The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-03
ON THE RESERVATION
Major Carter Is Busy experimenting
Things at Spring Creek.
NEW ROLLER FLOUR MILL
One OF the Chiefs Demanded the
Removal of the Saw Mill Be-
cause He Wanted the
Land for His Kid.

Missoula, Nov. 2-Mator Carter,
agent at the Flathead reservation. Is
now directing the completion OF the
new roller -four mill al the sub-agency
on Spring creek. The building Is fin
ished and mechanics are now putting
the milling machinery into position
The new mill Is a model of its kind.
The machinery is from the works OF
the Allies cmpany and is OF the latest
pattern. The completion of the mill
will greatly relieve the pressure upon
the old burr mill at the Jocko agency
and will enable the Indians to have
their grain handled more quickly and
more satisfactorily than heretofore.
For several years there has been great
difficulty in handling the reservation
grain crop and in saving sufficient
lumber for the Indians at the old mill
at the agency. Especially has this
been true since the Indians have begun
to take an interest in farming and
have desired barns and fences. Last
fall and far into the winter, the mill
at the agency was kept running day
and night and. even then. II was with
difficulty that the grain crop was han
died.
To make IT possible to do the neces-
sary work IL was decided two years
ago 10 establish a sub-agency at a
central point in the reservation and
10 erect there a more modern and COM
plete plant for saving lumber and
grinding grain for the Indians. Work
on the sawmill was commenced in De-
cember. 1898. The machinery was
hauled across the reservation from RAJ
valli and the mill was set up under a
canvas roof. As soon as possible fum-
Der was sawed for a building for the
mill and in about go days the machin-
cry was covered in a substantial man.
49, aft -
10000 feet a day and in connection with
1t are good planning mill and shin
gle machine. The arrangement OF the
plant is excellent and the logs and
lumber are handled easily and quickly.
Almost before the machinery was set
up, the Indians began to be impatient
for lumber and before the mill was
fairly enclosed 1t was put to work
saving the logs which they hauled in.
This year the mill has cut a million
and a half feet of lumber for the res
ervation Inhabitants and a proportion
ate number of shingles. Some of the
lumber has been finished for flooring,
ceiling and casing and all of 1t has
been used by the Indians in buildings
and fences.
This work DELAYED considerably the
completion of the agency buildings but
they have finally been finished and the
government has fine equipment.
Foreman Chapman, who is in charge
OF the sub-agency. has done some ex-
cellent work and the stables, store
houses and residences are substantially
built and well finished. The arrange
ment of the buildings is especially
good. The mills and stables are on the
east side of Spring creek, a splendid
stream of water whose source is about
a mile and a half above the agency.
A good dam has been built above the
plant and the water supply for domes-
tic and milling purposes is excellent
in quality and ample in quantity.
Across the creek on a grassy slope,
the residences of the employees have
been built-neat, square, five-room
cottages. painted white with red roofs.
They are arranged so that they form
two sides of a square. enclosing a
grass plot and facing east and south.
Trees have been planted along the
creek and an orchard will be set out
as soon as an irrigating system can be
arranged. There are fertile garden
patches near the houses and a broad
grain field in the rear furnishes prov
ender for the horses. Everything is
convenient and attractive.
The flour mill Is built near the saw
mill plant. 1t is a large two-story
building with a basement and will be
a model mill as soon as the machinery
is placed. The Indians. as a rule, are
pleased with the new arrangement, as
II makes their work much lighter. They
are saved the long haul to the old
mill at Jocko and can get their -four
and lumber much more quickly than
before.
When the sawmill had been started
one OF the old chiefs sent for Major
Carter. stating that he wished to see
him on important business. An APP
pointment was made and the old In
dian peremp torily demanded the I'M
mediate removal OF the whole plant.
he said that when his oldest SON was
born he had selected the millsite for a
ranch for the boy and he wanted no
mill on II. The land was his and he
must have IL. The agent heard the
old fellow through and then sent him
on his way. The min was not moved.
The agent found that the boy for
whom the ranch had been selected Is
now a man of nearly so years old and
has children who have grown 10 mans
estate. The fact that he had not
claimed the ranch in all the years of
his life was good evidence that he did