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William G. Thomas
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The United States circuit court of appeals has decided that the Puyallup Indians have not the power to alienate the land granted to them in severalty, and has approved the conduct of the agent who drove the workmen of the Northern Pacific off the reservation. The decision is one of the most important that has been rendered since the organization of the court, says the San Francisco Call, and unless reversed by the supreme court of the United States, will be an impregnable barrier between the unsophisticated Indian and the enterprising white.
The Puyallup Indians inhabit a fertile valley in the state of Washington. The lands were granted to them in severalty a few years ago, and the corporation forthwith began to cast covetous eyes on the fair domain. The Northern Pacific Railroad company decided to construct a branch through the reservation and a contractor named Ross was engaged to secure the right of way.
Among other members of the tribe Ross met John and Susie Cook, who sold him the right to use their share of the reservation for six months at the absurdly low rate of $1 a month. Ross brought his workmen, camps and implements and pitched his tents on the land obtained from the Cooks. The work of grading for the railroad had commenced, when Indian Agent Eels came to the rescue of the dispossessed. He drove Ross and his men off the reservation and forbade them to return, but his triumph was painfully evanescent. Ross sued for and obtained an injunction from the United States circuit court for northern Washington, restraining Eels from interfering with him or his workmen. He prepared to return to the reservation, but Eels, unwilling to give up the battle after one bout, carried the case to the court of appeals, which dissolved the decree and reversed the judgment of the Washington court.
The contractor did not deny that the lands upon which he had entered were part of those set apart as the Puyallup reservation, and that the reservation had not been directly revoked; but he contended the allotment of lands in severalty and afterward making the Indians citizens necessarily had the effect to revoke the reservation.
The court of appeals carefully considered the plausible argument made in behalf of the railroad company and its contractor and decided against it.
"It is clear," the decision reads, "that allotment alone could not have the effect of making the Indians citizens, unless citizenship is held to be inconsistent with the existence of a reservation. It is not necessarily so; some of the restraints of a reservation may be inconsistent with the rights of citizens.
"The power of the government to impose the restraint is not questioned, and its purpose is certainly not ambiguous. The treaties with the Indians-the allotment of the land in severalty-all had the purpose of fixing them in permanent homes.
"By article 6 of the treaty the privilege of allotment can only be availed of by those who will locate on the same as a permanent home, and the purpose is so careful. Insistent and dominant that the president is given power to prescribe such rules and regulations as will insure to the family in the case of the head thereof the possession and enjoyment of such permanent home, and he may issue a patent only to such person or family who has made a location for a permanent home, and if issued may cancel it if such person or family rove from place to place.
"It follows, therefore, that the contract of Ross with the Indians was void and that he was properly removed from the reservation. If it is for the interests of the Indians or of commerce to remove the restraints on alienation[unclear] congress will no doubt do so if applied to, and in the latter case it will be enabled to provide for the interests of the Indians better than they have seemed to have provided for themselves in the contract with Ross."
The present year has afforded very little satisfaction to fruit growers on the Pacific anywhere, for I have recently received a letter from the greatest fruit-handlers in Chicago and the east that says California growers have not actually received payment for the boxes the fruit is packed in, to say nothing of the fruit, writes a correspondent of the Portland Oregonian. It would no doubt have been better to have dried their apricots and peaches, but all of them needed money and kept on shipping their fruit in hope of improvement of the market. Bartlett pears have been often sold for less than the freight. They, too, could have been dried easily, and so would have realized something, especially since the eastern apple crop is a failure. Shipments commenced from Oregon in July, but they did not pay, and so were discontinued. The reason for this collapse of eastern markets has been that money was not in circulation and in the hands of well to do mechanics and working people, as is the case in prosperous times, and those who are usually affluent are of late practicing close economy; many are going without delicacies and luxuries who usually buy liberally of fruit. The times are out of joint, decidedly, but the fruit-grower must "pick his flint and try again."
Perhaps the prune-grower has the best prospect for a fair market price for his products of any of the soil-workers the present year. To predict high prices would be absurd in such a financial time, but there are reasons why we may expect at least fair prices for our prunes.
