The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-02-26
AS TO The FLATHEAD
Agent Carter Talks Interestingly AbOu.
the Reservation.
1T is A VERY RICH REGION
Mistaken Impressions Which Ii Is
Assumed Have Been Made
Upon the Mind OF People
In This Matter.

MIssoULA, Feb. 25.-Indiau Agent Car
ter of the Flathead reservation came
down from Jacko early in the week and
spent several days in Missoula. In view
of the local interest which is felt in the
desired opening of the reservation to set
Element, a STANDARD reporter asked Mr..
Carter for some information regarding
the reservation and the amount OF land
that would be made available for settle
ment in case that congress takes favor
able action upon the joint memorial
which has recently been passed by the
Montana legislature. Mr.. Carter's state
ment contains much that is of interest
and throws considerable new light upon
tho matter.
There is a very mistaken idea," said
Mr.. Carter, ''in regard to the extent of
the reservation and the number of acres
of arabic land that it contains. The fixed
boundaries of the Flathead reserve are
the SUBMITS of the three surrounding
mountain ranges. This puts the total
area of the reservation at about 1850
square miles. This looks like an inn
mense tract and so ii is, but the fact of
the matter is that there is not enough ag-
ricultural land in the whole reservation to
make the ailotments to the Indians. 1t is
| a long distance from the mountain ranges
to the valleys, which are limited in extent.
"In case the reservation is thrown open
to settlement. the first step to be taken
will be to have ON official survey made.
| Then the Indians will receive allotments
of 100 acres each, and the remainder of
tho land will be open for settlement. As
| nearly as can be estimated, about one
| half of the reservation is mountainous
| land. There are only about $50 acres of
| L. ba tinn that admits
of cultivation. There are three principal
valleys, the Jocko, the Mission and Camas
prairie. OF these the Jocko contains
about 90 square miles, the Mission about
26O and Camas prairie about 40. There
| are in the rest of the reservation not more
| than so square miles of arabic land. The
remainder of the comparatively level
| land can never be used for anything but
grazing, it being broken ground or alkali
| flats.
Our last census showed that we have
| 206l Indians on the reservation who are
| entitled to allotments. The government
| plan of apportioning the land a mong the
Indians puts four of them upon each
square mile. This would require SIC
square miles to 20 around, and we have,
by liberal estimate, only $50 square miles.
1.-THE Indians, themselves, do not hear
much about the memorial TO congress, out
those who know anything about it are I'M
alterably opposed to the proposed plan.
From what know of the policy of the adj
| ministration, do not believe that the
president would break the existing treaty
with the Flathead tribes, without their
willing consent. This, am sure, cannot,
at present, be obtained. Even now, they
are opposed to the allotment of the land,
while the reservation is closed and we
have hard work to get them to settle down
upon 160 acres"
Much of the mountainous land to which
Mr.. Carter refers is splendid timber land
and this would be available if the reser-
walton is opened to settlement, but it will
be seen from Mr.. Carter's statement that
no agricultural land would be at the dis
posal of settlers. if the reservation we're
| to be opened tomorrow. The sole benefit
would come from the timber and grazing
lands and the latter would be COM
paratively slight. TIE timber lands, how
ever, are said to be of great value and
would be of great benefit to the lumber
| men,