport several varietie:
of trout, while upon its unruffled sur
face float contentedly wild ducks anC
geese, with the noisy loon. The lake II
about six miles long, with an average
width of half a mile. It's southern hal
is dotted with several small islands OF
which in luXuriant wildness flourish tn
haw, wild cherry and serviceberry
Flowing out of the lake to the nortl
through a tangle of water plants AM
winding its way down the valley among
the cultivated fields of the Indians t
Kettle river, is Curlew creek.
The San Puel, coming down from tn
mountains to the east and flowing
through the southern end of the vale
into a small lake, then out through
narrow gap in the surrounding hill
into the San Puel valley, finally find
it's way to the Columbia. This stream
like most of the streams on the reserve
is a fine trout stream, but has the &C
ditional advantage of being the onl
stream in the north half of the RI
serve up which salmon run from tn
Columbia.
The San Puel valley, like the Curle
valley, is settled by the Indians an
half-breeds, and, the valley being ma
row, with only II miles of its length
the ceded portion of the reserve, it
more than probable that all the avail
able agricultural land will be allotte
to them. No surveys were made tn
summer south of the ninth standai
parallel consequently the San Puel va
ley and the lands to the east and we
of it are unsurveyed.
AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES.
In order to get a general idea of Il
agricultural resources of the north ha
of the reserve it would be well to lea
the old Hudson Bay Company's trs
when it enters the Curlew valley and
travel down the valley over a good wa
on road made by the Indians. 1t is
miles by this road to Kettle river, b
the ride is interesting, especially if
ken in the autumn, when every thick
on the hillsides presents a wealth
autI1rnnaI colOring and from the roa