It is generally considered that the Mississippi valley markets and those of the middle west take their prunes in sacks, while the far east prefers all choice prunes in the twenty-five-pound boxes, nicely faced on wax paper, and the boxes lined with white paper. The freight on sacks being 20 cents per 100 pounds more than on boxed fruits, the difference almost pays for the boxes and the extra freight, so it is about as well to pack lower grades in fifty-pound boxes and the better twenty-fives. What is becoming absolutely necessary is to have prunes carefully graded as to size, for, other things being equal, size governs price. Very small prunes will go over 100 to the box, and thus come into competition with the cheap Turkish prunes that come over in 1,400-pound casks, and would be a terrible competition only for the 1 ½ cents duty left in our favor.
A party of prospectors a short time ago discovered a series of caverns in the rocky sides of Cajon Peak, a spur of the Cuyamaca range, in Southern California, the extent of which they were unable to ascertain, having no lights with them. Subsequently a party was organized for the purpose of exploring the caves, says the Denver Times-Sun, which were found to rival the Mammoth cave of Kentucky in interesting features, as well as in the size of the chambers.
There are several external openings, from each of which a vertical ascent is made into a chamber, with several laterals extending to other chambers, some of them being of gigantic size. The roofs and floors are brilliant with stalactites and stalagmites, and although the investigations were cursory it is apparent that a wonderful discovery has been made. Other passages leading in various directions into the heart of the mountain were traversed for considerable distances, and several mineral springs of strong saline qualities were found.
Steps are being taken to secure title to the land on which the entrances were found, which is still vested in the government. A company will be organized to thoroughly explore the caverns, which are said to be of immense extent, and lay the interior of the mountain open to the public.
The decision of the United States court of private land claims opening up the mineral portion of the Cochiti district to location by miners and freeing it from the cloud of the Cochiti grant, is a boon for the capitalists who have invested in the district, and who have, thus far, borne the brunt of development. It gives this promising gold section a broader claim to the attention of investors, says the Denver News.
The present occupants of the Cochiti district are mostly old miners from Creede, Cripple Creek, Virginia City, Pioche and the Black Hills. Cochiti's boom started all right last spring and hundreds of prospectors, many of them from Colorado, rushed in and located everything in sight. It was easy to locate claims, because the croppings were too plain to be missed, and some outfits staked off fifteen and twenty claims each and hired men to do assessment work. Capitalists from Denver, Chicago and other points went to the camp and were about to buy claims and put up mills, when the land grant scare was sprung and the boom collapsed. The grant claimants talked loudly about trespass, damages and injunctions, and although there was nothing in the scare to hinder anybody from working a mine, the capitalists were afraid of buying lawsuits, and Cochiti's boom collapsed for the time. Many miners finished their assessment work and returned to Colorado. The few hundred remaining in camp built cabins, bought bacon and beans and set about prospecting their leads and piling up ore while awaiting the settlement of the great case, and the advent of capital and stamp mills.
John Ely, at one time owner of the famous Raymond Ely mine in Nevada, is a Cochiti prospector, the present owner of a number of claims. He declares that Cochiti's surface indications are the greatest he ever saw or heard of. He says it is the biggest low grade proposition on earth, and by low grade he means an average of about $40 per ton. It is not a poor man's camp, for the mining and milling must be done on a large scale and the gold is so fine that it must be saved by amalgamation.
An expert says the leads of Cochiti are true tissure[sic] veins in porphyry, quite liberal in the matter of size. "Erosion has left ledges of quartz fifty feet thick cropping to a height of fifty feet, and even ten feet above the ground, and these croppings assay high in gold and silver from the moss down. There are half a dozen main parallel leads running north and south for miles, besides many smaller veins, all of them traceable by the croppings across ridges and able by the croppings across ridges and canons from any high point where timber does not obstruct the view. How these giant masses of exposed ore have evaded discovery during the 300 years that have elapsed since white men began ransacking New Mexico for gold is one of the anomalies of mining history."
Smelter returns on Cochiti ore, made by one of the Pueblo smelters, ranged in value from $100 to $700 per ton. Cochiti is not on a railroad as yet, and the cost of wagon haul is somewhat expensive, but can be largely reduced by improving roads. An analysis of Cochiti ore shows that it is exactly the same combination of minerals as the ore of the Comstock and amenable to the same treatment. In the upper[unclear] or westerly veins gold predominates in value, the general proportion being about two-thirds gold and one-third silver. The rock carries no base metal and is free milling. Cochiti miners learned that after the old Comstockers arrived in the camp. Previous to their arrival it was held that the ores should be smelted, because gold could not be found always by crushing and panning ore that showed gold in the fire assay.
