The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-08-13
Being Rounded up Near Helena and
Will Be Allotted Lands i'm East
ern Valley County in Year.
An Effort Will Be Made to Have the Withdrawal
Order Cut Down to Four or Five Town.
ships and Balance Reopened

Helena. Aug. a.-John +. Armstrong spec
ial alloting agent of the Indian department.
arrived here today from Washington. ID. O..
to round up Rocky Boys band of Chippew a
Indians. numbering 10. according to CEN
sus taken last spring. who will be taken to
public lands north and east of Fort Peck res
ervation In Valley county. and given allot-
ments. Established there. the $4,000 appro-
priation made for them In April. 1905 will I've
spent on the erection of homes and barns
and the purchase Of farm implements.
The band is widely scattered. according 10
reports. and it may take some time TO as
semble them. III this Is the case. they will be
taken care of by the government this winter
and then removed in the spring.
II Is said that this remnant of the Chippe-
was is the only tribe In the country for
which provision has not been made by the
government.
From the above special from Helena. il
will be seen that the Rocky Boys band Of
paupers are now being rounded up and it
will also be seen that If something is not
done the lands affected by the withdrawal
order will not be reopened for settlement
for year or more.
The Searchlight editor suggests that all
the citizens interested write letters TO the
Secretary Of the Interior Ballinger some
what similar to the following copies Of
which were also sent to Senator Thos. ii.
Carter. Washington. ID. c.: Senator los.
NJ. Dixon. Washington. ID. c.. and to
Representative Chas NJ. Pray. Fort Bent
on, Mont.
live all ask for the same thing, viz:
The modification of the order by having
four or FIVE townships selected instead OF
seventy-two. and the balance reopened.
~e are Of the opinion that it can be ac-
complished.
Secretary Ballinger will be at Great
Falls. Aug. 18TH and goth, with the Senate
committee which will inspect the Sun
River irrigation project. A committee
might be sent from Culbertson to Great
Falls at that time and have personal in
terview with him on the subject.
Following is the letter referred to above
Secretary of the Interior.
Washington. ID. c.
DEAR IR.-ln regard to the withdrawal
from further settlemen, 4o full townships
and ~ fractional townships. comprising
practically all the land in eastern Valley
County. north and east of the Fort Peck
Reservation. until such time as allotments
can be made to the Rocky Boys band OF
Chippewa Indians. ! would call your at
tention to the following facts and partial
solution Of the problem as presented in
this community:
First: As you know. we of Culbertson
and vicinity. have two thousand or more
Indians as neighbors on the Fort Peck
Reservation which are to be allotted lands
on their own reservation and the balance
thrown open to settlement. This is not
objected to. although the lands thus allot.
ed will be free from taxation for a long
term Of years.
Second: The Turtle Mountain Indians
Of North Dakota were given allotment
scrip some three years ago and we're care
fully steered into eastern Valley County
and some thousand to 1. 200 of them have
taken claims among the white settlers on
this same tract OF land now Withdrawn
from further settlement Their allotments
we understand will also be free from taxa
tion for period of twenty to twenty-five
years.
Third: The citizens Of Culbertson and
vicinity. have expended hundreds of dol
lars in advertising the resources and prod
ucts of eastern Valley County and have in
duced many hundreds Of white settlers to
come here and take homesteads. Settlers
wsre still coming here in goodly