The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1900-03-22
About the Coded Strip.

should be made as to the per cent which
the different assays of copper have run.
1t should be from Z to 80 or to be pre-
else Z to 88 per cent, and not Z to 8.
The corrected figure is 40 doubt n
reasonably high, and of course their isn't
much of it. AS copper goes in this dis
trist, z per cent is also very law, and the
average is put at 20 per cent by those
who have seen a large number of assays.
1t is rumored that a wien of coal has
been discovered, but nothing definite
can be learned. If the report as true,
it will be as good as any copper or gold
mine here in the early nineties, curious
as it may appear, there was built up in
the Swift current, a short distance from
the Falls, a smelter. 1t is still there,
but lost it's usefulness during Capt.
Cooks administration Of the Blackfeet
Reservation, considerable smelling was
done here for about three years, and
various parties were interested. Thos.
L ohAAGA I'LL 4LORdA 11oPCNbO1s Noh1C
along one day, and the smelter closed.
1t was built by a Mr.. Holbrook who was
away up in mineralogy, and he had a
first class outfit for assaying. He it was
who first assayed rock from the Bulls
Head and other leads in the Swift Cur
rent. He had the confidence of all con-
rnontoH with him 0nI hi5 oCcoxyC nov
accepted as final proof that 1--WE had
struck it." 1t is presumed that he has
found something richer, as he has never
returned since the closing Of the smelter.
1t is going to tax the of a
large stock and farming community to
feed the miners when once the camp
gets fairly under way. Swift Current
Valley itself can furnish enough veg
etables for a short time, but the miners
viii need beef as we'll an lots of it, and
one of the finest ranges in the west lies
at the mouth Of the valley. This being
at present on an Ii dan reservation, can
not furnish, but little beef or anything
else. If once thrown open for the set
Element of whites, this land will soon be
filed with stockmen and farmers who
will find ready markes for their beef and
prodoce. There is no way of getting out
Of this country very handy, without
crossing the reservation, which is Of
itself a bad feature. Miners are not
noted for taking kindly to such ~restric-
tons as are IN force on a reservation.
The different rules and regulations were
built about so years ago for Indians, and
most white men find it difficult to com
ply with them. The people crossing the
reservation are under more or less re-
s~traint, and in many cases are ignorant
of the law. Thus, it is very easy for
such to become entaugled with the
United States which is something we
GENERALLY wish to steer clear OF. These
things, together with other objections
are recognized by The powers that be,
and the writer has information that soon
a commission will be sent out from
Washington to treat with the Piegans
for the purpose of cutting a portion of
their reserve. from Cut Bank creek,
north to the Canadian line. 1t has been
discovered that not a half dozen Indians
resid north OF this creek and that this
portion of their reserve is but very little
utilized by them. This when thrown
open, together with the mining portion
would make a nice little county by itself
and & rich one.
The official figure given out by the
Interior Department, as to size and pop
ulation of the Blackfeet reserve are as
follows: 100000 acres, or about 275C
square miles. Population in 1898 1000,
this figure is considered by some a
being 200 too many. From Cat Bank
north would take some less than half oil
the reservation. This woul leave about
100000 acres for 1000 people or 450 acres
for each man, woman and child. Thus,
a family of 4 persons which is rather
less than the average on the reese walton
would 1900 acres, and the Indians now
have the sdea that they are crowded,
and that Uncle Sam has them in a hole
While this dips into the Indian Question
a lite deeper than INTENDED to it was
necessary in order to show that the
Indians would not be so bad as SOM
| might suppose in the way of land.
/ wish to correct a former Statement