Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-09

and It is hardly probable that they will
give these up to take other tracts. The In
dians likewise prefer lands with some tim
Der upon them. and they will pass much
of the black prairie by and choose farms
near the foot hills After the reservation
has been opened they will have the right
II lease their lands TO the whites, and will
probably rent them out on twenty-one-year
contracts After that time they can sell;
and eventually all the lands will belong
TO the whites.
One advantage that the settlers here will
have over those of other new regions will
be the markets OF Montana. This state is
largely devoted 10 mining and there is
strong demand for all kinds Of food crops
at high prices Timothy hay, for instance
Is now selling here At SO or Sl6 a ton, and
oats bring a cent "a pound. Wheat sells at
extraordinary prices to the local mills, and
the most of that raised is made into flour
for home consumption. The remainder goes
To the Pacific coast, where II is especially
priced Tor making crackers and pastry.
The Hot Springs Region.
This Flathead country Is already a health
resort. 1t Is visited by tourists during the
summer, and there are farmers who are
settling here on account OF the climate.
The reservation has eight hot springs.
which have been used by the Indians for
generations TO cure various diseases. As 1t
is now hundreds of white people visit them
drinking the water and bathing In IL. Some
OF the springs are too hot for this pur-
PCse. others are heavily impregnated with
sulphur and other minerals and some are
springs OF boiling mud. which are said to
be good for skin diseases. II is not known
jLst how these springs Will be treated In
the allotment. They win probably be re-
Sc rived by the government, and may De
sold at auction or disposed of In some other
way.
But let me tell you something about the
Indians who own these lands. They are
called F'latheads, but their craniums are
OF the tame shape as those of other Indian
tribes, and there Is no evidence that they
hsye ever fiattened their heads by having
them tied to boards when they were babies,
as did some Of the Indians OF the lower Co.
lumbia river. They are really good-sooking
people and are especially friendly with the
whtscs. They were well spoken of by Lewis
ard Clark when they made their expedition
across the continent. and IL is one OF their
boasts today that they have never shed
the blood OF a white man.
The Fiatheads are not many in number
They have never exceeded 1900. and there
are perhaps just abou, that many to-day
In the allotment they are to have eighty
acres each. which viii give every family
two or three hundred acres.
Wild Horse Island and It's Buffaloes
Most Of these Indians are engaged in
farming Nearly all own more or less
stock and there are several who are now
raising buffaloes and cross breeding thsn.
There Is an island in Flathead lake known
as the Wild Horse Island This IS a great
grazing ground for the buffalo herds. Tire
animals are .takeu to- it on steamers They
are loaded by means OF wtndlass which
gradually drsss them up the gangway eIsd
onto the deck. This is no easy matter sfor
busaloes are wonderfully strong as II
shown by bull which recently thrust its
horn through six-by- six-inch guard rail-
while loading.
one OF the largest herds OF buffaloes here
Is owned by man named Pablo and he
heirs of half-breed Indian named Aiiard.
IL contains 800 buffaloes, and Il is said 10
be the largest In the United States IL
was started with six calves. which were