Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1905-11-10
INDIANS ARE
IN DISTRESS
Livelihood Taken Away From Them
by the Closed Season Of Five
Years for Beaver.
WEST OF THE FRASER RIVER
Arrival Among Them Of Father Co
cola, Roman Catholic Priest,
May Help Them.

| ltODeFtSOn, PROVINCIAL uiucl dlo6lot,
who has recently returned with his
exploring party from the north, in
terviewei by the Colonist with regard
to the condition of the natives in that
locality. stated that the Indians west
OF the Fraser river but in the Fraser
watershed have from time immem
oria lived by hunting, reaping a suf-
hcent return from. the proceeds of
the fur to supply their modest re-
quirements. During a portion of the
year they live chiefly on salmon and
rabbits but in winter heretofore on
the proceeds of beaver hunting. The
hudson Bay company's record shows
| that over so per cent of the money
obtained by the Indians was derived
from the beaver fur product, which
tl.ey go long distances to get, the rest
Of the furs they obtain being merely
incidental to the catching of beaver.
The recent Legislation imposing a
close season Of five years for beaver
will make it impossible for them to
&c out to their winter hunting camps,
and fur of other descriptions also will
not be obtainable. so that there is
little or no chance of their getting
flIrs at all to realize upon as a means
Of support.
Poor Salmon Season.
The salmon run up the Stewart and
Fraser lakes has been exceptionally
poor this season, with the result that
the Indians are absolutely devoid of
their usual means of livelihood; and
unless something is done to help them
cut they will undoubtedly be in a
very bad way this winter.
On the watershed of the Skeena riv
CT the Indians are not SO much at
fected as they get a fair living by
: salmon fishing during the summer,
and this year. moreover, there has
been a good salmon run on the Skee-
ma river.
The case is one that calls for prompt
attention, said Mr.. Robertson, and it
is to be hoped that the dominion gov
eminent will take steps to deal with
the case, which is one of great hard
ship and emergency, and in justice to
the natives and in view OF the close
approach Of winter seems to call for
prompt remedy.
AT present there is one crcum-
stance and one alone in their favor
and that is the arrival among them
Of Father Cocola, the priest of the
st. Eugene mission, near CranbroOk
whose magnificent work and self devO
ton in the interests OF the east KOot
enay Indians is well known in thai
district.
Speaking from my personal knOwl
edge of this devoted man., concluded
Mr.. Robertson, there is no doubt ir
my mind that, given reasonable facil
it;D hn< a., f,,l
thority he will in due time affect the
same transformation amongst the In
dams of the lake district as he die
amongst those OF the koOtenays.'
Beneficept Work.
d. X Neel of Fort Steel, inter
viewed on the subject of the Indian:
in the East kootenay and the intlu
ences under which they have advan0
ed to their present stage of civliza
ton and embraced the methods o
life of their white neighbOrs, said tina
the position of the Indians in the For
Steele or CranbrOOke district is du
largely to the influence of Father &C
cola, the Catholic missionary, VIII
has worked among them for numbe
of years. Formerly the "Kootenays
were an uncivilized Indian tribe, liy
ing by hunting and fishing, where a
now they are self supporting tribe
separated into families like the whites
each family making it's living accord
ing to civilized methods by farmin
and stock raising or ordinary labor
m. They are reliable and trustworthy a.
most to a manifestations and Law
abiding to a remarkable degree.
Father Cocola obtained these RI
suits by careful and patient education
~, fy.tn TI,o 1n,, l%.,>
held under tribal tenure makes il
ternal difficulties more probable afte
the transition from hunting to a
agricultural form of existence. Ne'
ertheless no such difficulties have ari
en- among the Indians, and the Ii
dian agent at Fort Steele, r. l.. Ga
braith, who was appointed a fe'
years after Father COcOlas adven
lis. experienced no trouble whatever {
lis. any time in this respect.
Established Model Farm.
Father COcola, in addition to hi
sacred office. was superintendent {
me- the government Indian school an
taught the young people TO read an
}. write English, encouraged a taste fl
music and intellectual amusemen
founding for them choir and bras
band. and various social societies ar
interests. He established a mode
farm on large scale. and erected
church at cost of $4,000. He in
ported bloOded stock in horses an
cattle, wedding out the cayuse ar
scrub cattle, to the vast improvement
of their herds and horses, both
point of usefulness and of marketab
'od: value.
Father COcola under his own me
ical management and with the fina
cial cooperation of the c. P. R., ar
the assistance of the Church Siste
hood, founded and operated hospit
which was of the utmost benefit, n
only to the natives, but to the enti
KOotenay district. His residence W;
a comfortable and cOmmodious churt
house. with extensive and we'll Ike
gardens. meadows and we'll appOiI
ed buildings standing on about
thousand acres of well fenced lal
sioping towards the banks of the {
Mary's river. All this he has aba
Goned in order to repeat this labt
iCus but successful work amongst Il
Indians of the Stewart and Fras
lake district, including all the trib
from Fort ST. George north to t
Skeena river. This is my person
knowledge of Father Cocola as ha
Known him, day by day for a peri