The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-07-25

| 10000 for this surplus acreage, and
| by this one deal they made themselves
| the richest Indians in the world.
The last census OF the Crow tribt
slowed that there were only SIG men
and among this number the purchase
money would have gone long way
There would have been about ~ 800 for
each adult Indian. The government de-
cided, however, that II would not 40
far after all II the Indians spent 1t in
their own way. II would have been O
ease Of "hike" for Billings, or ToIuca
or Pryor, or some Of the towns on the
railroad where they would have pur.
chased all sorts Of curious things. from
plume bearing hear-es TO silk hats, and
without doubt they would also have
laid the foundation Of monumental
Sag They would have returned in a
week or 10 with terrible headache,
but with little to show for their mon.
ley
Knowing all this from sad experience
Uncle Sam decided 10 be real Uncle
10 his Crow wards; and the agreement
az to the payment Of the purchase mon.
ey has been MS well surrounded with
anti.squandering safeguards as tine wills
Of maiden aunts who never left New
England or the endowments Of modern
hero funds. The Indians win not get
enough in actual cash to celebrate the
Fourth Of July or quench midsummer
nights thirst.
The first 100000 Of the 81 10000
which the Indians are TO receive are to
receive will be spent by the Secretary
Of the Interior in improving the irriga-
tion system which the government Is
constructing on that section OF the res.
ervation which the Crows still hold
The sum OF $4,000 goes to the exten-
sion of the bitches OF individual Indians.
hen the whole irrigation scheme is en-.
dowed with the sum of 100000, the
fund to remain in the United States
Treasury and draw interest at the rate
OF percent. In fifteen years il Is ex.
pected, the irrigation scheme will be
self supporting, and the Indians and
the secretary win then get together on
further disposition of this money.
The Secretary OF the Interior, through
his cattle buyers, will also spend s240,.
900 purchasing .year-old Southern
heifers. These animals will be placed
on the reservation az part OF the herd
which the tribe owns in common.
The appropriation for iackasses which
Congress provided was $4,000, for two
year old ewes $4,000 and for fencing
the reservation with six strands OF
barbed cattle wire $4,000.
For the erection OF school buildings
the government set aside 100000. A
hospital is being built at the cost of
0l0,000, and it Is endowed with the sum
of $4,000. The balance of the purchase
money is 10 be placed in the Treasury
of the United States as a trust fund
for the Crows. 1t win bear interest at
the rate of 4 per cent, and out Of it an
annuity of $l2 year will be paid to
every man, woman and child on the
reservation. In this way the well being
OF the Crows win be provided for in the
times to come Ii the tribe grows
smaller there will be more reservation
lands to be sold to the government and
fewer Indians to divide the proceeds
among. There are members of the tribe.
however, who declare that it will not
decrease, and that the education and
the comforts which the government
promises them will cause a gradual in
crease, but that will be against all In.
dian precedent,
There still lives on the reservation the
only Crow scout who survived the Gus.
ter massacre. This is "Curly," who is
one of the prominent men of the tribe.
tie is now about fifty years of age. He
escaped from the massacre with his
brother, who was badly wounded.
They made their way down the Little
Big Horn until they met Terry and his
troopers.
/ The land which will be thrown open
surrounds the Custer Military reserva.
tion, which includes the site of the Gus.
ter fight. The spot where the famous
general fell is marked with a wooden
cross bearing this inscription: Here
fell Custer-June 25, 1876" All around
It are slabs marking the graves of the
soldiers of the 7th Cavalry. Scattered |
through the area which will soon be open
TO settlement viii be found many Indian !
burial seatfdHa IN Aha l.ann.iAt ~