Cochiti camp is fully six months old. It is doubtful, however, if the ore treatment problem has been settled as yet. Any kind of ore can be handled in a smelter, and with this as a general rule the special methods of treatment will be compelled to fight for position. The camp has a good winter climate, which assures the continuation of work from one end of the year to another. A railroad spur is the next item in order.
The latest gold excitement along the Yukon has been caused by a discovery at Birch creek, some 200 miles below Forty Mile, says a returned miner in an interview published in the San Francisco Chronicle. There are about 100 men there, and they say they have very good prospects.
The main gold producing diggings are at Miller creek, which is really tributary to Sixty-mile creek, but everybody goes up Forty-mile to get there. There are about 750 miners at Forty-mile creek. Some claims at Miller run as high as $4 and $5 to the pan. It is all placer mining on the Yukon. There is quartz, but it is buried so deep under the ice and moss that it cannot be reached. The ground there seldom thaws out more than about eighteen inches. It takes some time to open up the placer mines, because you must get down to bedrock. The gold is free and course. Labor is worth $10 a day.
There are no big companies in the diggings, everything being done on prospect. I heard of a miner on Miller creek who, it was said, had cleared up all the way from $20,000 to $40,000. He will come out this year.
I will just tell you some of the prevailing prices, so if you think of going up there you will know what to expect. Flour is $20 a sack, or $40 per 100 pounds; bacon is $80 per 100; potatoes are very scarce, but when they are to be had in the spring, when the first boat comes up, they sell for 75 cents a pound; onions are $1 a pound; sugar, 50 cents a pound, and very ordinary tea $1.50 a pound. Little coffee is used. Some of the men are raising potatoes and onions up there now, but they are doing it under cover.
Personally, I think the country is overdone. You will find others who will not agree with me on that proposition. I think there are enough men there now. There is any quantity of gold, but there is so much prospecting and there is such difficulty in getting grub that it is difficult to do much work. I think the mines are excellent, but the severe conditions under which they must be worked are certainly against their development.
I wish to say one thing about the diggings at Forty-Mile creek. I think it is the most orderly mining camp in the world. We have no law except miners' law, and that is well observed. Miners leave their cabins with bags of gold dust on the floors and the doors wide open, and nothing is stolen. I slept one night in a cabin belonging to the trading company. It had over $1,000 worth of provisions in it unguarded. On the door was a sign reading: "Walk right in, gentlemen, and make yourselves at home. Be careful of fire and close the door." A man is entitled to a bunk wherever he can get it. You may also get a meal at any cabin. That is the law of the country, but see to it that you take nothing. The penalty for theft is death.
Like all miners, those on the Yukon are great gamblers. During the winter that is about all they have to do, except to drink and smoke. There are twelve saloons at Forty-mile, and whisky is 50 cents a drink. At Miller creek whisky is $40 a gallon. Most of the liquor is smuggled in. As to gambling, it is nothing uncommon to shake dice for $100 a throw. With all that, however, it is very quiet for a mining camp. Bad men are given an invitation to quit the country. They usually accept it.
Four Chinese tried to get in last spring. They were told at Chilcat pass to "pull their freight." And they did so. They never came back.
I want to tell you one thing about the Yukon. It is absolutely the worst infested country on earth, so far as mosquitoes are concerned.
The winter season is just closing in now at the mines. Last winter was the hardest known. It registered 82 degrees below zero. In the spring it is often very warm. There is plenty of game along the banks, including moose, caribou, bear, and ducks. One has not plenty of salmon in the river. On[sic] has not much time to hunt, though, nor inclination either, for where the country is not mountainous it is boggy.
News comes from Las Animas county, Colorado, to the effect that much damage is being done by wolves this year. Adrian Alexander, a stock man in that country, is quoted as saying that the mortality of calves from this agency this year is the worst in the history of the country. Mr. Alexander also says that many small cattle men are being forced into other districts to avoid the wolves. As a reason for the encroaches of the pests it is said that vigorous war is being waged upon them elsewhere. Ordinarily, the auditor's office is the first to learn of wolf slaughtering, as there is a bounty upon the scalps. However, but very few scalp bounty claims are now coming in.
A wolf scare is something of a new thing in Colorado. When the scalp business was at its best hunters found they were able to make good wages in the field. Now matters are changed. The state is not buying bounty warrants. The best that can now be done in the way of pay is a state warrant due two years hence. Hunters can make no money at this, and, as a result, the "varmints" have increased.
