The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-03
THE wENATCHEE hEsKRvATIos.
Its History Goes Back TO 1S55-Ths In
sts~ns Expect too Much.

Wenatchee, Jan. 2.--Special.-Ther is
a history connected with the Wenatchee
Lake Indian reservation. reference TO
which has been made In the Post-IHtells-
gencer In 1865 Governor Stevens ON be-
half Of the government. made a treaty
with certain Indians specified as Yak
ina Indians. giving them n township OF
land for the benefiu and convenience OF
certain Indian fisheries which were then
In existence up the WenatsiIapan river.
This treaty or contract was forwarded
TO Washington City, together with a plat
showing the location OF the reservation.
By Governor Stevens In that year. bat 1t
seems to have slunbered from that time
to 1891. when ex-Agent Lynch. acting in
the interest OF the Yakima Indians. re-
vivei it BY asking that the reservation
be surveyed and formally laid on.
Inasmuch as there were no salmon to
catch. and no Indians ON or who had
ever lived there, steps were taken by
many of the settlers up the Weuatchee
10 prevnt its being surveyed or ever laid
Off as a reservation. especially as 1t
would be useless to the Yakima Indians.
aud its location would be in the midst OF
a much needed new country. Notwith-
standing this, the department took the
necessary steps to have 1t surveyed and
laid OF as the ''Wenatchee Fishery res
ervatlon," In accordance with the con-
tract and plat formally made by Gov
ernor Stevens This was done in the fall
Of 1892. The reservation embraced u part
of the lower end OF Lake Wenatchee and
ran down the river some six miles. 50 as
to make one township OF land. At this
time. and for the reasons that IL was use-
less to the Indians and would still be
tn the way of a new county. a petition
WAS drawn up by Judge Chase and pre-
sented to the president, asking that the
reservation be bought by the govern
nent and the Indians paid a money con-
sideration for the land, leaving a part
OF the public domain and the settlers
thereon undisturbed. AciEg under. this
petition, tho president appointed COM
missicners 10 investigate the matter aud
report to the department. The report
favored the purchase and also that an
appropriation be made to pay the money.
This had to be ratified by congress and
then 1t was found that. inasmuch a.
many if not all Of the Wenatchee IndE-
ans had helped build and use the fisher
les OF forty years ago. 1t seemed but
right that they should share In the pro-
ceeds. and largely through the efforts OF
Judge Chase. In correspondence with the
commissioner of Indian affairs. Congress-
man Wilson and Senator Squire. "a blu
was introduced in congress providing
that the Wenatehee Indians should stand
ON equal footing with the Yaklinas in
the distribution Of the money.
The bill was passed. arss an appropria-
ton Was made OF sae.oco, which Is now
TO DO paid tho Indians In shares alike,
ard In following the Instructions OF the
department. Agent Erwin. Of the Yak
ina reservation. met about twenty Of the
WcnatGhee Indians at Weratchee re-
Gently 10 Inform them that the money
would soon be paid over. and also that
II aly or them was without land be
could select eighty acres OF unoccupiei
government land, ard he would set IL
apart fer him free OF expense, 80 that
all of them would receive some money,
and thoge without land would receive
land az well, But TO the surprise or Er-
win the Indians, BY the advice os one
HaYersilf, VINO is acting as chief. re-
fused To accept either money or land. In
Justice 10 them II should be said that
many or them believe that the reseryn-
ton was net laid where il should have
been. they claiming that it should have
been located from the nnoutis OF ran
water canyon down SO as TO include tire
Mission Creek country. ard they fear
thai 20 accept money for the sale OF tha
reservation a. the lake wosld forfeit all
she.- rights 10 their hcped-for Mission
reservation, OF wiiieh there Is no record
or knowledge In the deraftTnent- II is
clear that the Only reservation which can
or Will be given IN the or.e mentioned and
uoy sold. and that the Indians rights Ia
rhat respect are exhausted. and Il woslsd
ne ~ sheIr Interest 30 receive the money
and aslotfnents or land