The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-11
M'NEELY AND THE INDIANS.
Experience of the Evansville Jour
nails Editor in the Northwest

State Treasurer Scholz has received let
ter from James II. McNeely. editor of the
Evansville Journal, who was recently APP
pointed upon the commission to negotiate
treaties with the Indians of the far North
west. Mr.. McNeely writes from the Ross
Fork agency at Pocatello, Idaho In the
course of his letter he says:
We have been at work to induce the In
dlans on this reservation to sell the govern
meht lands they don't need but the late In
dlan scare on Camos prairie has stirred up
the Indians 50 we can do nothing more at
present mere, and l expect to leave to-
morrow Tor North Yakima Wash TO Join
the TWO other commissioners-Hoyt and
Barge-and go to work negotiating with the
tribes on the Yakima reservation. There are
seVeral or those, the BannoCks. ShoShones.
the Flat Heads in northwestern Mon
tana, the Crows and Northern Cheyennes
IN southwestern Montana, and the Utes in
northern Utah, with whom we have to deal
II we hnlsh the work next year we shall
be fortunate. | think it will require two
years besides this. The Indians cannot be
hurried. If they are pressed for hasty &C
ton, they become suspicious of the govern
ments motives. Although we get $40 day
each and expenses, l don't want to nurse
the job. | feel toward it just about as
do toward my own business.
me reservations are immense tracts of
land (tort Hall is one of the smallest that
we are assigned to, yet it is about forty by
sixty miles in area, contains S64. 900 acres
or land, and is occupied by less than SOC
Indians, men, women and children.) This
town, nearly in the center of the reserVa-
ton, is nearly choked to death by the re-
strctlons of the government imposed for
the supposed benefit of the Indians. Then,
OUTSIDE people who want land cannot get it
mere unless it is sold to the government
1t is not really for the interest of the In
dams for them to continue in this wild
state. Ultimately they will have to go to
farming, and the sooner the better. There
is no game In the reservation, except fish
ing. worth hunting for, and as Jackson s
N Tny INK 10 oct ff,,,
ground and as there is a state law against
outside Indians going there, these tribes
are literally shut up on their reservations.
The recent scare on CamoS prairie (frOm
camos, a root like the onion and potatoes
ground into pulp and made INFO bread by
the Indians as a luxury was caused by a
few Indians from this and other reServa-
tons going there to dig camos. White peo-
pie had serious trouble with the Indians,
presence of Indians. If they had not been
returned there would have been serious
trouble and loss of life
Ross Fork agency is twelve miles north
of here The agent Lieutenant Irwin, of
the regular army, is from GAINESVILLE
Tenn. and is an efficient officer and a
clever gentleman. When we go there we
have an elegant time. In company with
himself and Clerk Goodwin l attended COM
mencement of the Indian school at old Fort
Hall, eighteen miles north of the agency.
This life is new experience for me- and
very agreeable. ] am visiting a section of
the country that I have long wished to see,
and getting an agreeable outing.
Talking of wide-open towns this is the
boss Saloon licenses cost 81, 025-S500 State,
$500 town and $50 government This is con-
sidered pretty steep, hence there is tacit
agreement to let the saloons have full
swing. They are open day and night, in
Guiding every day in the year and Sundays,
except election days. Beer is brought 1000
and 500 miles. yet is sold for cents a
glass. How saloon men can afford this is a
mystery. Gambling was formerly a great
industry here but was latterly prohibited
by town ordinance. I am informed that
Pocatello is, however, an orderly town I
get very lonesome at times and yearn to be
at home with my folks and to see some of
priation for the commission will run out
about October there is prospect of Win
tering at home, which will suit me ex-
actly'