The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1903-12-25
TOPOGRAPHY
OF RESERVES
Would be Valuable in the Contem
plated Allotment Of Lands.
The Character Of Land on the Flat
head, the BIackfeet, or Other Mon
tana Reserves is Unfamiliar to
Very Many.-Mountains, Valleys
and Streams Should be Described.

In view of the fact that bill
is under consideration bv congress
looking to the opening OF the Flat
head reserve, the following sugges-
tions as to topography may not be
amiss. Major Baldwin has sent a
copy OF the accompanying letter to
the senators from Montana and he
thinks they may fall in with his
views and act accordingly.
Dear Senator:-As you will per-
haps remember, have had some ac-
quaintance in the past with Indian
affairs in Montana. In 1887 | had
something to do with the treaty
that opened up to settlement about
eighteen million acres of the old
Blackfeet, Blood and Piegan Indian
reservation of Montana, at that time
extending across the northern part
of the state from the Rocky mount
aims to Dakota. Since then l have
frequently been over the lands EN-
braced in the present reservation of
said Indians as we'll as the Flathead
reserve on the west side of the
Rockies, and now wish to call your
attention to matter that l believe
would be a benefit to the people of
Montana, and in no wise detrimental
to the Indians of Montana. and per-
haps worthy Of consideration to In
dian lands in other states and terri
tories of the United States, viz: In
the selection of lands intended for
the use and occupation of Indians.
but little if any consideration was
given to the future settlement and
development of the territory of Mon
tana or other states and territories
of the Rocky mountain country. But
now that this country is crossed by
several lines of railroads and is rap
idly becoming settled, and that in
the near future there will be de-
mand for lands now embraced with
in the limits of Indian reservations
that are not really necessary or re-
quired by the Indians of such re-
serves. ut would seem that for the
purpose of obtaining definite and ac-
c1rate information as to the actual
1equirements of these Indians and
the lands embraced within their sew
eral reserves. that a Typographical
survey ought to be made Of such res
ervatons especially of the Blackfeet,
F'lathead and Grow reservations of
IMOuldud OuN1A ouASCy "Ou1u oAo"
the ranges and townships embraced
within the respective Indian reserves
and also show the sections and
towns in the use and possession OF
Indians. and all improvements made
by them thereon; it would further
perhaps be shown that not one-tenth
part of such reserves were in the
actual use and possession OF said
Indians: also that various cattle !
men were grazing their cattle and
other live stock upon these reserva-
ions and using their influence in |
many instances to maintain these !
large reservations out of selfish con-
siderations, and thereby prevent
such lands being restored to the pub
lie domain, and subject to the use
of the actual settler.
The survey of said reservations
would readily determine the charac-
ter of these lands and afford better
Information as to the use made there
of by the Indians. and would facil-
itate the allotment of the same to