The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1907-02-06
INDIANS DIG CANALS.
Reclamation Officials Say They Give
Satisfactory Service.

The Washington correspondent OF
the Anaconda Standard gives this &C.
count of q partial solution of the
labor problem on some Of the Mon
tana irrig alton projects:
The employment OF Indian labor on
the various reclamation projects now
under construction has been given a
thorough test during the past season.
In Montana the Indian has been utili.
zed on the St. Mary's and the Huntley
projects, and the result, within certain
limits, has been a success. The ex-
pertinent was forced upon the recla-
nation service engineers by the scare.
ity of white labor, and it was with
considerable misgivings that the EN-.
ployment of Indians was authorized.
So quickly did the Blackfeet adapt
themselves to new industrial condi.
tions that in the first season of their
employment they acquired the strike
habit and even developed other habits
of the white workman.
Cyrus c. Babb, engineer in charge
of the St. Mary's project, who is in
Washington for report and consulta-
tion with the department officers, in
discussing the employment of Indian
labor said:
"The results were fairly satisfactory.
The Indians, while working with their
horses on the scrapers, did reason.
ably we'll. Their horses were hardly
heavy enough, however, for plow
teams. 1t was also difficult to get
them TO work as pillow and scraper
holders. The reclamat service
was handicapped in not having ex-
perienced foremen who have been on
extensive canal work before and who
> at the same time could handle the In
dians.
: "The Indians are strictly up-to d ate
people, for in the middle of the work
they all went on strike for higher
wages. They were working the regu
lar eight-hour day. The strikers
threatened those that wanted to con-
tinue the work that their homes would
be torn to pieces, their horses run off =,
: etc. A conference was held between
the engineers and the principal chiefs.
They were shown that the work was
given them mainly for their benefit,
u that If they would not go back to work
: white help from the outside would be
e obtained. A slight increase in wages
" was allowed.
"The Indians finally went back to
Z work, bnt shortly afterward they be
). gan to drop off gradually and &C
u home. Cold weather was setting in
- and they could not be held. Negotia'
~ tions are now on foot with certair
~ railroad contractors for the construc
o tion OF the upper 10 miles of canal by
g contract.
l. MIR. Newell, chief of the reel amatior
) service, says that practically similar
~ results were attained In the employ
ment of Indian labor on the Huntle,
!. project. During the coming season
u the possibilities of Indian labor viii
be even more thoroughly investig ated
In discussing the progress made OF
the St. Mary's project during the pas
r. season, Engineer Babb said:' "Thi
n project in many particulars has givel
70 the department more trouble th an an
I'd other OF the irrigation projects now Il
of hand. There are not only engineering
he stumbling blocks, but legal and inter
he natioual ones as we'll, and they ar
n. not all settled yet.
~ 1.-THE area to be reclaimed-fror
ue $50, 900 to zoo. 900 acres-is located i
be the Milk river valley, in norther
en- Montana. The water to irrigate th
of same will come mostly from the ST
d. Mary river. stream rising on tn
he eastern slope of the main range of th
ia Rocky mountains.
e. reconstruction work on the 25-mil
canal connecting the St. Mary rive
as and Milk river was authorized by th
be secretary of the interior just q yea
,h ago this mouth. Specifications wer
er prepared and bids asked for construt
q. tion, involving the expenditure {
Il. over half million dollars. Jul
Il. 81, the time appointed for openin
I'd bids. only one was received, and as
ss was considered too high by the Ell
,m gineers, it was rejected by the seer
y. tary. At the time of rejection the SCI
"a. retary authorized the reclaim alton e,
e. gineers to proceed with the constru'
tion by day labor or force account, q
re it is called. Machinery for this pu
e. pose was Immediately ordered an
er purchased. This included two stea
no shovels, traction engines, dump ";
he gons, steam rock drills, etc.
,m "Considerable preliminary wor
nd was done during the year-60 miles {
he telephone line were built. A sawmil
planer and hatcher we're installed ;