The Washington herald., 1908-05-22

On the reservation the government has
a sawmin capable OF cutting 1000 feet
of logs a day, with planer and shingle
plant; also a grist mill Of thirty-fve bar
rels capacity. These were established
years ago. and have been a great help
10 the Indians in improving their lands,
The Indians are required to take the logs
10 the sawnlill. where they are cut into
lumber The government supplies all the
skilled labor. but the Indians must bring
the logs to the MN and take the lum-
Der away. In this way they have secur-
sd much OF the lumber for their houses
and barns at no cost, except the labor of
securing the logs and hauling the lumber.
No charge is made for grinding their
grain.
The reservation is bounded on the west
by the Washington-Idaho State line, which
II follows forty-two miles south. It's
northern extremity is almost due east of
Rockford. Wash. It's upper boundary
runs east q few miles. and then turns 10
the southeast. crossing Occur d'Alene
Lake, and running to the southeast OF
the town Of Harrison, Idaho, seven miles
The reservation comes almost to a point
there. and its southeastern boundary runs
in a southwesterly direction until II strikes
the State line again south OF Farming
ton. At IT'S greatest width Il is twenty
eight miles wide. The Chicago. Milwau-
kee and st. Paul Railroad Is building its
line through the reservation from the ST.
Jos River, on its southeast boundary,
through TO TekOa The Oregon Railroad
and Navigation Companys line from
Tekoa to Wallace, Idaho, crosses the re-
serve from west to east. The St Joe
River and Coeur dAlene Lake furnish
water transportation through its great
est length from north TO south.
Peter BIocktilna Is head chief and Peter
Jarper is second chief. There are two
government policemen. Louie Michel and
Ichan. Chief Mocwtilma Is the reignlng
power; but he is subject to the rules and
regulations Of the government as interpre-
ted by the Indian agent. Chief Nocktllfna
is an impartial judge and deals out justice
without regard TO personality. His son,
Bartholomew M0cktilma. aged twenty-
TWO years. is a frequent visitor at Tekoa,
and has little or no difficulty in obtaining
sufficient liquor to produce intoxicatiOn
bordering on helplessness. The Indian
police take him 10 the mission where nc
is ordered imprisoned by his father. When
he falls from grace the chiefs son re-
ceives the same treatment as other IN
dians who get drunk
Most of the Indians speak English and
the younger generation are. as a rule fair
Iy well educated. They receive their ed
ucation in the Catholic school at De Sine,
Mission, twelve miles southeast Of Tekoa. |
This school IS conducted by the Catholic
fathers and the sisters of charity. the
former teaching the boys and the latter
the girls Many Of the Indian girls have
been taught music and there are dozens |
OF pianos owned by the Indians. Most of |
the indians are industrious and hard |
workers. Some of them have become |
wealthy from cultiYating large tracrs Of /
land' Feaping enormous crops of grain |
Oats is one Of the favorite croDs an the |
reservation and yields a large proft
Louis Antelope is one Of the richest In
dian farmers. He cuitivates 1000 acres
and has a well-kept home. He has large /
sums OF money loaned at interest and |
has fine teams and machinery. Indian
Daniel has 800 acres in cultivation on
Rock Creek. in the northern part Of the
reservation. Indian Campbell cultjvates
200 acres, and Spotted Louie has a 81 s0o
house on his farm. Louie MichIta kas
500 acres under cultivation and has one
OF the best homes on the reservation. He
employs white help and has a house near
his residence in which the laborers live.
much on the same plan as the negroes
do in the Southern States.
The land farmed by the Indians Is not
owned by them individually. The entire
reservation is the joint property OF all
Of them. none OF it being allotted in
severallty. Several of the head men in
the tribe. including Chief Mocktilma and
suO-Chief Jarper. are opposed to the /
opening of the reservation, and insist
that the land be retained as a tribal res
eTvation instead of being allotted IN sew
crafty. Most of the Indians, however,
are anxious for the division of the land. /