Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-06-11

stone to Twenty Five Yard creek
thence across the head of the Mussel-
shell, and down that river to its mouth
The Grows were to occupy the coun-
try commencing at the mouth Of the
Powder river, up that river to its
source, along the main range of the
Black Hills and Wind River mountains
to the Geyser park or headwaters of
the Yellowstone, down the Yellowstone
to the mouth of Twenty-Five Yard
creek; thence to the head of the Mus
selshell, down the Musselshell to its
mouth; thence to the head of Big Dry
creek, and thence to its mouth.
In addition to those tribal districts
the Cheyennes and Arrapahoes were
granted a large territory extending
from the North Fork of the Platte
down to the crossing of the Arkansas
river by the Sante Fe trail.
The superintendent of Indian affairs
for Montana from 1864 to 1873, when
the office was abolished, were Sidney
Edgerton, 1864-5; Thomas Francis
Meagher, 1866; Green Clay Smith,
1868; James Tufts, 1869, as successor
to Governor Smith in the executive
office; Alfred Sully, brigadier-general
OF United States army, 1869; Jasper
A.. Wall, 1902, and James Wright,
December 10, 1872, to June 80, 1873.
Missoula and Occur d'Alene Indians
The Flatheads were the first Indians
of all the tribes known in Montana to
embrace the faith of the white race,
and to give evidences of their desire
to emerge from the barbarous condi-
ton of the northern savage. Many
stories have been told and written
about how they conceived an idea of
the Black Gowns; how they dispatched
their savage messengers to distant st.
Louis, and the success which ultimately
crowned their perseverance in this
search for Christian faith, are all set
forth. The Occur d'Alenes resemble
the FIatheads in physique, manners
and customs. They followed the ex-
ample of the last named tribe, adopted
a policy of peace with the whites, and
entered on that career which distin-
guished the Flathead nation from all
tribes west of the Mississippi. Louise
Sighouin, of the Occur d'Alenes, or
Skizoumish Indians, was met by Father
DeSmet in October, 1841, while she
and her friends were returning from
a bison hunt on the upper Missouri.
When the great missioner visited the
Occur d'Alenes in April, 1912, it was
on an invitation of the chiefs who came
to st. Mary's mission to seek for a
Black Gown to go among them. Among
n first received into the church was
Louise, and to her, next to the example
OF the Jesuits, must the conversion of
the entire tribe be credited. Chief
Loyola was a similar character among
the Kalispells. He wa to st. Igna-
titus mission what Louise Sighouin was
to st. Mary's.
The treaty with the Flatheads, Koo-
tenays, and Upper Pend d'Oreilles was
negotiated at He'll Gate in the Bitter
Root valley, July 16, 1855, by Isaac 1.
Stevens, governor and superintendent
OF Indian affairs, with Victor, the head
chief of the confederated tribes.
The treaty negotiated at the Flat
head agency, Jocko, August 27, 1872,
between the United States, represented
by Commissioner James A. Garfield,
and the Flathead Indians, represent
ed by Chariot, Arlee and Adolph,
chiefs, made very satisfactory provi-
sion for this tribe. The Congressional
Act of June %, 1874, provided that
proceeds of sales of land in the Bitter
Root valley should be paid into the
United States treasury, and that in
lieu of this amount a sum of $4,000 be
appropriated annually for ten years to
be expended in the interest of the
Flatheads who had removed from the
valley, also providing that Indians Of
that tribe who had not settled on the
Jocko reservation should not be coun-
tenanced In the distribution of moneys
or merchandise. The commission en-
powered to treat with the Flatheads
Tor passage of the Northern Pacific
over the reservation, in August, 1882,
completed their labors by agreeing to
pay the sum of $4,000 for the right
of-way, and to reimburse all Indian
farmers for damages upon their prop
erty. This right-of-way treaty did not
sell to the road the land over which