Inquiry at the office of the state live stock commission shows no general suffering from the wolf pest. One cattle man at the stock yards said that it was true wolves were invading Las Animas county and killing of many calves. They are not molesting cattle, although it is expected they will do so when food gets more scarce.
The Leadville gold belt is being gradually extended along the lines indicated by geological research. The Silver Standard and Minnehaha placer schemes are in progress of formation, says the Leadville Herald-Democrat, and it is very likely that the shafts will be started before the snow flies. Manager Shinn is pushing his plans with vigor and energy, and is more than satisfied with the proposition. Not only is there an opportunity for the striking of the big gold ore chute of the lower levels, but there is also the prospect of striking the first contact ore chute of Rock hill, as found in the Rock and Dome, Stone, Crown Point, Pinnacle, Nisi Prinu, and other bonanza properties of the early days. Mining men will watch the developments in south Iowa gulch with intense interest, for if large chutes are found there it will open up an entirely new field for operation.
The recent gold find in the Costilla district, N.M. from present indications is among the most valuable discoveries of recent years, says the Wyoming State Tribune. An area of about ten square miles has been thoroughly prospected, and everywhere is evidence of a practically inexhaustible supply of gold bearing ore of medium grade, running from $10 to $20 a ton. This ore is free milling and so soft that the cost of reduction is very low.
The new camp has been named La Belle. It is about forty-five miles southwest of Catskill on the Union Pacific, Denver & Gulf road, south from Pueblo, having daily stage connection with Catskill. The present population of the camp is about 700, with daily arrivals numbering seventy-five to 100, many of whom are locating there permanently. The little camp presents all the bustling activity of Creede and Cripple Creek in their halcyon days-residences and business houses are going up rapidly, and on every hand is promise of a brilliant future for La Belle.
A committee of mining experts who have only just returned from La Belle make the most encouraging reports, which more than justify the claims made as to the great richness of the new fields, and hold out great promise for their future.
Prof. A.A. Hurd and I.H. Hildebrand, two of the best metallurgists in the west, have been testing the La Plata ores by the Beam process, and the results are astonishing, says a Hesperus special to the Denver Times. Their tests prove that the La Plata ores are not entirely free milling, as claimed by many. The Montezuma ore is supposed to be the nearest to a free milling proposition in the district. Of this ore ten pounds of pulp were made. Five pounds were roasted by the Beam process and five pounds were of raw ore. In the fire test raw ore ran $32, $36 and $38 per ton. By the Beam process the tests were $560 on the three assays. Tellurium ores show the same remarkable increase by this process. Every test made proves that there is immense volatilization by the old methods. Metallurgists and assayers are all at sea, and this is a nut for them to crack. There is intense excitement among men over these tests. Ore from Junction Creek tested by the Beam process shows a wonderful increase of $600 per ton. The tailings from the Walker mill ran $100 per ton. This method of treating refractory ores will transform heretofore low grade mines into mined that will pay handsome dividends to the owners. An effort will be made to secure a mill of this process for the La Plata district.
Late rains have enabled the plowing of thousands of acres in the vicinity of Huron.
The machinery for the axle grease factory at Custer City has arrived and will soon be put in place. When in operation it is expected to employ 300 people.
Reports from Miller say wolves are becoming very bold in some localities, one farmer losing twenty-five sheep in one day. Raids upon colts and young stock are also reported.
The county seat contest between Deadwood and Lead City has been settled through a decision in a case before the circuit court that the election of 1877 was legal, and Deadwood thereby permanently made the county seat.
The gymnasium of the Baptist Young People's union at Vermillion is being fitted with all the more common calisthenic implements. The young men are wholly independent, relying for funds solely upon their membership fees and dues.
The executive board of the James River Valley Fair association has decided to hold a fourth state agricultural fair and race meeting next year. Active steps will be taken from now out to make the enterprise a greater success even than the fair held September 25 to 28, inclusive.
The Sioux Falls Jobbers association has issued an important campaign document. There has been formed a producers and shippers' association, with the jobbers' association as the leader in the movement, for the purpose of securing from the coming legislature laws which will abolish grievous abuses which the railroads, it is complained, have foisted upon the state.
