The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-24
BLACKFEET LANDS
APPRAISED
LOCAL MEMBER OF COMMISSION
RETURNS HOME AND TELLS
OF CONDITIONS.

NiS " IAN A. pea VI llIS q "iiNi nv
has been engaged in assisting in the
examination, classification and APP
p~raisement of the government lands
on the Blackfeet indian reservation.
The commissioners, of which he was a
member, were appointed by the pres
ident and in addition to Mr.. Avery
consisted of Thralls W. Wheat, of
Browning, representing the Indian Of
flee, Joseph w. Brown of Browning,
representing the Piegan tribe of In
dians, Mr.. Avery of Missou1a being a
representative of the state of Mon
tana. The actua field work was com
pleted by February %, but the COM
missioners made a trip to Washington
to confer with the government and
make it's report. In speaking of the
work and the land to be opened by the
Blackfeet reservation. Mr.. Avery said:
THE act under which this reserva-
ton was thrown open was passed on
March 1, 1907. All that remains to
be done now before the reservation is
actually thrown open for settlement
is to approve the IndiGn allotments
and the report of the appraising COM
mission, appr; 'se the townsites and
issue the presidents proclamation.
THE Blackfeet Indian reservation
is located in Teton county, Mont. 1t is
bounded on the north by the province
of Alberta. Canada, and on the west
by the Glacier National park and thu
Lewis and Clarke forest reserve.
The commission began work in the
field on June 6, 1912. Since that
time it has examined, classified and
appraised approximately $4,000 acres
of surplus lands, besides driving over
about 9S5,OO0 acres of allotted lands in
order to appraise the surplus lands.
There Is approximately 124, 900 acres
of first class agricultural lard 17o'
acres of econd class agricultural
land and sol 900 acres of grazing land
on this reservation th2t will be open
to entry by actual settlers only.
The Blackfeet Indian reservation is
Inhabited by the Piegan tribe of In
dians, numbering about $500. They
are a very intelligent people, S. per
cent of them being mixed bloods. All
speak the Piegan Indian language and
rs per cent of them speak and write
the English language. All the English
speaking Indians are fairly well edu-
Gated in the common branches and
some of them have taken advantage of
higher education. For the most part
these people are engaged in stock rails
ing. This has been a splendid stock
country, and will be unit it is settled
up by agriculturists, and always will
be, only on a smaller scale.
Each Indian is entitled to 500 acres
of land, ESQ acres of grazing and 40
acres of agricultural land. About
three fifths of them have taken lands,
both irrigable and grazing in one body
and about three-fifths have taken 40
acres under an irrigation project. and
the balance, grazing lands, somewhere
else IN the reservation.
There are three Indian day schools
and two boarding schools, two county
public schools, besides several private
schools on the reservation.
There are seven government town
sites located in different parts of the
reservation, namely, Browning, Black
foot, Babb, Midvale, Poncatracina.
Galbreath and Seville. The lots on
these toWnsites will be appraised and
sold at auction for not less than the
appraised value. Browning is the
principal town at the present time.
The Government agency is located
here.
The government. through the re-
clamation service, intends to reclaim
all of the irrigable lands on this res
ervation. This is known as the Black
feet project, and is divided into four
divisions, namely. Cut Bank division,
comprising $4,000 acres; the Two
Medicine division, comprising As, 900
acres; the Badger Creek division, COM
prising $4,000 acres, and the Birch
Creek division, comprising $4,000
acres, making a total of Ill, 500 acres
Of land that will be covered by these
divisions when completed. Fl. N. Saw
age, supervising engineer, with head
quarters at Helena, is in charge of
the work.
This country is well adapted to
raising, dairying and agriculture.
Wheat, oats, barley, flax, timothy. al
talfa, red top, broom grass, will do
wei IN this section. Most of the va
r1etles of the common vegetables can
raised successfully here. Small
can also be successfully grown
here. All of the agricultural lands on
this reservation will produce crops
by dry farming methods. However,
mere is no question but that the por-
ions covered by the reclamation pro-
|ects Will produce more bountifully bv |
of having water.
The main line of the Great North
'rn railway traverses this region east
'rly and westerly. The 500 has sur
eyed a line of road in a n%ortherlv
southerly direction across this
country. When this road is completed
he country will be well served with
facilities.
Now that he appraising commits
ION has finished this work, Thralls w.
Wheat will resume his former duties
S special allotting agent of the office
Indian affairs. Joseph f. Brown
VII resume his former duties as stock
Inspector of the BIackfeet Indian res
rVation. II. e. Hammersley. the com
etent and faithful clerk of the COM
Mission, has received a transfer to the