Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-01-21
NEW YoRK's REDSKINS.
Tribes Of indians Living on Reservations
Within This State.

VItnIU MS otdtes
There are 5000 Indians living on RES
ervatiOns within the boundaries of the
state Of New York. During the last
forty years there has been little
change, either by gain or loss, on the
Indian reservations of New York OK
cept on what Is known as the st. Regis
reservation, in Franklin county, front
ing on the Hudson river. The st. Regis
tract covers $4,000 acres and Is owned
by the state the Indians enjoying what
Is called 1.-The right of occupancy, rent
Free" there is no such right of occu-
pancy rent free under the laws of the
state of New York for persons who are
not Indians,) and in addition the st.
Regis tribe receives an annuity from
the state-presumably for not going
over to Canada. The population of thu
st. Regis reservation has tripled in
forty years-having increased from 400
to loo, and it is the only one of the
Indian reservations which has in
creased materially in population in the
last half century.
The Onondagas, with n reservation
near the city of Syracuse, have 1900
acres Of land and number ut present
about 500. They get an annuity from
the United States government and one
from the state government, and in ad-
dition to this receive n yearly gift Of
salt from the salt lands belonging to the
state In the neighborhood 1t has been
said sometimes that few bottles of
firewater would be accepted Mt any
time by some of the Onondaga Indians
rs fair substitute for the salt, there
being preference for the quencher Of
thirst over the promoter Of thirst. The
Tuscaroras, whose reservation is In the
county of Niagara, have 600 acres,
and number about $50. The Tonawan-
das have reservation partly in Gene
see and partly in Erie county. 1t COW
ers 1880 acres. There are 600 Tona-
wandas. In 1855 there were COZ. They
get an annuity from the United States
government, and an annuity from the
state, too, but no salt. The SHINE
cock Indians, whose reservation is near
southampton, on Long Island, have
about 400 acres. They number about
100, and are Of three tribes, the Mohe-
gans, the Montauks and the POOsepa-
tucks. On the Oneida reservation, four
miles south of Oneida station on the
Central road, there are $50 Indians &C
cupying 400 acres Of land. They are
the last survivors in this part Of the
country of the Oneida tribe-a tribe
once as famous as the Seminoles or the
CherOkees. Many more In number thaa
the Oneidas are the Senecas, of whom
there are more than 1900 who have
two reservatiOns-one In Allegheny
county along the Allegheny river and
extending over 10000 acres, and tho
other In Cattaraugus county along Cat
taraugus creek and having a territory
of 21,OO0 acres. The two divisions of
the Seneca nation of Indians, as they
are officially called, own the lands of
these reservations In common and they
receive In addition an annuity from the
national and one from the state gov
eminent.
1t is n fact not generally known that
prior to the Revolutionary War there
was a regular Indian department IN
New York, with Commissioner of In
dian Affairs, who exercised many of
the powers and prerogatives which af
terward devolved upon the Interior de-
partment in Washington. The Indians
of New York are protected by. special
laws and are exempted from taxation.
New York Sun.