Category: Nisqually People

Introduction: These letters discuss the impact of Ft. Lewis on Nisqually graveyards.

The Hudson Bay Co. found the Nisqually Tribe living around the mouth of the Nisqually River when its first post was started, in 1832, on Sound, 5 miles north of the present Nisqually Reservation.

There is another graveyard on the old Ross homestead adjoining the reservation at the Nisqually Lake. It is used by the Ross family, one of whom (Mrs. Florence Leroy) (A-71, 73) lived on this farm until dispossessed by the county. The Ross family are heirs to condemned allotments of Mrs. Charles Ross, No. 29, and to Quatan or Elizabeth, No. 7, but none of the heirs lived on the reservation. They have recently placed a fence of cement and iron about their graveyard.

Outside of the Ross graveyard there are 162 graves of Nisqually Indians remaining on the condemned Nisqually allotments. Most of the livestock is gone and praise fire will be an annual menace in the rank grass and will soon be invaded by stray stock and stones thrown down. The Indians of the Nisqually tribe cherish the memory of their dead, and most of the graveyards indicate that they took pains to keep the graves in order and protect them. And this is borne out by testimony of the missionaries who worked among them. This care and protection can not now be given, even by frequent visits, which is impossible by some of the old people, as there is no one left to protect the graves from intrusion and molestation by miscreants bent on mischief. The nearest Nisqually lives across the turbulent Nisqually River and can not see what might be going on across the river.

Removal of a few bodies and signs of preparation to remove others (which apparently had been abandoned) indicates the uneasiness felt by the Indians, which is thought to be well founded. The Presbyterian and Catholic missionaries who worked with these Indians for the last 30 years estimate the removal of the bodies at $30 to $40 each, depending upon distance to which the bodies were to be moved. A cost of $35 per body is, I find, a conservative average, or a total of $5,600 for the whole number; and this does not cover the cost of removing and resetting the larger gravestones. I confirmed these figures by and undertaking firm which has had much experience along this line in that section.

Attention is invited to the fact that no allowance was made by any of the three boards of appraisers for the removal of these Indian bodies to other cemeteries, and I recommend that Congress be asked to appropriate $6,000 for the removal of all the Indian bodies which now lie on the condemned part of the Nisqually Reservation. (A-65, 70, 74, 77.)
Respectfully submitted.

C. L. Ellis
Special Supervisor

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Section IV. Condemnation of Allotments

Cushman School
Tacoma, Wash., November 1,1919

Condemnation of Nisqually Allotments for Camp Lewis Army Post.

The first white settlement on Puget Sound was in 1832, when the Hudson Bay Co. established Nisqually House, or Fort Nisqually, near the mouth of Nisqually River on land now part of the Du Pont Powder Works. (Exhibit H.) This land is now surrounded by Camp Lewis cantonment. At the time of this first settlement the Nisqually Band of Indians was occupying the lands about the mouth of the Nisqually River, and they have lived in that section continuously since then.

Soon afterwards the Puget Sound Agricultural Co. was formed as a subsidiary of the Hudson Bay Co. and engaged extensively in raising of livestock and farming, and it was through this company that the Nisquallies learned to farm. Before the Indian war of 1855 these Indians cultivated fields on what was afterwards set aside as their reservation. Their title, however, was clouded by the claim of the Agricultural Co. until 1870, when the company surrendered its claim under provisions of a treaty between the United States and Great Britain. (Exhibit 1, 43-51, 78.)

Many early settlers claim that the unjust treaty of 1854 caused the Indians to go on the warpath because it deprived them of their homes and fields. In consideration of the cession of 2,000,000 acres, the Nisquallies were given only two sections of high, stony land covered with dense timber, where it was impossible for them to live and farm and where they never did live. (A, 43, 46.) Realizing the injustice done by treaty their present reservation of 4,717 acres was set aside for the Nisqually Indians in 1856 by Gov. I.I. Stevens, and there they lived undisturbed and supported themselves from their live stock, farms, and fish from their river for over 60 years. Then the ambition of Tacoma to acquire one of the big Army posts, and the war necessity, caused Pierce County, Wash., in April, 1918, to condemn the best two-thirds of the Nisqually Reservation, being the part east of the Nisqually where most

ually Reservation. In 1839 missionary work among the Nisquallies was begun by Protestants and Catholics, and until the Indians were dispossessed and their churches condemned the Presbyterian and Catholic missionaries conducted monthly services on the reservation. It is not likely that6 new churches will be built for a few Indians who remain.

Each church has an Indian graveyard attached, and there were three other graveyards on the condemned part of the reservation. The graveyards are located as follows:

On allotment of Klutch-et-sah, Frank, No. 18 (C-31). An acre had been set aside on this allotment for the tribal graveyard, which was neatly fenced with woven wire, good posts 10 feet apart, and had two iron gates. It contains 91 graves, some marked with good stones. Ornamental fences around family groups and single graves have recently been torn down and monuments disturbed as if preparations had been made to move the bodies, although none had been removed. The gates were open, and stock was trespassing. Signs of neglect were plainly evident. I am informed that the Indians maintained a cemetery association in connection with this graveyard and had trustees to manage its affairs.

On allotment of Old Powerty, No. 17 (C-30). From a small graveyard near the escarpment a dozen bodies had recently been removed –by Indians, we were told –to the Firwood Indian graveyard in the Puyallup Valley. Chief Leschi’s remains (the third interment) were moved to the Indian cemetery at the Cushman School. The fences al about the graves on this allotment were torn down and scattered about. Five or six graves still remain, as near as we could tell, and are unprotected.