A meeting was attended lately by representatives from Clark, Spink, Faulk, Brown and Beadle counties, to take action regarding coal rates from lake and mining points. Agents of the Northwestern road were present and offered to ship coal, that was bought for free distribution, at half rates from any mines or docks on its line. The offer was promptly rejected, their aim being declared to secure a half rate from all roads for all coal used by that larger representative class of citizens, who are not asking this concession as paupers, but feel that they are justly entitled to concessions at the hands of the railways of South Dakota by reason of crop failures and low prices.
The coal mine at Newcastle is about to be opened up.
Silverton district is improving gradually as a gold producer.
Florence will soon have electric lights and water works.
There is great activity in mining properties in Goose Creek district.
Pay day called for $110,000 in the Cripple Creek district, a gain of $15,000 over the previous month.
The Portland mines, Cripple Creek, are credited with smelter shipments at the rate of twelve carloads per day. This implies an output of from 120 to 180 tons.
The Cebolla Placer company is putting up dredging machinery to work the Cebolla placer at the mouth of Goose creek.
The Denver & Gulf managers are considering the advisability of reopening the Alpine tunnel on the Gunnison line, which has been closed for three years. This will enable them to run trains from Denver to Gunnison.
The leasers of the Eureka lode in Dubois are working the mine with a full force of men. At a depth of thirty feet they encountered a cross vein of rich mineral. They now have a car of ore nearly ready for shipment, which, it is predicted, will yield a handsome return.
It is evident, says the Leadville Herald-Democrat, that there has been quite an increase in ore shipments all over the camp. This increase has come both from silver and from gold properties, though no doubt the great increase comes from the silver producers. This is accounted for by the fact that since the first of the month, the beginning of the last quarter of the year, many mines have renewed or made new contracts with the smelters.
Home capital has scored another triumph in the Telluride district. The Gold Mountain Mining and Milling company, which purchased a group of gold claims near Telluride last summer, is shipping $2,000 per week in gold retorts. The company has leased ten stamps in the Nunn mill and is gradually developing its properties. After the first of the year it will need twenty stamps, and this will double its shipments. The next step will be the erection of its own mill, with just such appliances as the ore demands.
The first patient was received at the new State Miners' hospital at Rock Springs.
A turnip raised on the Haley place, near Laramie, is being exhibited in that city. It weighs twenty-two pounds.
The Diamond Coal and Coke company, at Diamondville, Uinta county, has made arrangements with the Union Pacific Railroad company for additional trackage and the erection of suitable buildings at the mines at Diamondville on the Oregon Short line.
The company is putting in $20,000 worth of new machinery. Utah capital is behind the enterprise.
A ranchman from Rock Springs will clear $2,000 from his vegetables this year, and yet it is said that Wyoming, or that portion of it, is not agricultural.
A force of about 100 men and teams has been put to work at Dome lake, near Sheridan, intending to fit it up for a beautiful pleasure and fishing resort.
W.S. Irwin discovered two veins of coal fifteen miles west of Casper. One is a three-foot vein and the other a six-foot . The coal is a good domestic article.
The finding of gold near Big Piney on Green river has caused a great deal of excitement, and many people are going there prospecting. Some of the men are making from $5 to $10 per day.
The Colorado Ditch company is putting in a big reservoir south of Sheridan at a cost of $2,000. The reservoir will cover an area of 195 acres and will supply water to irrigate 25,000 acres of land.
Three-fourths of the Cheyenne Steam Granite and Marble works stock, which R. W. Bradley put on the market a short time ago, has been disposed of, and as soon as the remaining one-fourth is taken work will be commenced on the plant.
Battle is being made on the Russian thistle in Cheyenne. The pest is being destroyed wherever found and recognized. There are many who do not know the weed when they see it, but the people are becoming fast acquainted with it.
There is a hitch between the Union Pacific and the lessees of the soda lakes near Laramie, and the spur to the lakes may not be put into repair at present. The company wants a guarantee that 1,000 tons of soda will be shipped, and this the lessees are not prepared to give.
A representative of the Denver and Pueblo smelters has made a proposition to the owners of three of the iron mines at Hartvile, seventy-five miles north of Cheyenne. They propose taking out 100 tons of ore a day, paying the owners of the mines 10 cents a ton royalty on the output. The ore will be used for fluxing purposes in the reduction of gold and silver ore. If the proposition is accepted about seventy-five men will be given employment and a spur fourteen miles long will probably be built from Badger, on the Cheyenne & Northern railroad, to the mines.
