The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-12-20
ORIGINAL INHABITANTS WE'RE
WELL SATISFIED.
MODERN CROWS WEALTHY
Portion OF Their Reserve to Be
Thrown Open to White Settle
ment and Irrigation.


Adventures of Captain Bonneville,
who wintered in the Crow countr
about 1888, Washington Irving quote
a description of the country given b.
Chief Arapooish:
"The Grow country he said, sis
good country. The Great Spirit ha:
put it exactly in the right place; Will,
you are in it you fare we'll; wheneve;
you go out Of it, whichever way yol
travel, you fare worse.
THE Grow country is exactly in the
right place. 1t has snowy mountains
and sunny plains; all kinds of eli
mates and good things for every kline
OF season. When the summer heats
scorch the prairie you can draw uI
under the mountains, where the air is
sweet and cool, the grass fresh, and
the bright streams come tumbling ou
of the snowbanks. There you car
hunt the elk, the deer and the ante.
lope, when their skins are fit for
dressing; there you will find plenty OF
white bears and mountain sheep.
I'm the autumn, when your horses
are fat and strong from the mountain
pastures, you can go down into the
plains and hunt the buffalo, or trap
beaver in the streams. And when win.
ter comes on you can take shelter in
the woody bottoms along the rivers.
"The Grow country is exactly in the
right place. Everything good is to be
found there. There is no country like
the Grow country"
Such is the eulogism on his country
by Arapooish; and although the buff
falo and bears and much of the game
has disappeared there are many truths
still remaining in the old chiefs en-
thusiastic description of the magnifi-
cent domain, which the president will
shortly proclaim "open to settlement"
The Absarokee of Captain Bonnie
ville's time, predatory and warlike, has
after the lapse of years become peace
tul and orderly. Many of the Crows
have taken to the peaceful pursuit OF
agriculture and own individual brands
for their cattle, WHICH fatten on the
range. In addition to their
individual herds there is a larger COM
munity herd branded with the Grow
brand, a rude imitation of the bird
whose name they bear, and the I'D
OF the Indian department. At the fall
roundup the fat beeves are shipped
under the direction OF the agent to the
eastern markets, and the proceeds OF
their sales is divided among the mem
bers of the tribe. In addition to their
the members of the tribe own
vast herds of ponies, which they prize
By the introduction of Amer.
lean stock the character of the Indian
horses has been greatly improved of
late years, and some of the weather.
of the tribe drive into town
n surveys and studebaker wagons, be-
hind spanking teams that would be
the envy of a well-to-do eastern far
mer.
The proceeds Of the sale to the gov
eminent of the northern portion of the
Crow reservation is according to the
reaty to be expended for the benefit
the tribe in irrigation, the purchase
bulls, stallions- jacks, etc.
At the present time several parties
II surveyors under the charge OF q.
) Stockton of chez geological depart
are engaged in surveying the
PORTION coded by the Grows to the gov
'rnment in order to determine the
,est and most feasible manner in
Which to irrigate it. The main canal
will be taken from the Big Horn river
ear the Big Horn canyon, and it is
that about 300, 900 acres
be reclaimed and made fit for
The remainder of the
10000 acres is principally classed
s grazing land. Other surveying par
Use are engaged in subdividing the
so that all may be in readi-
ess for the rush of settlers who are
expected next summer.
The Crow reservation has long been
nown as embracing one of the most
artile tracts of land in the northwest.
is vel watered and much of it is ad-
,irably situated for irrigation. SINH
II land in the valley in which Billings
located with water right sells at $25 +
n acre, and if seeded to alfalfa read
y brings double that price. The
razing land, or land not capable OF /
rigation without considerable ex-
anSe, is covered with nativo GRO sooe r,