On allotment of Joseph Moxlah, or Meda Mitla, No. 15 (C-28). The Catholic Indian Mission Church and cemetery are both on this allotment. The church is now demolished. The cemetery is securely fenced with two and three barbed wires and boards on strong posts. It contains 25 graves and 4 good gravestones. There are 10 lots fenced with wooden palings and ornamental posts. Only two graves appear to have been opened and bodies removed there from.

On allotment of Tenas Laplet, Yukton, No. 3 (C-3). The Presbyterian Indian Mission Church, now partly dismantled, stands on line between this allotment and that of James Shipman, No. 2. The church cemetery is wholly on the Laplet allotment and covers on-fourth acre and contains 30 graves, 10 of which had lot fences around them, 1 being an ornamental iron posts and wire. Five graves have been opened and bodies and gravestones removed. The ornamental iron fence was torn down and left on the ground. The cemetery is fenced with 26-inch woven wire, posts a rod apart, with three barbed wires above the woven wire. The barbed wires have been removed in part and the fence cut, which leaves the graves unprotected.

On allotment of James Shipman, or Cipman, No.2 (C-2). A small cemetery of one-fourth acre is located on the east end of this allotment near the north boundary of the reservation. It is fenced with 6-inch boards. The 11 graves which remain are enclosed in a neat fence of wooden paling, and a good marble monument stands in the lot. Several graves have individual marble markers. One body appears to have been removed recently. A prairie fire recently destroyed part of the outer fence. The next fire will probably finish it and the inner one also; thus exposing the graves and stones to depredations and trespass by live stock.

There is another graveyard on the old Ross homestead adjoining the reservation at the Nisqually Lake

Value of Treaty Fishing Right.
Cushman School,
Tacoma, Wash., October 30, 1919

Article 3 of the Nisqually treaty of 1854 (10 Stat., 1132) reserves to the Indians “the right of taking fish at all usual and accustomed grounds and stations.” This provision occurs in all of the treaties negotiated in 1854-55 with the Yakima and Puget Sound Indians. (2 Kappler, 534, 661, 674, 683, 694, 702, 719.)

Fishing Provision Opposed by State

During the last 50 years the efforts of the courts, officials of the Government, and friends of the Indians have failed to secure them the unmolested enjoyment of this primeval right except in waters wholly within Indian reservations. Indian agents and commissioners have frequently reported this condition. (A, 47, 51, 52, 54, 56, 81, 82.) Indians of the Muckleshoot Reservation are denied right of taking fish from Green River within 2 miles of their reservation, except by hook and line, although from time immemorial they have taken fish by means of nets and by spearing–their ancient methods–neither of which is now permitted.

A fish hatchery has dammed this stream and is taking the salmon for their spawn. A fish a day is given to some of the Indian families and surplus shipped; thus the Indians can not get a supply for drying for winter use, and they can’t catch enough by hook and line, as salmon seldom bite, except steelhead in the spring. This hatchery is reported to be taking all the salmon which come up the Green River. Its policy is said to vary–some hatcherymen are lenient and permit Indians to catch salmon with nets for their own use, while other employees of the hatchery refuse the Indians this right.

District Farmer C. A. Reynolds, in charge of this reservation, states that last year a Muckleshoot Indian was arrested by State game warden for taking fish in Green River with a spear for his own use, this being in violation of State law. These Indians always preferred Green River to the White River, which runs through their reservation, because the latter is always cloudy from silt and for that reason has never been frequented by fish like the Green has. In 1909, by award in the State courts, the Pacific Coast Power Co. paid 17 of the Muckleshoot allottees $10,000 as damages for diverting a portion of the water in the White River at a point about 6 miles above their reservation. The only thing the Indians surrendered was their use to part of the White River water flowing through their lands. (No. 63960, Superior Court, King Co., Wash. Pac. Coast Power Co. v. Mary Ann Jack, et al. Ex. A, 67) Mr. Reynolds, who has lived among the Muckleshoots for many years and speaks their language, handled this case in its details on the reservation. He states the Indians make as much use of the White River now as they did before the diversion, but they never used it as much as they did the Green River, which is clear. District Farmer William C. Miller, for seven years in charge of the Skokomish Reservation on river of same name and Hoods Canal, gives an instance four years ago when Indian nets were removed from the river on the edge of the reservation by the State authorities. He states that the Skokomish Indians are afraid to get away from their reservation to fish, as they are doubtful about the 5-mile State law (A, 79). Their old fishing grounds were at Lake Cushman Falls , 5 miles away in a straight line, but 8 miles by the river. (A, 64, 65, 69.)

James Nimrod, one of Nisquallies, bought a new home on this reservation. He complains that the white people don’t want him to fish in the river there because he doesn’t belong to that tribe, and they won’t even let the Indians fish in creeks which run through their land. He further states, “There was nothing like that on the Nisqually-nobody bothered us over there. I have fished all I wanted to without being bothered until this time when I am old, now I am bothered when I fish.”(A, 69.) Mrs. Florence Leroy, an intelligent mixed-blooded Nisqually, who was born and raised on edge of the reservation until her home was taken, states that the Nisqually Indians dried large quantities of salmon and sold surplus before the game warden began to bother them. Since then the Indians are afraid to go away from their reservation to fish and that now those who remain will be molested by the whites from the Army’s side of the Nisqually River. (A, 71, 73.)

