Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-05-20

President Hoffman of the Seaboar0
Air Line reports that much success
has followed the introduction of ex-
perimental farms along the line of the
railroad. The work is proving to be
one OF great value to the farmers. The
right OF way along the road is used
for the experiments, and there is a
regular force of men to go over the
line AMI look after their development
Station agents supervise the farms
contiguous to their stations. Grasses
and food products of all kinds are
tested, and under the direction of ex-
perts 1t Is shown what articles can be
grown to the greatest advantage A
number of new crops have been intro
duced, and the diversification of prod
ucts Is noticeable. Farmers are TAX
Ing special interest in the plan, and
large number of clubs have been form
ed to promote the work. The beauti-
full is included with the practical, at
tention being given to the cultivation
OF flowers, shrubbery, and trees. Just
as the farmers have become interested
-. viz PiOtdOtiOh VI iOOu PiOuuStos
their wives and children have taken up
this department. They have also
formed clubs, and there Is a generous
rivalry among these organizations to
excel their neighbors AS a result of
such influences President Hoffman
said that there was notable improve
ment in the appearance of property in
the agricultural sections. Flower gar
dens were rapidly multiplying, and
with them have come well-built fences,
thus showing that the lesson of thrift
was also being learned
1t is somewhat remarkable, says the
New York Times, that the Penobscot
Indians, after living in uninterrupted
peace with the white man for 230 years,
have at this late day decided that the
from the stronger race, and have en-
forced the removal of all its repre-
sentatives from their lands. Still more
remarkable is 1t that In the history
of the tribe there Is no record Of
wrongs, ancient or modern, suffered at
the hands of the palefaces. With this
particular band of Indians the whites
have always kept faith, chiefly, no
doubt, because they have never had
even a poor excuse for breaking 1t.
AS far back as 1867 the Penobscots adj
mitted to full tribal membership a
French nobleman, Vincent de st. Cas-
tine, who, having tired of civilized life
in general and especially with military
discipline as it existed in the Canadian
Army, came over into what was then
Massachusetts, married chiefs
daughter, and settled where the town
bearing his name now stands. Since
then there has rarely been time when
the tribe did not include considerable
number of white members, and there
is no evidence that any harm came to
the Indians from these associates.
Some time before Maine came into ex-
istence, a tract of land extending six
miles on each side of the Penobscot
erty of the tribe and the new state rec
ognized the grant as binding. AS the
numbers of the Indians decreased, a
large part of this land was sold, and
they now own only three islands near
Oldtown, but the state acts as their
banker for $4,000, the product of the
sales, and pays them 6 per cent inter-
est on it. This income is divided an
nually among the members of the
tribe, and it is only to prevent an un-
due diminution of each share that the
Penobscots have decided henceforth
to allow no white people to live IL
their domain.