The Butte inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1901-1912, 1901-11-02
INDIANS AS LUMBERMEN.
Red Men of the Northwest Taking the
Place Of White Brethren.


.Lumbermen of the northwest have
finally found a use for the Indians" said
John Brooks, Minnesota logger, who
has been visiting friend here, as he
noted the passing by of two Cree In
dams on Broadway, this morning.
'sThe experiment OF using the red men
as blabOrers In the pine woods is now
being tried with great success. Probably
the most extensive operator with Indian
labor is the Red Cliff Lumber company
of Duluth, which has a contract for log
ging many millions OF feet of pine in
reservations on thssyouth shore Of Lake
Superior. wv II. -. Wy
10, The ;,. esgSae, ssa made mad,
a son, a Issasi21I las2a rens1s e
use Indfans wherever l. labor was
over white men. ~
by the wise provisions of. this contract
the Indians not only receive money for
their timber, which is then invested by
the government and later paid to them in
installments. but they are kept at work
as long as any timber remains upon their
lands, thus giving them employment and
teaching them an occupation, and ais.
when idleness would be the worst posi-
BILE thing for them.
ION the Red Cliff Bad River and Lac
de Flambeau reservations there are saw
mills each built and operated under this
agreement with the Indian department
and on each all Of the adult male In
dams who are willing to work are given
allt they can do at fair wages all the
year round.
For years there has not been time
when these Indians were in need of food
nor have they ever become beggars. a;
most other red men have when once re-
moved from their original territory.
/, The experiment Of working these In
dams was undertaken with considera BILE
apprehension, but it has proved sue
cess.
1T has been found however, that three
red men. two workers and one substitute
must be kept ready for the work that
would ordinarily be done by two whitl
men, for the Indian will not work a long
time at one stretch; he must knock of
once in a while and take rest in his te-
ypee.a4
AN understanding is absolutely nee
essary in order to keep the force up to its
full strength. In but few cases are the
indians given responsible work.
n In the woods they,are used as chop
pers, cooks and swampers, but never a!
teanlsters or leaders.
AT the mills during the summer the,
are used assseoFs1non+ la borers, car push
ers, pile leaders and the like, but are sci
dom given positions as machine hands
head pliers. sawyers or skilled men.
True, at times they do perform
skilled labor but usually in couples, will
a white man to act as leader, as in tn
piling, where three men are needed TO
the work.
There are. of course, exceptions to thu
rule that. the Indians shall not be givel
important positions, for some of then
have shown remarkable aptitude for thu
work, and there are a few red men OF
each reservation who are taking con
F1tracts independently and making none,
in the logging business These men ar,
able to get along without any white help
r in most cases where the ambitious
hChippewa Indians have tried contractin,
ut has been found that the main trouble
FTis in the refusal of the members of thei
own race to obey orders or even worl
under an Indian boss as they would for {
white man.
T About Al, 900 600 feet of timber is being
cut this winter on the three reservations
in Which these contracts have been mad
by the Indian department.
"In these operations more than 400 In
dams find as steady employment as the!
are willing to accept.
''They work well, when working at all
and are paid the same wages as whit
men-$2O to $24 per month and board. II
the summer at the mills they are pai'
from 81 to $l.25 per day."
THE REAL BEAN COUNTRY.