Father De Decker for 30 years made monthly trips to hold services in his Catholic Mission Church on the Nisqually Reservation. He knows them all and their means of living. He states that they will now be subjected to annoyance and inconvenience when they fish in the Nisqually at points within their former allotments and more so when they attempt to fish away from Indian lands. (A, 76.)

Mr. Stephen Judson, of Steilacoom, Wash., has known the Nisquallies for 66 years and speaks their language. Until 1907 he had lived for 51 years on his ranch adjoining the condemned part of their reservation. Mr. Judson states that toward the last of his residence on the ranch about the only place the Nisquallies “could fish unmolested was in the Nisqually River within their reservation,” owing to bother from State fish authorities.

Mr. Judson is probably the only best authority living on the Nisqually Indians and early history. Tacoma city is partly built on his fathers homestead. Mr Judson served many years as sheriff, county treasurer, and legislative representative of Pierce County. His present home is at Steilacoom is only 10 miles north of the Nisqually Reservation. (A, 78.)

For 50 years the Yakima and Warm Springs Indians have been trying to enjoy their right to fish in their ancient fishing grounds–called Tumwater Fisheries–at the Cascades of Columbia River. As long as 35 years ago the white people tore down their homes and dry houses and fenced them away from their ancient fishing village and stations. The materials of which these houses were built was hauled upon by Indian ponies long distances from the mountains. Gradually the Indians have been dispossessed and a fishing monopoly has seized the fisheries. Efforts to retain the Indians’ right to fish there have been successful in part at intervals, and once troops had to be stationed at the fisheries to see that the Indians could enjoy for a short time a part of their treaty rights to fish.

A suit entitled “United States as trustee for Yakima Indians and Sam Williams v. Seufort Bros Co.,” the monopoly, was brought in March, 1916, by the United States attorney in the United States District Court of Oregon to restrain the Seufert company from molesting old Sam Williams, a Yakima, in his right to operate his fish wheel at a station laboriously prepared by him in the laval rock. The suit also seeks to secure to both the Yakima and Warm Springs Indians the right to fish at the Dalles at one of the Oregon side of the Cascades, where for untold generations the Indians have caught salmon.

In the United States attorneys brief in this case he quotes as follows from report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to the Secretary of the Interior: “The Agents of the Government and friends of the Indians have been at their wits ends to devise some means thereby the Indians might obtain access to the river, and occasionally temporary accommodations have been secured for them, but always of a most unsatisfactory character.” (26 House Ex. Doc., 1st Sess., 50th Cong., 1887-88, Doc. No. 183.)

In an effort to protect a Yakima Indian in his treaty right to fish in the Yakima River in Benton County, Wash., United States Attorney Francis A. Garrecht, of Spokane, Wash., appealed in a recent case from judgement of the Superior Court of Benton County against this Indian for violating the State fishing laws. The appeal was taken to the Supreme Court of State of Washington. (State of Washington v. Alec Towessnute.) In his brief before the supreme court, ably presented, this conviction is expressed (p. 38): “The Indians’ claim is not merely meritorious but is an impregnable right founded on the Constitution.”

The Lummi Indian Reservation is a cape on the eastern shore of Georgia Strait near Bellingham, Wash., and the Lummi or Nooksack River cross the reservation. Their fishing rights are reserved in the usual and accustomed fishing grounds on the Lummi beach. The reef net is an ancient fishing method of these Indians an can only be operated a few hours a day and requires constant attendance from the Indians. It operates like a large dip net. The case against Alexis was appealed by his attorney to the State Supreme Court which confirmed the lower court’s judgement against him. I understand that intention to appeal the case to the Supreme Court of the United States has been dropped because of a recent decision in that court adversely to the New York Indians who were being prosecuted by the state of New York for violation of the State’s guaranteed under an old treaty covering the ceded territory where they were fishing, but the court decided that changing conditions nullified this treaty right on the ceded territory. I have not access to this decision but if such is the purpose of it the Indians out here will be governed by the same rule. As a result of the decision in this Lummi case it is doubtful whether Indians will be able to fish for their own consumption within 5 miles of their

reservations as provided by section 42, chapter 31 of the Session Laws of Washington, 1915, which, you will notice (A, 7), excepts the Nooksack (Lummi) River from privileges of that section. Alexis’s attorneys in their briefs on appeal to the State supreme court (p. 80) state as follows:

In presenting this matter to the court, we desire, if possible, that the decision be based upon other grounds, as the 1915 law makes it an offense to fish without a license for food, fish by any means except hook and line, and it was one of the objects in this case to obtain a construction of the treaty, as the Fish Commissioner insisted on making arrests if licenses were not procured by the Indians fishing in their ancient grounds. This well states the attitude of the State authorities toward the treaty-fishing rights of the Indians. And all this shows that the only place an Indian can unmolested enjoy this treaty right is in waters within his reservation.

Treaty-Fishing Right Nearly As Valuable as Lands

Rev. Father DeDecker states that “this fishing privilege (of the Nisquallies) was the most valuable right they lost by being dispossessed of their lands;” that “their main dependence for meat was fish secured by them form the Nisqually River where it passes through the reservation where they fished unmolested and dried large quantities of salmon for winter use during the salmon runs;” that “their daily diet consists mostly of potatoes, bread, and fish, and often when the potatoes gave out it would be only biscuits and fish, principally the latter – sometimes they had little to eat but fish which they caught from the Nisqually,” and that, “Most of the Nisqually Indians ate fish daily, in fact if deprived of fish some of them would have nearly starved.” (A, 75, 76.)