The first cargo of lumber to leave Coos bay for a foreign port will be shipped on the new vessel Omega, lately built at North Bend.
Gilliam county is receiving bids for building a county road thirty miles long from the Burns bridge over Thirty-mile creek to Condon.
Two work trains are constantly employed on the Oregon Railway & Navigation between Huntington and Pendleton. There is work enough ahead to keep them busy all winter.
The Wallowa Chieftain figures that the receipts of that section from cattle will enable the farmers and storekeepers to pay their debts, leaving the proceeds from hogs clear profit.
Fifteen ounces of gold dust from the Loiselle placer claim on the Grand Ronde river was recently deposited at the Las Grande National bank., This is the output of three weeks' run of three men.
C. Swanston, from Sacramento, has within the last few days purchased in Klamath county 175 head of beef cattle from the Indians, 300 head in the neighborhood of Bly, and 250 head in Langell valley, making in all 725 head, for which he paid from 2 ½ cents to 4 cents per pound.
One of the never-failing features of the cargoes which the San Francisco steamers carry away from the Coos and Carry county ports is poultry. There, thrifty farmers and ranchers of the creeks and rivers are always turning off something-grain, wool, hides, butter, eggs, fruit, chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys or hogs.
Jackson of Omaha purchased last week between 800 and 1,000 head of steers in Wallowa county, which he will feed for the winter market. He paid $21, 000 for them. By this sale about $20,000 was left in the hands of the stockmen. Mr. Jackson will spend $10,000 or $12,000 more in buying hay and grain, which otherwise would have been a drug on the market.
The phenomenal barley yield reported of 4,000 bushels raised on thirty acres of ground by Robert Steel, near Airlie, turns out to be a fact. The heaviest part of the field, a piece of less than five acres, could only be cut with a mower, and 1,400 bushels were threshed from it. It is a fine grade of brewing barley, the price of which in the Portland market is now 85 cents per cental.
Some dogs ran a deer into the Santiam at Brettenbush near the ferry. Arthur, the 11-year-old son of Lee Berry, saw the deer and rushed for a gun, which he secured, and, taking good aim fired, but failed to stop the deer. He was himself knocked flat by the kicking gun. He fired three times in all, each time being kicked down. The third shot brought the deer to time, and it was taken out of the stream dead.
The Sprague roller mills shipped eight carloads of flour to China.
The Carpenter creamery, at Yakima City, has begun the manufacture of limburger cheese.
A 100-barrel flouring mill will be erected at Marshal Junction, Spokane county, in the near future.
The State Agricultural college at Pullman has opened with ninety students and encouraging prospects.
The Snake River Fruit Growers association will ship this season 150 carloads of fruit to eastern points.
The salmon cannery at Cosmopolis employs sixty Chinamen and twelve white men, and from 250 to 300 cases of black salmon are put up daily. They expect to put up 22,000 cases of salmon this season.
General Manager Seward of the Everett paper mill is happy over the receipt of an order for 30,000 pounds of railroad manilla paper for the New Zealand government. Another large order was received from Australia.
George Reibold was laughed at when he located and began work on the Little Giant mine, that had been abandoned on three occasions previously, says the Asotin Sentinel. This season George Reibold can do the laughing, as the Little Giant has netted him $50,000.
It is reported that in Camas there will be about 2,000 tons of hay that will remain uncut this season., The reason is that the water of the lake has overflowed the prairie to such an extent that the farmers cannot get onto the meadow land. They are talking of organizing for the purpose of draining the lake.
The Spokane bureau of immigration is making elaborate arrangements for a fruit show to be held in Spokane October 24 to 27, inclusive, with prospects of a most successful affair. The intention is to give prizes for all the leading specimens of fruit, roots, vegetables, grain and grasses, and special cash prizes for the best floral display.
About 100 men are now employed on the Congdon ditch, Yakima county, and the earth is being thrown up in a lively manner. A quarter of a million feet of fine lumber has been received for the flumes and trestles, and Alfred S. Congdon of St. Paul is superintending the work. If there are no unlooked for delays the ditch will be completed by the 1st of December.
Charles Kalous came into Tekoa with 243 head of cattle from the Nez Perces reservation. Mr. Kalous says that he was over a large part of the reserve and finds a great portion of the tillable land taken by squatters, holding it down until the opening of the reservation to settlement, and that many others are living with the Indians, so as to be near to the lands selected by them.
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William G. Thomas
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