The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1899-03-23
INDIANS AS LUMBERMEN.
The Chippewas Are Getting Rich on
Their Reservation Along
Lake Superior.

The experiment of using Indian labor
in the logging woods is being carried
on by lumber company Of Duluth
Mimi, which has contract for cut
ting many millions of feet of pine IN
reservations on the south shore of Lake
Superior. The company's contracts
were made with the Indian bureau.
The Indians not only get money for
their timber. which is invested by the
government and paid to them in INSTALL
menis. but they are also kept at work
so long as the timber remains on their
hands, thus giving them employment
and teaching them an occupation.
On the Red Cliff, Bad River and Lac
de Flambeau reservations there are
sawmills. each built and operated I'M
der this agree ment with the Indian hu-
reau. and all the adult male Indians
who want work are kept busy all the
year round. They have sold their tim
Der for large price. the government
has put their money into bonds and
pays them the interest. 1t gives ITEM
many other favors. and they are able
to earn enough to keep themSelvc> and
their families in comfort, so that il
time every Chippewa family OH ;hcs-
reservations ought to be well of For
years there has not been n time " hen
these Indians were in need Of food. nor
have they ever become beggars. as
most other reds have when once re-
moved from their original territory
The experiment of working these In
dams was undertaken with consider
able timidity. but it has proven success
full. |, has been found thar three men
must be kept ready for the work TIA;
two whites would do. two workers and
a sub for the Indian will not work.
long at stretch. He must knock oil,
once in awhile and take a rest in his
tepee. An understudy is necessary &c.
keep the force up to full strength. In
most cases they are not trusted with
responsible work. In the woods they
are choppers, cooks, swampers. but
never Transfers or leaders. At the mills
in summer they are common laborers,
car pushers. pile leaders. etc. but sell
dom machine hands, head pliers. saw
yers or skilled men. Skilled work they
do at times. but usually in couples.
with a white man to act as leader, as
in the lumber piles, where three men
are needed for the work. There are
exceptions to this rule, and some of the
Indians have shown as much aptitude
for business as whites, and there are q
few on each reservation who are tax
ing contracts independently and doing
well in the logging business. These are
able to get along without white help.
In most cases where ambitious Chip
pewas have tried contracting it has
been found that the chief trouble was
in the refusal of men of their own race
to obey orders or to work for the In
dian boss as they would for a white
man. Most of the Indian contractors
have gone broke as the result of just
this fact.
About 100000 feet of timber are
being cut this winter on the three res
ervations in which these contracts have
been made by the Indian department.
In these operations some 400 Indians
find as steady employment as they are
willing to accept. They work well
when they work at all, and receive the
same wages as whites, from $50 to $24
a month and keep. In the summer at
the mills they get from 81 to $125 per
day.-N. Y. Sun