Rev. Mr. Allen, for 16 years a missionary among the Nis-Quallies, states “their whole meat supply for food was from fish which they caught in the Nisqually River on their reservation;” that “judging from quantities of fish we have seen stored at their homes we can say that fish was the main item in the diet of the Nisqually Indians;” that “we can not recall a time that the Indians did not have fish on the table during our visits.” Mr. Allen adds that the dispossession of the Nisquallies seriously crippled their source of fish supply and worked a hardship on them. (A, 74.)

Worth of Fish Consumed By a Nisqually Family was $100 to $200, Wholesale Prices

Mr. Stephen Judson states (A, 78) that “The Nisqually Indians have always been fish-eating Indians and half of their living came from fish they caught,” and that –

During the three or four months of the fishing season the Indians used to come from the outside, as far at the Puyallup and Yakima Reservations to catch and dry salmon at the Nisqually River, and the Nisqually Indians used to trade fish which they dried to other Indians. In late years the salmon were not so plentiful and the Nisqually Indians used what they caught mostly for their own consumption. The Nisqually Indians selected their reservation because they knew it was a good fishing ground, and if the river had not been handy so they could get fish there are times when some of the Indians would have starved for food.A Nisqually family ate salmon every day and it was about all the meat they had during recent years. They had a way of drying the salmon in their smokehouses which took a month to thoroughly cure them and then the dried fish would be dry and hard and keep for a long time.

Mr. Judson adds, “When the dispossessed Nisqually Indians lost their fishing right they lost something worth to them more than their land, as the river fish was a great part of their living,” and that “an Indian family ate annually fish worth $200 on average.”

Mr. Wm. C. Miller, agency farmer, who was a member of the Indian board of appraisers of the Nisqually lands, states “The principal diet of the Puget Sound Indians is the salmon, of which I found large quantities dried in the homes of the Nisquallies at that time (time of the appraisal), there being no fresh salmon at that season of the year”; that, “the salmon are smoked and dried by the Indians in houses built especially for that purpose along the river bottom, and nearly every family also had a smokehouse for that purpose at their home near the escarpment overlooking the river”; that in every house he found fish, and judging from that, he estimates “tat about 75 per cent of their food consisted of fish.” Mr. Miller states, that from his experience, where the Indian does not own the shore lands, “there would be more or less opposition and molestation from the owners of the river lands which they would have to use in anchoring their nets, cleaning the fish, and if the Indians lived at a distance they would have to dry their catch at the river bank.” Mr. Miller estimates that the value of fish consumed annually on an average by a Nisqually family would be from $100 to $150 if sold in the market. (A, 63.)

F. Marion Wilkes, another appraiser, makes statements similar to Mr. Miller. Mr. Wilkes estimates the average Nisqually Indian family consumed annually fish worth $150, and he adds that the Nisqually is a much better fishing stream than the White River on the Muckleshoot Reservation. Mr. Wilkes also testifies as to the numerous smokehouses on the Nisqually Reservation for drying fish. He is a native of western Oregon and familiar with fishing conditions. (A, 60, 61.)

The appraisers of Pierce county note seven smokehouses by name, and there is no doubt but what many structures designated by them as “shacks” and by some other general term were used for that purpose. (C, 2, 7, 20, 27, 28, 31, 32.)

During the trips I made over the Nisqually Reservation I noted that at nearly every home there was a small building which apparently had been used for smoking fish. There were also some in the bottom along the Nisqually River where the Indians camped during the summer.

Dr. Charles M. Buchanan, in his 1901 report (Ex. A, 54, 55) states: “The Puget Sound Indian is self-supporting, because he is a fisherman;” that they “are almost entirely dependent upon the never-failing supplies of salmon, clams, shellfish, etc.;” and that it is because of this that rations are not issued to them. For nearly 30 years Dr. Buchanan has been a physician and superintendent among the Sound Indians and talks their dialect. He is recognized as an authority on their history and customs and has greatly aided in attempts to uphold their fishing and other rights. He had charge of the Muckleshoots when payment was made in the sum of $10,000 for partial diversion of White River waters. In 1904 the Fort Madison Indians, then under his charge, secured by treaty from the War Department $80 per acre for some of their reservation, mostly rocky shore, besides additional sums for individual clearings, buildings, and other improvements. There is quite a contrast between this and the methods and prices at camp Lewis. (A, 31, 36.)

James Nimrod, an intelligent full-blood Nisqually, about 65 years old, who speaks good English is one of the living allottees dispossessed of his land. He states (A, 68, 69) that “one family can eat a whole fish in one meal; they eat three fish in one day. That’s why they like Nisqually; they lived cheap on fish;” that “from the early days up to this time they have lived on fish;” that “some of the Indians would dry 400 or 500 salmon for winter just for their own use.” Nimrod further states that such fish as they caught sell for 50 cents to $1 each, but if they bought them at retail they would cost $1.50 to $2 each.

At my request the superintendent secured from the Glacier Fish Co., of Tacoma, Wash., the wholesale prices they paid to fishermen for salmon, from which it will be noted that this season dog salmon bring 45 cents each and silver salmon 75 cents each. (A, 80.) Newspaper market reports show selling prices, wholesale, 7 to 19 cents, and retail, 15 to 25 cents per pound. (A, 77.) I am told that salmon run in size, according to variety, from 4 to 12 pounds, and some as high as 50 pounds.

