Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1895-09-26
On The Reservation!
AN INTERESTING AND SPICY
LATTER FROM THE AGENCY.
Won Hubert All Right.
The Demented Dutchman Again Fools The
Credulous-hel Is Traced to
Salmon Meadows.

The annual issue to he made to the
Indians in November will be the larg-
est in many years. $4,000 pounds Of
barb wire is but an item of the large
stock of wares that will be distributed
among the fortunate natives.
Agent Fisher has petitioned the de-
partment to change the prospective
location Of the portable saw mills
allowed the Indians by the treaty,
Inspector Lane had recommended that
they be located at Cold Springs and
Mason Butte, and unless Mr.. Fishers
| recommendation is accepted they will
be erected Immediately mt those points.
The class of timber in the immediate
| vicinity of the sites selected is very
poor for milling purposes and more CEN
tral and better locations could be had.
The Northern Pacific is disposing of
the bridge timber near the Agency,
which has lain at that point since 1890.
|
water, and was to be used as railroad
bridge to be erected across that stream,
one mile below the Agency. The
| Northern Pacific at that time enter
tanned the immediate extension of the
Spokane & Palouse branch to Lewiston.
but were compelled to cease operations
owing to the financial condition of the
company. The timbers are fast decay
ing and are now of no use for the pur-
pose of which they were originally in
tended.
Sixteen hundred and ninety.nine of
the two thousand and seven patents
have been received at the Agency, and
of this number receipts have been
prepared for over fourteen hundred.
Seven hundred and twenty have been
issued to the Indians, and the complete
issue will be made in a few weeks. The
three hundred and eight patents held
back by the department, we under
stand, is occasioned by the conflict of
rights, owing to deaths, adoptions,
etc. In many instances Investigations
are necessary, but it ia not thought
here that 1t will delay the opening of
the reserve.
The Lewiston Board Of Trade should
interest themselves In the extension Of
the Kentuck ferry wagon road to Lew
lston. In the interest of the city they
represent, at least an investigation of
the benefits to be derived would not
be out of place. Agent Fisher had pc
titionei the government to build this
road, as a convenience for the transac.
tion of the outside business of the
| Agency, which is done exclusively III
/ Lewiston. The proposition was looked
upon with favor by the department,
but limited appropriations prevented
the acceptance Of Mr.. Fishers recon-
mendation. The individual benefit
to Agency officials IS but mite COM
pared with the trade that will be di.
verted to Lewiston should the road be
constructed. Tie Junction" has
been the trading point for the Indians
this region, and the friendship SO long
engendered by association with the
business men of Lewiston still exists.
but the influence that developed this
country has alike had n civiiyIng
effect on the Indian. We find him to-
day an admirer OF good roads. He 10
no longer content with a lone trail.
He drives to market as would the in
dustrous white and to him good road
is q like attraction. BY the present
road from the Agency to Lewiston, the
distance is about fifteen miles. and a
pull up the hill from the Agency is nec-
essitated. With heavy loads, during
the fall and winter months travel is
simply impracticable. This condition
exists, and to it may be accredited the
large loss of trade to Lewiston which
has been secured by other towns. The
government has established free ferry
at the Agency. and the large number
; Of Indian teams crossing daily to trade
with northern towns, which are thui
reached economically and convenient
", Ia the lest evidence Of the import
ance to Lewiston of the propo ed new
: road. The trade now newly being es
tablished with the Nez Perces is sub
stantial and permanent one, and /,
proper enterprise by the Lewiston citi
zens should be displayed in the matter
The cost Of the road II but slight il
comparison to the benefits accrued
! Agent Fisher viii ss1snd earnest as
distance. and with the donation werl