The Daily Missoulian., 1913-04-21

Poison, April 0.-(Special) JAS the
writer journeyed across the Flathead
reservation last week, many incidents
transpired to give to the trip more
than the usual pleasure and varied ex-
citement.
The weather was delightful and the
fertile fields responsive to the life
giving warm spring sunshine show a
bright green color where the Turkey
Red wheat has slumbered through the
long winter.
The open range, but two weeks ago
covered with snow, has turned into
broad pastures carpeted with a rich
growth of nutritious grass.
What beautiful sight this wonder
full valley is in springtime. AS gazed
on the rugged Mission range, it's SER
rated peaks enshrouded with gis-
tening white snow in setting of
clear azure sky, the hazy blush
chinook effect on the pine covered
nearer trees resting on the bright
peagreen verdure of the valley, pro-
duced picture that was indeed fasci-
mating.
Nothing is of more interest to us
recent corners to this great northwest
than to see real western scenes as por-
trayed in the movies" today: the
cowboy with his wide sombrero and
sheepskin chaps, and the Indian, gaily
bedecked with his gaudy colored dress,
is fast passing into a memory, and a
glimpse of the real old wild west is a
rare treat.
A trip through the reservation still
presents an occasional view Of the
aboriginee, housed in his teepee and
hedecked in all his ornamental garb;
yet even here in the allotted home of
the few remaining braves disease,
poverty and despair. brought on by
the invasion of the white man, is rap
idly clearing up the remnants of the
once powerful tribes that roamed these
valleys at will.
The young Indian, educated in the
with the friendly, sympathetic settler,
is quickly learning the value of his
land allotment as a farm and is dill
gently applying himself to the culti-
walton Of 1T in imitation of his neigh
Dor, so that the typical Indian is pass
ing into history with the buffalo and
antelope.
AS I passed through the reserva-
ton, I was somewhat surprised at the
marked activities of the settler in pre-
pairing his homestead for the crop of
the coming summer. I had heard
much about the discouragements of
the rancher under the reclamation
project; how he lost out on wheat;
how irrigation was a joke; how want
of transportation was killing his
spirit; how the best lands We're al
lotted to the Indian and We're lying
idle; how the settler was moving
away to seek more lucrative fields;
yet here was activity on every side.
did not encounter any deserted farms;
on the other hand, everywhere We're
signs of new endeavors. Large gang
ploWs with six and seven horses We're
breaking new ground. In several
places the stage had to skirt around
new fences; everyone was getting
ready for a bigger planting than last
seasons.
In the towns everybody was busy.
New buildings were being erected
everywhere. Al 81. lSnatluS, the
Beckwith Mercantile company was a
beehive of activity. George Beckwith,
in conversation, stated that this will
be the best year the reservation has
ever seen. The ranchers are all plant
ing alfalfa and buying stock; from
now on this will be a dairy country.
Diversified methods will succeed the
one-crop plan, so watch us grow I
expect to take a trip east soon to
purchase 200 head of young dairy
stock Our faith in this country is
such that we will finance anyone who
will milk COWS"
Among the many new buildings be-
Ing erected at st. Ignatius was no.
tica1 a 25x60-f foot addition to OCon-
nelrs general store. Barber shop and
baths, by-J F. Dishman: confectionery
and news stand, by M. w. Miller; a
handsome two-story cottage, by w.
G. Kimball. Buckhouse Bros, butch =
ers, who recently burnt out, will soon
begin the erection of a new and larger
store.
The roads over to Roman are in much
better condition than they were last
spring. There is still a bad stretch
in the vicinity of Post creek, but the