Mrs. Florence Leroy states (A, 71, 73) “the advantages of this salmon supply form the Nisqually River can not be calculated in money. The river ran back of their homes and through reservation for 4 miles. They owned the land on both banks and did not have to secure anyone’s permission to travel over the land in getting to the fish.” She estimates that the average Nisqually family consumed yearly an average of $200 worth of salmon, but “if the Indians had to pay the market price prevailing among the whites, the const would be a great deal more.” She further states (A, 71):

Having lived all my life on the Nisqually Reservation, or rather next to it, I was well acquainted with all the Indians living of that reservation. Ever since I can remember the Nisqually Indians have depended for most of their food on the salmon, which they caught in the Nisqually River on their reservation. They dried the salmon in their smokehouses for winter use. There were very few meals during the year that the Nisqually Indians were without salmon to eat. Salmon was their main meat, and about the only meat for most of them, especially the older ones.

Map marked “Exhibit G” herewith shows by red crosses how widely scattered the dispossessed Nisquallies now are. It was impossible to locate them together with advantages equal to those surrendered. You will note that neither the county appraisers (Ex. C) nor the Indian board (Ex. B) nor the Army board placed any value on the Nisqually fishing right provided by their treaty, which the law does not permit to be transferred to any other place or land.

Alloted Nisqually Indian Lands Senate Document No. 243, 66th Congress 2nd Session

Introduction: The U.S.policy to transform Indians into American citizens eroded many of the foundations of Native culture. As the transformation continued and Indian identity was extinguished even the names of Indians began to reflect the changes going on. In the following document one can this process at work. On the left are the approximate English spellings of Nisqually names. Next is the “new” identity of the Native American in American culture.

Census of the Indians of the Nisqually Reservation, W.T. belonging to the Puyallup Consolidated Agency, for 1888.

Indian Name	No.	English Name	Age	Relation
Petewaw	1	Peter	47	husband
Mayalitsa	2	Louisa	43	wife
Chipman	3	James Chipman	51	husband
	4	Mary	44	wife
Yak’tun	5	Tenas Laplett	47	husband
Sili Kinaqud	6		44	wife
	7	James	12	son
Quatch	8	John	30	husband
Tiai-wick	9	Annie	43	wife
	10	Robert	18	Son
Laplett	11	Willie	27	husband
	12	Hannah	23	wife
Quantan	13		73	widow
Quiomuth	14	Bill	35	husband
	15	Mary	33	wife
	16	Seymour	14	son
	17	John	2	son
	18	William	12	son
	19	Freddie	4	son
	20	Bill’s Mother	52	widow
	21	Luke Boy alkh	65	husband
	22	Marion	52	wife
Sanatum	23	Wesley Bob	45	husband
	24	Lucy	42	wife
	25	George (Bob)	12	son
Stequa	26	John Stawha	52	husband
Nagalitza	27	Polly	56	wife
	28	John Clahamy	33	husband
	29	Jane	37	wife
	30	Julia	15	daughter
	31	Anna	13	daughter
	32	Susie	9	daughter
Tom-a-ti-laiq	33	James O. Pawaty	43	husband
	34	Katie	33	wife
	35	Maggie	4	daughter
Lepalk	36	John	34	husband
	37	Annie	35	wife
Nuba-Nub-la	38	Joseph Maxlet	42	husband
	39	Mary	47	wife
Kul-aw-ay-klap	40	James	32	husband
Netsa tsi	41	Nancy	20	wife
	42	Augusta	14	sister
Kluck-u-pah	43	Frank	42	widower
Yit-zals	44		52	father
	45	Willie Frank	6	son
Se-liu-hath	46	Tenas Pealo	53	husband
Ghats-chub	47	Francis	57	wife
Klatush	48	Jack	32	husband
	49	Ellen	30	wife
	50	Henry	15	son

Only two of these reservations have agency farmers. On the Muckleshoot Reservation the farmer lives in his own house which adjoins the reservation. There are no agency buildings on this reservation and as the farmer’s residence is located near the most thickly settled part of the reservation, it does not seem necessary to incur any expense in putting up Government buildings. The other farmer is on the Skokomish Reservation, is well equipped with buildings and implements require for his work. There is an Indian police who has been recently appointed and who is doing fairly good service, but the Nisqually Reservation has no Government representative of any kind. There are no agency physicians or field matrons under this jurisdiction.

There has been only one serious crime committed within this jurisdiction. That was on the Muckleshoot Reservation where a young Indian assaulted the agency farmer who was assisting in the arrest of the Indian charged with adultery. This case will be referred to the United States Grand Jury at its next meeting.

The Indians under this jurisdiction do not engage in the old fashion dance. There is a religious sect known as “Shakers” who engage in dancing as a part of their religious ceremony. This is not carried to such an extent as to be seriously objectionable and as they consider it a part of their worship, I do not deem it necessary to interfere in the matter.

The Indians, as a rule, comply with the state laws in regard to marriage and divorce, but there have been a few cases where Indians would live together without any form of marriage. These cases have been referred to the State District Attorneys, but in no case have I succeeded in getting them to take any action in the matter. They seem to regard the Indians as wards of the Government and are not willing to incur any expense in the prosecution of these Indians for violations of the State Laws. These Indians being citizens no court of Indian offenses has been established and I find some difficulty in requiring Indians to observe the marital laws.

