The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-07
ONE MOUTH TOO MANY
How The s.. Mary'S Country Was Hurt
By a Boomer.
THERE is A NEW HEN ON NOW
Efforts Are Being Made to Secure
the Opening to Settlement of
Portion of the B ackfoot
indian Reservation.

GREAT FALLS, Jan. Cit is understood
shat an effort will DO made within the
next - months to induce the interior de-
partmeut to take the necessary steps
looking toward the opening for settlement
of that portion of the Biackfoot Indian
reservation generally known as the ST.
Mary's country because of the large lake
of that name which occupies prominent
position on every reliable map of the
reservation. The section of the reserva-
ton sought to be opened extends from
the summit of the Rocky mountains,
which is the western boundary of the
reserve, to an imaginary north and south
line far enough east to include the foot
hills of tue main range.
This portion of the reservation has long
been known to DO comparatively rich in
mineral deposits. 1t is considered to be
of little value from an agricultural stand
point and consequently is not worth much
TO the Indians. Regardless of the rules
forbidding trespassing on the domain of
Uncle Sans wards, prospectors have
piled their trade in the st. Mary's country
off and on for several years past. These
forerunners of the bonanza kings have
made very fattering reports about the
rich ore they found there. Even experts
have pronounced the country to be rich
in deposits of gold, silver and copper
Tolerably rich placer diggings are said to
exist in some of the streams.
As sportsman's paradise the ST.
Mary's country has few equals; game
and fish of all kinds are very plentiful
and, in spite of the watchful Indian po-
lice, hunters and anglers have invaded
this forbidden ground on several occa-
sions with invariably good success.
If this section, so rich in mineral and
such a paradise for sportsmen, were
thrown open to the public the wealth of
Northern Montana would be materially
increased, and the Indians would not be
a bit the worse off. They are not given to
fishing and everybody knows the wealth
of a Mackay could not induce the average
red man to work a mine. Enough could
be obtained from the sale of the mineral
lands to realize a handsome sum for the
posterity of the present inhabitants of the
Blackfoot reservation for years to come.
The last annual report of George Steel,
then agent OF this reservation, which was
forwarded to the secretary of the interior
year or so ago, strongly recommended
that the St. Mary's portion be purchased
from the Indians and thrown open. The
proposition met with so much favor at
Washington that the present agent,
Captain Cook, was authorized to call
council of the chiefs and leading spirits of
the tribe and ascertain what they thought
of the matter of disposing of a part of
their lands.
The meeting between the agent and the
representatives of the tribe was attended
with the usual pow-wow and lasted day
or so. Captain Cook explained matters
through the medium of an interpreter,
md at ha IF ha
the Indians took a vote as it were. Forty
are reported to have been in favor of the
proposition md only three against it. The
result was duly reported to the authori-
ties at Washington.
Matters we're adjusting themselves for
the appointment of a commission to come
on and treat with the Indians and every
thing looked favorably for the speedy
opening of the St. Mary's country.
About this time an incident. compare
lively trivial, transpired in the Hoffman
house in New York city which was the
means of knocking the whole scheme
higher than Gilroy's fated kite. An old
Montana prospector, who had struck sew
eral leads on the reservation, went to the
metropolis and took along some speci-
mems of very rich gold-bearing rock which
he claimed to have discovered on the
reservation. Nnetner ne told the truth or
not is immaterial. His suave manner of
describing the great mineral possibilities
of the country worked upon the cupidity
of one of the guests of the famous hotel.
The latter was carried away by the evil
dent richness of the samples and lost no
time in bargaining for a half interest in
the leads. He was one of those typical
boomers, and after he had succeeded in
getting in on the ground floor" as he
styled it, he went among his friends and
wearied them with glowing descriptions
of the new FL Dorado. he offered to let
few into the scheme. He expatiated
upon its feasibility with the power of a
Colonel Sellers until he became the laugh
ing stock of the street and the affair
reached the ears of the prominent officials
in the Indian department.
That settled the fate of the proposed
treaty. The rumor that spectators and
boomers we're seeking to deprive the
poor" Indians of their rights set tho |
tongues of the Indian maniacs TO wag-
Ging and had the effect of pigeon-hoIing |
the proposition. The recommendations of |
Mr.. Steel and the labors of Captain Cook |
came to naught, and Northern Montana |
was made to suffer. all through the volu-
biiity of New York boomer. II is to be |
hoped that the matter will be successfully |
put through this time.