The Washington herald., 1909-07-04
Drawing Begins in Flathead
Reservation July 8.
WILL YIELD 100000 HOMES
History of the Reservation Sketch
ed First White Woman EIODed
with Henry 6. Miller from Utah.
Treaty Establishing Reserve Made
in Is65-Rich Country.

the Flathead Indian Reservation, on the
western slope Of the Rocky Mountains.
in Northern Montana, viii provide homes
for 10000 persons following the drawing
under the direction Of the United States
government at Couer d'Alene, Idaho. be-
ginning on the morning OF July 8
These lands have been classified as
first and secUnd class agricultural and
grazing. and are appraised from S1.25 TO
81 an acre. Persons desiring 10 enter
under the homestead act must register
IN person at KalispeH. Mont, 26s miles
east OF Spokane. or Missoula. Mont, 257
miles from Spokane, between July Is and
August g.
Contains FIathead Lake.
This reserve has within its boundaries
the south half OF Flathead Lake. the
largest body of fresh water west Of Lake
Michigan.
The chief fruit products are pears.
peaches apples cherries plums, and ber-
ries also grain and forage crops IN
abundance. Irrigation is not necessary.
The reservation is crossed by numerous
mountain streams, and is surrounded by
a belt of timber. which is not subject
20 entry.
The Reclamation Service is preparing a
system Of dams and bitches, costing $780,
coo to irrigate the lands in the north-
western part Of the reserve. Homestead
ers viii be required 10 pay the pro rata
share of this Improvement. also an an
nuaI maintenance fee. The elevation is
2,9o0 feet
KaIispeu. a city of 1000 Is the gate
way TO the reservation. Three boats ply
daily between Kalispeu and Poison. a
trading point at the south end Of Flat
head Lake, and in the heart Of the reser-
walton. The Great Northern, the only
line in the valley. is building an ex-
tension from Kalispen TO the reserva-
ton and the Chicago, Milwaukee and
Puget Sound and the Canadian Pacific
railways have crews in the field seeking
an entrance TO Kalispell
stevens Establishes Reservation.
The reservation was established in a
treaty made by Isaac l. Stevens. first
Territorial governor OF Washington and
ex-of1cio superintendent OF Indian affairs
in the Territory. and the chiefs and head
men Of the Flatbush. KoOtenay and
Upper Bend d'Oreille tribes, in what was
formerly known as Council Grove, eight
miles below Missoula, now called Grass
Valley, on July L. 1856. II was ratified
by the United States Senate on March
g, 1859
Five persons who were present at the
treaty are Hazard Stevens. son Of Gov.
Stevens. living at Boston. W. II.
Tappan. a resident OF central Massachu-
setts; Charlois. chief Of the Flathead
tribe. and Francois Eneas and Louis
Vanderberg. Eneas was assistant inter
prefer at the council The three Indians
live on the reservation.
Victor, who has long since Joined his
forbears in 'the happy hunting ground.
was chief OF the Indians at the making
Of the treaty, after which the Flatheads.
KOotenays and Upper Pend d'Oreilles
became known as the Confederated
Tribes Of the Flathead Nation. The
Indians suffered hardships and wrongs
by reason Of noncompliance Of the
treaty stipulations and bad faith by the
government. Though the treaty was
made in the summer Of 1886, the first an
nuities, consisting OF several hundred
boxes Of army hard tack and bags OF
rice did not reach the tribe until 1862
more Of the supplies being sold to white
settlers than were delivered to the ma
ton's wards
Did Not Wish 10 Move.
When the first treaty was made, the
tribe, then living in the Bitter Root Val
ley. where its members were happy an5
contented. were not willing to move bag
and tepee TO the reservation. and TO
satisfy Chief Victor, a clause was in
serted as follows:
1T is moreover. provided that the Bit
ter Root Valley. above Loo Lo Fork.
shall be carefully surveyed and examined,
and if it shall prove. in the judgment
of the President TO be better adapted TO
the wants Of the Flathead tribe than the
general reservation provided for in this
treaty, then sTch portions OF II as may
be necessary shall be set apart as a
separate reservation for said tribe No
portion OF the Bitter Root Valley above
the Loo 10 Fork shall be open TO settle
ment until such examination Is had and
the decision Of the President is made
known"
Much litigation followed TO arrive at
the correct Interpretation Of this treaty.
It was followed by an Executive order
IN 1S71. finding that the Bitter Root Val
ley was not better adapted TO the needs
Of the tribe than the general reservation,
the order adding that Ii was deemed un-
necessary to set apart any portion of
said Bitter ROot Valley as a separate
reservations fer the Indians referred to
IN said treaty"
First Agency Established.
Though no treaty existed before June
1s. 1855. Gov. Stevens appointed Thomas
Adams special agent for the FIatheads IN
1854. and the following year the govern
ment appointed DR.. Lansdale, Of Oregon,
as the first regular agent for the three
tribes. He established an agency at the
mouth Of the Jocko River. on the present
reserve. near what is now the town Of
Dixon.
Mrs. Minnie Miller. wife Of Henry G.
Miller. who went TO Utah from New
York in 1850 and elOped with the belle
Of the Mormon settlement in the spring
OF 1856, was the second white woman
within the limits of what IS now the
State Of Montana. and the first TO take
up actual residence. The one woman who
preceded her was simply passing through
the country, from Winnipeg, Manitoba,
on the way 10 the Pacific coast In
eloping, Miller and his bride made their
way on horseback 10 Fort Hall, a trading
post owned by the Hudson's Bay Com
pany. then IN what is now the State Of
Idaho. They were received by Capt
Richard Grant, in charge Of the post
and were married
The Afillers awaited the return OF DIT
Lansdale, from Salt Lake, and were en-
gagged 10 take charge OF the reservation
during his absence in Oregon. They re-
mained at the agency until the fall Of
1857, when they moved 10 Walla Walla.
AT that time the agency consisted OF
only a few log cabins. Mrs Miller lived
there from her arrival in 1856 untn she
departed In the fall Of 1857 without seeing
another white woman. Dr.. Lansdale
n rCcn