The religious welfare of the Indians is looked after by the Protestant and Catholic missionaries on all of the reservations except the Squaxin, where they have no house of worship. The Indians have a small building which they use as a “Shaker Church.” This religious sect is growing on all of the reservations. Such meetings can hardly be called religious worship and are, in fact, rather heathenish in their practice, but they seem to have a restraining influence against drinking and gambling, and it is hoped that some good will come out of this form of worship.

The liquor traffic among the Indians has been very much reduced since this State went dry on January 1, 1916, but some of the Indians visit the towns near the reservations where they can always find bootleggers to furnish them liquor, and in several places but little attention is given by the State Authorities to the selling of liquor to Indians, while they are rather active in similar cases among the white people. The Indians also purchase extracts from some of the stores and use them as a beverage. This was carried on to considerable extent on the Chehalis Reservation where it was peddled by a man who made a business of selling this over the country. This man was arrested but the case has been put off several times and has not yet come to trial. The State passed a bone dry law which was to go into effect on the 6th day of June, but a sufficient number.

On the Squaxin Island and Chehalis reservations the only Government representatives are the two Indian police who live at home. These reservations do not require agency buildings.

The Nisqually reservation lies about 27 miles from the agency headquarters. The Indians are accustomed to visiting the Trades School periodically and as the reservation is accessible from headquarters, it is not advisable to construct agency buildings. The number of employees is adequate for the needs of the agency. Very little difficulty has been experienced in maintaining proper order on the reservations this year.

The people of the Skokomish Reservation object strenuously to the plan of turning over the Day School to county officials as soon as the project was placed before them in a proper light the discussion practically ceased.

No information has been received during the past year that the old Indian dances have been indulged in by the Indians under this jurisdiction. In fact the children of the younger generation have no conception of what the old Indian dance is. There is, however, on all of the reservations an increase in the membership of the so-called Shaker church. This religious sect indulges in an emotional, religious fervor, which seizes on its devotees who are shaken by religious ecstasies and give utterance to loud, fervid and pious exclamations. This sect was originated by old man Jack Slocum, a Squaxin Island Indian, who died, to all appearances, 25 years ago, and came to life again, before burial so the story runs, to warn his fellow men to shake off theirs sins.

The religion has exercised a powerful influence over its devptees, who are obliged to give up the use of tobacco, liquor and dancing. In this jurisdiction the shaking appears to however, for the older people to spend too much time in religious meetings, which are frequent, to the detriment of the crops and other work.

The younger children are not required by their Shaker parents to join the Shaker church but as is natural a number of them have become members and have distinguished themselves by the fervor of their shaking. These children have showed very strong disinclination to attend either the Day school or the public school. In order to obtain their attendance the State Compulsory Attendance law has been applied, very much to the distaste of the parents.

The marriage and divorce customs of the Indians under my supervision are those prescribed by the laws of the state. For the most part these laws are faithfully observed. As far as I have lived together without marriage have been few. Outraged public opinion among the Indians appealed to me in each case to put a stop to the scandal. In one case as Indian women left the reservation to keep house for a citizen Indian in Puyallup and refused to return to the home of her grown-up son. The monthly allowance was stopped by the office so long as she remained with this man. The children, however, do not wish the mother to be prosecuted under the state law. Upon Squaxin Island reservation, a young couple were living together, unmarried, because of the refusal of the mother to her minor son’s marriage. Representations have been made to the mother and the boy’s relatives thru the Indian police, which it is expected will result in the marriage of the two. The state laws are adequate to meet such conditions on the reservations. There is, however, a feeling that such matters should be settled out of court by the Indians on any of the reservations as these Indians are restricted citizen Indians entitled to all the rights, privileges and immunities pertaining to citizenship with a restriction only as to the alienation of their lands.

The promotion of the religious welfare of the Indians under this jurisdiction is in the hands of the Catholic and Protestant missionaries who visit the reservations at frequent intervals for the purpose of holding religious services. The Catholic possess churches on the Nisqually and Muckleshoot reservations the Protestant on the Nisqually and Chehalis reservations. On the other reservations, services are held in the homes of devout Indians. The Shakers possess a large church on the Chehalis reservation. This religious sect has increased rapidly in membership and is exerting a powerful influence over our less progressive Indians.

Since the state prohibition law went into effect January 1, 1916, the Indians have been able to obtain liquor only from neighboring towns or from traveling bootleggers. Evidence to convict bootleggers and blind-pig proprietors has been diligently sought but so far without results except in one case. A number of boys who had been given permission to walk in the country returned more or less under the influence of liquor. The superintendent, in company with members of the dry squad took one of the boys to the place where he had bought the liquor. A Japanese Sake still.

Authorities of the city of Tacoma are most harmonious, and the consternation of the plans now in contemplation will bring the two school systems into very close touch. This affiliation with the public schools, together with the establishment of the Trades Department in this school, will make it admirably adapted to the needs of the Indians in this section of the country.

The Indians of the Northwest will hardly become agriculturalists to any great extent, but they are constantly seeking places in the manufacturing establishments and in the lumber industries. The training which we expect to give along these lines will materially assist them in operation machinery.

