The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-03-23
RICH REDSKINS.
THE WEALTHY CEUR D'ALENP
TRIBE IN THE NORTHWEST.
They Have Good Farms and Build.
ings and Money on Deposit-A
Thrifty, Industrious and
Sober Community.

lQO1HuS u olCuC
NJ reservation has recently been
made by the sub-sgent, j. j.
Walsh. The returns show that there
are 457 Ceur d'Alenes and forty-four
Spokanes-5O1 Indians in all There
are 1873 families, and these own 155
houses. There are eighty-eight school
children, ranging in age from nine to
eighteen years.
Last year this tribe received nearly
half million dollars from the United
States Government for the purchase of
q portion of the reservation. A large
amount of this money was invested in
permanent improvements, such as
houses, fences, barns and implements,
harness, vehicles and good horses. 1t
is expected that the new sawmill
which they have been building will be
ready to turn out lumber in a few
days, and then many more houses,
barns and granaries will be erected by
the Indians. The money to build and
operate this mill, amounting to $780,
600, is furnished by the Government
as part cf the purchase price Of the
lands mentioned above
The Ceur d'Alenes are the wealth.
est tribe of Indians in the Northwest.
many of them having, besides good
farms, buildings, stock and all modern
improvements Of good farm, from
$1,000 to $4,000 on deposit in the local
banks, with the local merchants OF in
Spokane. They are very careful OF
their money, spending but little Of il
foolishly, and are shrewd in making
change. They know the price of all
commodities, and are not easily
cheated.
!. Last year these Indians had 4so
acres under r'1tivation and sold $4S,"
900 worth luce and stock. Thie
season they 1--we Is, 900 acres in crop,
or nearly 100 acres for every family
on the reservation. They have about
1872, 900 acres under fence. Last year
they built sixty houses, worth $50, 900,
and built 900 miles of barb-wire fence.
Agent Walkly says the Ceur d'Alene
Indians are good farmers, and take
good care of their crops, stock and
machinery. They have comfortable
houses, good barns and sheds, wherein
they store their machinery when not
in uss, thus setting good example for
thei1 white brothers, majority OF
whom leave their machinery in the
fields and without shelter from one
season to another. They cultivate the
ground well, and their crops look
thrifty and give promise of good
yield this season. They are thrifty,
industrious and generally sober.
Drunkenness is punished by a fine
Imprisonment in the "shookum house"
iaiD, or by lashes upon the bare back.
Chief Saltese is the Judge and supreme
ruler ia all such cases, and his word is
law. He imposes the fine or other
punishment, and there is no appeal
from his decision. He lives at the
mission, where he has fine residence
and courthouse. A complete police
patrol is kept up, all the policemen
being Indians, who ride over the reser-
vation on horseback.
There are two stores operated by
full-blooded Indians at the mission.
They handle mostly light groceries
and lunch goods, which are sold to the
Indians who attend church onSunday.
These storekeepers and nearly all In
dians buy the bulk of their goods in
Tekos, where they also sell their
grain. They pay cash for nearly all
their purchases, and pay for each ar
ticle as it is bought instead of buying
a large bill and paying for it all at
once. This avoids the necessity Of
Figuring" which few of them are
capable of doing.
These Indians prefer to raise stock
instead Of farming, buttheya are taking
kindly to the latter occupation, and
some of them are quite proficient
farmers. They have about 5000 head
of horse and 1900 head of cattle.
A large amount of new sod is being
broken this year and the acreage Of
grain next season will be about double
that of this year. A bright future
seems to be before this tribe, which is
fast assuming the occupations, habits
and dress of the whites. - Tacoma
Wash. Ledger.