The Dickinson press., 1898-08-06
Nj. co.groye wdtss q sscsed Letter,

Recently l started up the Clear Water
river, which ~traverses Nez Perces Indian
reservation from one end to the other,
near the northeast boundary line. A
short distance up the N. P branch, at
Pot Latch, kleft the railroad going up
Pot Latch canyon. Then along the river
l went. could not find any wagon road
but followed a prospector's trail, with a
saddle and pack horse. l did not ride
all the way; thought it best to walk some.
The trail is full of loose stone and boul-
ders, and when l came to a fine piece of
bottom land, an Indian had that. Some
times l found a white man building a
shack on 3 to 10 acres of plowed land.
They all say that they have more plowed,
but failed to see, as much as they claim
ed. They pull their lumber in with a
kind of a stone boat. Some have Tor 2
cows and some have none. l didn't see
many cattle on the river or on the reser-
walton. But after you go up on the
heights, 4 O. 5 miles from the river, it is
a fine rolling prairie and the richest kind
of farming land. There are a few scat
tering pine and fir trees along the south
slope, but a short distance out from the
breaks there is no timber. The. noun
tains are heavily timbered and there is
an abundance of water-heavy snow in
winter. Sawed lumber sells from 81 to
s12 per thousand feet. Some of the
land is poorly watered. | saw families
hauling water 3 and 4 miles-poor water
at that. One man living 2 miles south of
Nez Perces City said that he would give
$3.50 for a good we'll of water. would
not care to take the job OF digging a we'll
for twice that amount. The first IS or
20 feet is black soil and clay, the rest of
the way stone, and no water less than 100
feet down and perhaps 200 or more feet.
Some of these claims are selling from
$500 to $4,000 with very little improve
ments-5o to 100 acres broken, fenced
with 2 barbed wires, fir posts, a s25 shack.
The wheat stands up to the top wire of
the fence-trying to grow higher-and
better gardens l never saw. Sod crops
are nearly as good as any. There are a
few fruit trees. Volunteer potatoes
everywhere and some volunteer wheat
will yield as high as IS to 80 bushels per
acre.
On every acre of this land the govern.
ment has the settlers charged up with
1915, making $500 per quarter section of
100 acres. The principal crop is wheat
some barley, some oats-stiff straw, not
inclined to crinkle down. The grain is
mostly cut with headers and threshed
with furnished crews. The farmer has
more than he can do to get his wheat to
market after it is in the sacks, having to
haul from 5 to 60 miles.
/ saw one of the combination machines,
header and thresher, with 26 horses
hitched to it. 1t cut about "a feet-wheat
sacked and sacks dumped off three in a
place, like the bundles from a self binder,
Harvest began about ten days ago,
The crops on the light, sandy lands along
the Snake are a to E weeks earlier than
the Palouse lands, especially back on the
reservation on the east side of the noun.
tains.
Fence laws are in force all over this
country; nj sheep on the reservation; and
no unclaimed land that you can get with.
out it is in those canyons or mountains
where you have to look straight up to see
daylight. There are many settlers in
this country who lost their claims in the
Palouse country three or four years ago
The reservation was opened to settle
ment 2 years ago and was all taken, OF
claimed, in a very few days, and the law
yers.have been doing we'll handling con
tests.
The principal stock l have seen wa:
Indian ponies and hogs, running wild ir
the timber and canyons. The hogs DON
look as though they would make gooe
bacon, but they might make good sau
: sage if they were in Dickinson wher'
they have good sausage machines.
send the PRESS a wild hog tusk whicl
will be on exhibition. %
1t is very hot on Snake river-from 9
to 100 in the Stakeholder on the prai
ries-the nights are ever warmer.
Parties here known to Dickinson peo
pie are: c. ]. Johnson-a cowboy in earl
days-has wife and c~hildren-near Kai
NAH, Idaho; also Mr.. Jorgens, whose bust
ness in Dickinson was butcher AM
sheep dealer. He sold his sheep to Re,
Charles Dobson. He has a store at Kai
nah and a ranch near. He wants to sell
Mr.. James, formerly of the Cannon Bal
country, is living at Concord-under tn
irrigation system; has 5 acres of frui
trees and vines, and is building a fin
house.
The ditch company are selling DIR,
! sandy land at 500 to $500 per acre, wit
water charged up to you at 81 per acr
whether you use it or not.
Vineland is the name of a place ~
miles wide by a miles long. Before pu'
ting the water on the land it would nc
raise white beans. The water in tn
bitches makes good dish water and som
i. of us have to drink it. After the waite
I has been filtered through sand and chal
+. coal it is fit to drink.
5 Pete Frazier and family were we'll tn
last l saw of them. Mr. Frazier is buile
! a barn u feet by 1873 feet, posts 81 fee
to cost $4,000. hear that he has anothe
) big barn to build as soon as he gets tn!
), one done.
Il wish you Dickinson people were
+ reach of this fruit and garden trucl
!, Crops are reported good everywhere, an
! and wages are likely to improve, as tn
f country is lined with wheat.
f The N. P. will be in Lewiston in a fe,
days-to get a chance at the wheat:
= l will close by wishing you all well, nj
forgetting our soldier boys.
Very Truly,