There seems to be no discrimination against the Indians in this section of the country on the mere grounds that they are of a different race. The only trouble that arises is when the Indian parents cannot or will not send their children to the public schools in a sufficient state of cleanliness as not to be obnoxious. Much more could have been accomplished among the Indians during the fiscal year 1911, had it been possible to extend a little more money in the matter of Farmers and equipment to extend the work of instruction in Agriculture among the Indians on the reservations. The Indians within this jurisdiction are now at a point where a little judicious…

The Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington. D. C.

Sir:
Referring further to office letter of February 4, 1915, relative to the report of Supervisor R. E. Penirs on academic training at the Cushman School, wherein I am directed to give the attention of obtaining a suitable supply of books, magazines, etc., for the school library, I have the honor to request the following list of books, selected from the “Books for Indian School Libraries” be furnish this school:

Books For Children By Grades.
Kindergarten
5 copies, Bird A. B. C. (Tuck).
5 copies, Giant Land (Belson).
5 copies, Jack and Jill and Other Nursery Rhymes (Linen) (Dutton)
5 copies, Floyd. Little Soldier Boy’s (McLaughlin).
Grade 1
5 copies, Bennett – Little Peoples Natural History Box (Dutton)
5 copies, Cox – Brownies at Home (Century)
5 copies, Cinderella’s Picture Book (Lane)
5 copies, Red Riding Hood’s Picture Book (Lane)
5 copies, Greenway – Marigold garden (Warne)
5 copies, Praeger – Story of the Gray Goose (Nelson)
Grade 2
5 copies, Cox – Another Brownie Book (Century)
5 copies, Crane – Blue Beard’s Picture Book (Lane)
5 copies, Potter – The Tale of Benjamin bunny (Warne)
5 copies, The Tale of Mrs. Tiggy Winkle (Warne)
5 copies, Five Mice in a Mousetrap (?????)
5 copies, Shaw – Big People and Little People of Other Lands (Am. Bk. Co.)
5 copies, Trimmer – History of Robins (Heath)
5 copies, Valentine – Aunt Louisa’s Book of Common Things (Warne)
Grade 3
3 copies, Banta – The Pied Piper and Other Stories.(Flanagan)
3 copies, Hopkins – Sand Man; His Ship Stories (Page)
3 copies, Sand Man; More Farm Stories (Page)
5 copies, Reiter – Puss in Boots and Cinderella (Flanagan)
5 copies, Thumbelina and Dream Stories (Flanagan)
5 copies, Sleeping Beauty and Other Stories (Flanagan)
3 copies, Smith – Seventeen Little Bears (Flanagan)
5 copies, The Little Brown Baby and Other Babies (Flanagan)
Grade 4
2 copies, Alcott – My Girls (Little)
2 copies, My Boys
3 copies, Anderson – Christmas Tree and Other Stories (?????)
2 copies, Carter – About Animals (Century)
2 copies, Stories of Brave Dogs (Century)
2 copies, Collodi – Adventures of Pinocchio (Cinn)
2 copies, Cutter – Conundrums, Riddles, Puzzles, and Games (Faul, Buffalo)
5 copies, Reiter – Story of Lincoln
2 copies, Ruskin, King of the Golden River (Page)
Grade 5
3 copies, Alcott – Aunt Jo’s Scrap Bag (Little)
3 copies, Baldwin – American Book of Golden Deeds (Am. Bk. Co.)
3 copies, Hero Tales Told in School (Scribner)
5 copies, Bass – Quotations and Select Stories (Flanagan)
3 copies, Baylor – A Little Prospector (Lothrop)
2 copies, Beard – American Boys’ Handy Book (Scribner)
3 copies, Cilman – Making of the American Nation (Lothrop)
3 copies, ????? – Story of the thirteen colonies (Am. Bk. Co.)
3 copies, Brown – The Story of Silk
3 copies, What We Drink
3 copies, McCabe – The Story of Steam
5 copies, Explorations of the Northwest
3 copies, Reuter – The Story of Sugar
5 copies, Kingsley – Madams How and Lady Why (Macmillan)
5 copies, Water babies (Macmillan)
3 copies, Lane – Industries of To-day (Cinn)
Grade 6
3 copies, Butterworth – Over the Andes (Wilde)
5 copies, Clark – Story of Lafayette
5 copies, Herndon – Story of Lewis and Clark
5 copies, ?????? – Heroes of the Revolution
5 copies, Lives of Webster and Clay
Grade 7
5 copies, Frazer – Perseverance Island (Lothrop)
5 copies, Hellock – The Story of King Arthur
5 copies, Hawthorne – The Great Stone Face
5 copies, Parkman – The Oregon Trail
5 copies, Peck. – Seven Wonders of the World (New Methodist Bk.)
Grade 8
5 copies, The Wooing of Tokala (revel)
5 copies, How to Get Strong and Stay So (Herper)
Girls
5 copies, Johnston – The Little Colonel (Page)
5 copies, The Little Colonel’s House Party (Page)
5 copies, The Little Colonel’s Holidays (Page)
5 copies, The Little Colonel’s Hero (Page)
5 copies, Porter – Girl of the Limber Lost (Doubleday)
5 copies, At the Foot of the Rainbow (Ginn)
5 copies, Custer – Boots and Saddles (Harper)
5 copies, Barbour – the Crimson Sweater (Little)
5 copies, The Hoosier School Boy (Grosset)
5 copies, Lyman – Pamphlets on Debating (3) (Wilson)

Very respectfully,
Superintendent

Cushman Indian School,
Tacoma, Washington.
Dec. 17, 1917.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington D. C.

