The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-15

The soil is mainly A 1 farming land, and,
with a trihing amount of drainage to the
river, every acre of it would be at once
tit for the plOW.
About twenty Indian cabins are located
at wide intervals along the north bank
of the Red lake river, accommodating
fifty Indians during the coolest of the
winter; at all other times these cabins
are closed and boarded up, is the GUS
tom Of the Chippewa, and the Indians
lead migratory life, living in tepees and
seldom remaining over one week at
place.
COMPARATIVE POPULATION
There are not to exceed twenty-five
males OF voting age upon the one-third
OF Red Lake county occupied by the In
dams, or less than one to each 10000
acres. (There are no Indians living
upon the small portions of the reserva-
ton which lie within Marshall and Polk
countieS) The. vote of the Red Lake
county, outside the reservation, at the
last election was 2,1G0, or one actual vote
for each 220 acres
a most liberal estimate of the Indian
population in Red Lake county could not
exceed seventy-five persons, the white
population of the same county by the
census of 1860 is u 1875.
This open country is devoid of game
and the rivers are by DO means so pro-
life fisheries are the waters of Red
lake and its tributaries. 1t is therefore
apparent why the Chippewas prefer the
timbered country about the lake. which
is full of big game and valuable fur bear
ing animals, and which Yields them a
livelihood by hunting and fishing and an
additional revenues from successful trap
ping
The Indians who are now occupying
the western portion of the reservation
surrounded by whites and cut off from
the main portion of their bard and the
restrictive influence of the agency by the
heaVy sWampS lying west from Red lake
are III depiorable state of moral and
physical degenerat ion. They contract
all the vices and none of the virtues
OF the race by Which they are surround
ed ana have become prey 10 their APP
petltes for alcoholic stimulants ana PEI
meated with filthy diseases
EFFECT OF RESERVATION.
The damage to the fine agricultural
! property directly north of the rescrva-
ton, by reason of it's being close TO
| settlement is incalcuable. The most de-
| trimental features of the situation are
| three in number.
F1rst-These lands are mostly aat. and
although lying well above the river.
! bitches are imperativeIy necessary at GER
! tain seasons of the year to assist tha
| natural water courses in CARRYING off
surface water. The narrow etrip of for
hidden territory lying between this sec
| ton and it's natural drainage outlet Red
! Lake river, renders it impossible of
drainage and greatly retards the dcvel-
| opment of this rich farming country.
! SecOnd-The reservation lands ahan-
| doned by the Indians except the north
| bank of the river), and entirely unculti-
Vated by them, are covered with pools,
| which collect the surface water and form
| natural breeding places for nunlberIess
myriads of flies and mosquitoes, which.
! at certain seasons, spread over the sur
! rounding country in dense clouds. Stocl.
/ raising would be a highly pr0hta BILE &C.
/ cupation were 1t not fer this pest of in
| Sects, which discourages cattle raisina. in
| the vicinity.
Third-The geographical situation of
! inns portion Of the reservation is such as
! to cut off a large number of farmers
| from their natural market and to con-
/ pei them to haul their crops to more dis
lanj shipping points or make long and
unnecessary detOurS. The unimDroved
condition of the roads across the resarva-
| ton renders them impossible. except IN
! der most favorable circumstances and
the hostility of the Indians when in an
intoxicated condition which is freouentI,-
the case, makes hauling across the res
efNatlon a dangerous enterprise.
ATTITUDE OF THE INDIANS.
The agency Indians. at the present
Time look with suspicion upon the move
1nent for the opening of the reservation:
while making no use of it themselves,
they are keenly alive to the value of the
land, and fear being deprived of it with
! out adequate remuneration.
The whites Of the surrounding terri
! tory, while equally cognizant of the value
OF the lard Tor agricultural purposes do
not SO much wish the land for their own
holding as do they desire it's opening TO
cultivation and settlement under any
conditions which may be suitable to the
government and acceptable to the In
dams, TO the end that this tract of waste
land which extends into, and divides.