The Richfield recorder. (Richfield, Idaho) 1909-1931, 1909-06-24
THE COEUR D'ALENES
Vast Territory to BE Opened to the
Homesteaders This Year.

The Coeur d'Alene Indian reserva.
tion in Idaho, where 100000 of its
100000 acres of agricultural, graz
ing and timbered lands will be dis
tributed among homesteaders by the
government lottery plan at Occur d.
Alene, 80 miles east of Spokane, be-
ginning the morning of August g.
is one of the three reserves in the
Inland empire to be opened this year.
The other two are the Spokane in
eastern Washington, 5000 acres of
agricultural lands, and the Flathead
in Western Montana, with 100000
acres of agricultural and grazing
lands Those eligible to settle on
this land must register either at
Kalispell or Missoula, Mont, for the
Flathead, at Occur d'Alene for the
Coeur d'Alene, and at Spokane for
the Spokane reservation. Registra-
tion will begin on July Is and con-
tinue until August g. All applica-
tions for registration must be mail
ed in a plain envelope, u by in
ches, y'James w. Whitten, super
intendent of opening, Occur d'Alene,
Idaho
The passing of the reserve from
the hands of the historic tribe to
white settlers marks an epoch in the
annals of the northwest; its settle
ment next April means homes for
from 1000 to 10000 persons, prob
ably many of them from crowded
cities in the east and the develop
ment of the lands will add several
millions of dollars annually to the
wealth production of the Inland En-
pire.
The reservation has an interesting
history dating from the early '30's,
when French-Canadian employees of
the Hudson Bay company stirred up
among the untutored reds desire for
the coming of BLACK Robes" as the
missionaries were known in those
days. Fathers De Smet, Gregory
Mengarini, and Nicholas Point, ac-
companied by Brothers Specht, Huet
and Claessens came from st. Louis
in 1871 and lived among the Indians.
They founded their first mission in
the Bitter Root vallav IN Montana
mar the site of the present town of
Stevensville, where they afterwards
erected a church and parish house
and cultivated the land. Several
years afterwards Father Josef Joined
the. band of workers and the Occur
d'Alene mission was established.
Father Josef later became superior
of the Rocky Mountain Mission,
which, in 1907, was united with the
California mission. 1t is headed by
Rev. Father George de la Motto of
Spokane, whose jurisdiction now en-
braces the state of California, Oregon
Idaho, Montana, Wyom-
ing, North and South Dakota and
southern Alaska, an area of nine hun
1Ieu IuOuSduu Squdit uiiiCo.
In the early days some of the In
dians, then in their prime, were
looked upon as medicine men," en-
lowed with supernatural powers and
of great influence with
heir fellows. When the priests be-
gan their work they condemned that
superstition and the medicine men
gradually lost their power and in
1uence. Old and young today are
levout adherents of the Roman Ca
holic religion. The men devote them
elves to athletic sports and games
between the ceremonies, being es-
fond of baseball and horse
'acing Indian officers maintain a
'igilant police system and offenders
re punished by Imprisonment in the
all at De Smet. Drunkenness is not
olerated
Pierre Wildshoe, chief of the tribe,
nd successor to Andrew Seltice, who
led in 1902, while not the wealth. I
st is one of the most respected and
Influential men on the reservation.
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