Sir:

General Burr, in command of the 166th Division, Field Artillery, took up with me that question of leasing upland of Nisqually Reservation for target range and practice.

An investigation of the grounds in company with General Burr, showed that the safety of the Indians during the hours of target practice would require the removal of the Indians from both the upland and the river bottom, to avoid ricocheting shells; that is, the entire reservation would have to be abandoned during those hours.

The General was advised as to the question of leasing the lands through the regular channel, which he has probably done.

The military requirements will undoubtedly force the War Department to make a demand for the permanent acquisition of the entire reservation. This as you are aware, will cause violent apposition on the part of the Indians, and, in view of the treaty relations it will be impossible for them to entertain the idea unless adequate homes are provided for the Indians elsewhere, which should be down, if the lands are condemned, for military purposes.

A fair appraisement of the upland on the reservation would be $15.00 per acre, plus the improvements. The bottom land is worth at least $50.00 per acre. All this land is allotted to thirty (30) individual Indians. The number of Indians on the reservation is eighty-three (83).
Very respectfully,
Superintendent.
K – F

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Tacoma, Wash. Feb. 4, 1918
To: Indian Office,
Washington

From: Hammond

County Condemnation Board requests copy of Nisqually heirs with view to instituting condemnation proceedings of Nisqually allotments in county court immediately. See my letter January eleventh with enclosure. Wire instructions as per Department Circular August first, nineteen fifteen.

Hammond

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Cushman Indian School
Tacoma, Washington
February 12, 1918

The Commanding officer,
Camp Lewis, Washington.

Sir:

I beg to invite your attention to the attached letter which was in answer to a protest from the Indians.

The Nisqually reservation is not public domain and until the question of transfer of this reservation to the War Department has been decided definitely by the Secretaries of War and the Interior, the presence of soldiers on the reservation constitutes a trespass.

The Indians advise me that warnings have been posted against their remaining on the reservation; That soldiers are maneuvering on the prairie land, burning rail fencing, and pasturing their mules on private pasture lots. All rails belonging to Paul Leshi have been burned as fuel. During one of the maneuvers a 200-dollar horse belonging to James Nimrod, was stampeded into a barbed wire fence and badly cut.

The soldiers do not confine themselves to the prairie land but large companies march across pastures and down to the farming lands in the bottom. Company C. machine gun brigade turned their mules loose in Fred Sam’s pastures and destroyed his pasture on which he was depending for his own stock.

Until this question of transfer has been decided by the two Departments, it is requested that trespassing on the Indian Reservation be stopped in order to avoid claims for damages.

Very truly yours,
(signed) E. H. Hammond
Superintendent

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To: Indian Office,
Washington

From: Hammond

Referring Secretary’s telegram March twenty-fifth concerning condemnation Nisqually land. Will appear before Court Monday morning with District Attorney to determine County’s jurisdiction and request withdrawal condemnation proceedings. District Attorney requests immediately citation of authority under which the War Department agrees purchases Nisqually land, also under what appropriation act are funds available. He advises County’s jurisdiction unassailable. No hope voluntary withdrawal of suits. Wire information requested.

Hammond

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To: Indian Office,
Washington

From: Hammond

District Attorney recommends strongly compromise between Army and Bureau appraised valuation on Nisqually Indian lands on seventy-five thousand eight hundred forty dollars. County refuses any other compromise and insists on approval before nine Thursday forenoon. Court refuses continuance later than Thursday at ten. If case goes to trial preceding condemnation suits show Indians stand to lose at least five thousand possibly eighteen thousand dollars less than offered in compromise. Wire immediately authority approve this compromise.

Hammond

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To: Indian Office,
Washington

From: Hammond

Court today ordered proceeds Nisqually Indian lands paid to Cushman Indian Agent to be held and disbursed by said agent for benefit Nisqually Indians or heirs according to laws and regulations upon furnishing proper bond in sum eighty thousand dollars payable United States as trustee of Nisqually Indian allottees and to said allottees. Bond to be approved by Court. Advise if other procedure is desired.

Hammond

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Cushman Indian School
Tacoma, Washington
May 14, 1918.

Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Washington, D. C.

Sir:

I have the honor to report that the judge of the Superior Court for the County of Pierce, in a judgment rendered the 6th day of May, decreed that the sum of $75,840.00 be paid the Secretary if the United States Treasury, without bond, to be held and disbursed by the said Secretary of the Treasury, or through his proper agents of the United States, for the

benefit of the Nisqually Indians, or their heirs thereto entitled, according to the laws and regulations there under, or any other law applicable thereto. This step was recommended by the District Attorney to avoid litigation that might arise if the monies were retained in the county court, awaiting the issue of the requisite bond for the Superintendent of the Cushman Agency.

Acting on the request of the Judge Advocate, the Nisqually Indians were removed from that part of the reservation which was condemned, within the two week limit set by the Judge Advocate.

The majority of the Indians preferred to move to the left bank of the Nisqually river, but five of the twelve families preferred homes elsewhere.

Farms have been tentatively selected for the following Indians: Johny Longfred and George Bobb at Oakville, near the Chehalis reservation and Mrs. Moxley on the reservation at Chehalis.

A farm for James Nimrod has been selected on the Skokomish reservation and one for Mrs. Iyall has been selected on the Muckleshoot reservation; but no definite agreement has been made with any of the owners, except that the purchase of the respective farms would be recommended by me.

In the cases of Mrs. Johnny Lonfred, