Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-29
GOVERNMENT RUNS
LUMBER CAMP FOR
INDIANS BENEFIT
Men0minees Are Reluctant to
Learn Business But Take
the Money.

Menominee Indian Reservation, Ke-
shena, Neutrality-suspicious. of The
Associated Press.)-The federal gov.
eminent operates on this Indian reser-
walton a complete northwoods logging
industry, including a sawmill valued at
a quarter of a million dollars.
1t is a successful. money-making in
dustry, which since about 1914, has
put more than two million dollars net
profit in the tribal fund of the Menomi-
nees. Its purchase is not primarily to
make money, but to afford an opportu-
nifty for Menominees to learn business.
This government lumber camp works
in a tract of 227.OOO acres of timber
land. with about 80 miles of railroad
to haul out the logs, and the rail head
at Neopit, in the heart of the reserva-
ton. The work is conducted by white
men. under the general supervision OF
Edgar A. Allen, superintendent of the
reservation. and the logging operations
under G. A. Clutches. manager of the
operation, a University of Michigan
man. White lumberjacks and contract
ors have done the largest portion of
the work, for the Indians have not
taken to numbering readily.
The Menominees are encouraged not
only to work in the camps and the mills
for wages. but to undertake opera
tons as jobbers on their own response
biiity. Comparatively small tracts are
assigned for this purpose. where an
Indian undertakes to clear the logs
and deliver them to the railroad, hiring
his W help. and furnishing teams and
equipment. This requires capital. skill
and business ability. 1t is not neces-
sary for the Indian jobbers to have
capital to start. If they can convince
the superintendent of their RESPONSE
bility, the government advances the
means for them to try to make good
and to become independent. There are
several Indian jobbers now at work.
One of these camps is conducted by a
Carlisle graduate, who was a notable
ball player in his college days, and who
now plays summer baseball with the
Neopit Indian team.
Among the staff of white men in
the lumber corps is a former New
York state theatrical a who re-
after making some money. be-
came interested in doing supply work
for the camps. studied farming out OF
books. and this summer has thirteen
IotTtttH ~ Va ~
nbout the camps to supply fresh vege-
Superintendent Clutches conducts the
part of the numbering operations
and watches the market for dispOsing
Of the lumber. His part of the training
work is to show the indians the right
way. for he says there is one right way
IF getting out logs and about fifty that
are wrong. He showed some of the
amps a few fundamentals that raised
he amount Of their production some
hing like four fold. without increasing
he labor or the expense. These other
oggers were not taking everything az
hey went. nor clearing the brush and
eaving the land ready either for refor-
astration or farming. The brush and
he occasional logs that they left null
.iplied their work incredibly.
Washington, maintains an active SUI
pervision over the entire establishme nt.
At one Of the woods camps a pine log
vas used to make q watering trough.
1harges were filed that good pine logs
we're being wasted for watering troughs.
md an investigation has held.
Congress determines how fast these
forests shall be cleared.
ind reservation officials estimate that
It the present rate. 60 years will be
for clearing. Congress also
determines how often and how much
money from the lumber profits shall
Re distributed nom the Menominees.
)ne year this amounted to about $500
head. while on other years it has
,een as low as $40 each. and on some
nothing at all