The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-11-16

j. Craig. of the University of Montana,
located at Missoula, whom we met on
the train and who supplied us with
valuable Information pertaining to this
| section. At MissOula the traveller west
] ward to Spokane has he choice of two
routes, through the Bitter Root range,
| and Occur q Alene, Lake and Indian
Reservation and Catholic Mission, or
| northward and westward over the Mis-
sion range of the Rockies. through the
| Coriacan Defile into JockO and Paradise
| valleys and beside Lake Pend d.
Oreille and q strip of Idaho. We chose
| the latter route, leaving the Occur
| G'Alene trip to bc taken from Spokane
Leaving Missoula, the third and final
ascent of the Rocky Mountains Is made,
over the Mission range, the railroad
| passing westward across the northern
| edge OF the plain over low and well
timbered divide. which separates the
| waters of the Missoula river (the con-
| tinuation of the He'll Gate) from those
which drain into the Flathead river and
Flathead Lake northward. After coil
| Ing about the mountain sides lin an ef-
| fort to make the pass) for fourteen
miles, the road enters Coriacan defile.
and crosses the Marent Gulch by an iron
| bridge S66 feet long and 226 feet above
| the valley below. The defile Is sur
mount q by grade of l1G feet to the
mile. for thirteen miles. ascending and
! descending. and swings over into the
charming vclley of the Jocko river and
/, along the Flathead Indian Reservation.
| a Delightful Experience.
| In making this climb. the road Is car
ried through one of the most touching
and interesting bits of mountain
scenery to be found anywhere. AS the
iron bands twist about in long and
| n t.rI, t,.av lac of
wonderful lightness, but strength, the
ever changing panorama draws forth
expressions of pleasure and admiration
| from every traveller. And our admira-
| tion no less as we speed down the
western slope and the valley of the
Jocko unfolds itself. 1t is q delightful
change, a pleasant relief, an agreeable
| sensation as we enter this smiling val
ley, backed by such dignifed noun
tain walls, alongside of the noisy,
whirling swirling. rollicking Jocko riv-
| er, which opens new scenes at every
| turn, / repeat this ride is enchanting
and cannot fail to enthuse the tourist.
AS we descend the mountain we sec
| from the broad windows Of our obser-
walton car over to the right, across
the broad, grassy plateau, collection
of white buildings, and rs we draw
nearer, moving figures are seen, mainly
on horse back. They are strangely
dressed and the colored accouterricnts
at once suggest the noble red man.
such indeed they are and we find that
we are traversing the Fiathead In
dian Reservation, and the buildings we
noticed in the distance axe those of the
agency. Our readers may be interest
ed to learn about the Flathead Indians
| and this model reservation.
This reservation was established in
| 1855. 1t was walled in on three sides;
by high mountains opening northward
into arabic valleys, while the noun
famous region is heavily timbered. This
reservation extends along the Jocko
| and Pend d'Orellle rivers. u distance
| of sixty miles This tract covers an
| area of 2,240 square miles. or over 800, =
coo acres. The three tribes which occu-
| py 1.-THE Flatheads-the Koo-ten-ais.
| and the Kal-is-pels. number some 100
| to 1900 souls This reservation II d.
vided into tracts for four persons to a
family, would supply each family with
about 5000 acres. The Flathead agen-
cy Is under the control of the Catholic
| church, which supports a Jesuit mis-
sion. Here is church a convent. ex-
| cellent schools for boys. one for girls,
and d printing Office which has turned
out, among other publications. a die
| tionary in the Kalispel or Flathead lam
| guage. The Jesuit Fathers have a fac
ulty of controlling the minds and win
ming the confidence of these savages to
q surprising degree. Probably there is
| no better example on record of tribe
being brought out Of savagery In one
generation than is offered by the Flat
heads, and their cousins (so-called)
Pend dOreilles.
| Indians Really Civilized.
Their agent. Major Roman, during
the twenty years Of his management
was remarkably successful in educat-
ing the Indians up to point OF living
in log cabins. fencing fields. cultivating
little patches of grain, and potatoes
and keeping horse and cattle, and since
| his death, in 1893. Mrs. Roman has, with
much loyalty, self-denial and heroism
\ away from the privileges, comforts and
refinement of society and friends. car
ried on the work of her husband, and
to-day nie-tenths of Flathead Indians
are self-sustaining, owning 10000 OF
more horses and 5000 to G,000 cattle, but
no sheep.
1t IL the boast of these tribes that
they never killed a white man, and a
fact, that life and property here Is as
| secure as in most civilized communities
Among them are many half breeds, who
trace their ancestry on one side to
the French Canadia;.i. and are as
| rule fine looking men and women. Mr..
| O. d. Wheeler, speaking of them. says:
ut would be matter of surprise TO
many people who think that the only
good Indian is a dead Indian, to see
their success in farming, and as ranch
| men, and also the way some of the wO-
men handle sewing machines III
winter, there are many deaths among
| tel, nth
scrofulOus diseases. This is, no doubt.
owing to the foul, sitting temperature
| of their houses. with little or no ven
tilation. The women die faster than
the men.
Other Scenes Along tho Route.
Flathead Lake. some distance north
Of the railroad, Is grand sheet of
water, twenty four miles long, and six
| miles wide, and is situated within the
| reservation, Wooded islands dot Its
waters, and large salmon are found
in 1t. A steamboat plies upon 1t. af-
fording travellers an opportunity for
fishing and viewing the widest and
most picturesque of scenery. The
from 1t and flows with a strong cur
rent for thirty miles into the Jocko
Near the Mission of st. Ignatius are
the Cascades. known as the Two Sis
ters" (Alice and Elizabeth), SO chris
ed by the Fathers Of the Mission. From
each flow torrents Of water, thunder
ing down the walls of vast amphithe-
ater, fully 1000 feet from the bold and
broken crests Of the Rockies.
Ravalll Is the station for this mis-
sion. 1t was named in honor Of Father
Havalli, an eminent philanthropic mis-
sionary, who labored among the Flat
hee IA and the allied tribes for some
forty years and died in 1884. The mis-
sion Is six miles from the station anc
next to the oldest In the northern
Rocky Mountain region, consisting OF
O church. convent, schools for both boys
and girls and dwellings for the mission.
nry fathers. who royalty entertain al
interested visitors,