The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1906-11-22
WHITE EARTH CH|PPEWAS
IN THE WEALTHY CLASS
Their Wealth Placed at $1,000 for
Every Man, Woman and
Child. "

Forty years ago next April
President Johnson, by executive
proclamation, set aside the White
Earth reservation as a home for
the Mississippi bands of Chip
pewa Indians, scions and de-
scendants of the once royal Al
gonquins of America. The reser-
walton as originally set aside
comprised thirty-six townships
of timber and prairie land. In
1889 the Indians ceded to the
government among other lands,
four of the townships along the
northeastern boundary, so that
the present reservation contains
only 80 townships.
The history Of the Chippewas
reads like a tale of the Arabian
Nights, history replete with
struggles and triumphs and
forming a brilliant chapter of
gradual ascendancy from primi-
tive stage to a goal of a higher
civilization. Schools and churches
have accomplished wonders for
these once warlike and untutored
sons of Nature and today the
Chippewa of the White Earth
reservation are, without doubt,
the wealthiest people per capita
in the state of Minnesota. =.
Their home is situated in the
heart of the ''garden spot'' of
the North Star state. A section
of country whose resources 8 and
prolifcacy of soil are unequaled
in any portion of the state.
Numerous lakes, rivers and
springs furnish an exhaustless
supply of pure healthful water;
copse and groves, oasis:like, dot
it's fertile prairies and give as
surance of the war NTH and COM
fort derived from wood and fuel.
And its vast forests possess a
wealth of soft and hardwood
tim Der that will elevate the rat
ing of their heritage far beyond
the gaunt shadows of penury and
want and assures to it's indus
trlous hus bandmen a splendid
and progressive future. Careful
estimates, derived from different
sources, place the wealth of the
Chippewas as follows:
737, ,28O acres of land =.
valued at$8 per acre. SIS 1913 24O
700, 100000 feetof pine
timber, valued at $40.
per 1,000.. ......... z 900 600
300, 600, 900 feet of oak
and other tim Der,
10 per 1,0O0. ...... 8 600 900
Improvement and
stock valned at 5OO OOO
Total. ...$16 1913 24O
Dividing the figures above
given among a population of 4, 255
souls, gives a per capita to every
man, woman and child of about
$3, ,480. Beside this handsome
individual heritage there is de-
posted in the United States
treasury a large sum of money,
accruing from the sales of land
and timber and which, from a
recent estimate, will in all prob
abilities swell this princely fund
to between $15,000,000 and $780,.
100000 in addition to the amount
above noted, so that it is reason.
ably safe to base the per capita
of every man, woman and child
now in being of the White Earth
| reservation at s., 600 each.
There are three fine boarding
and industrial schools in active
operation on the reservation
which are we'll patronized. Be
sides this, there are about SOC
Chippewa boys and girls attend
ing non-reservation schools, AND
a large mum ber are students il
some of the best schools and col
leges of the state, preparing
themselves for professiona
careers. Many of them are fill
ing positions of trust and profl
in the government and other ser
vice, so that, taking it all in all
the prospective future Of tht
/ Chippewas Of the White Earth i.
certainly bright and promising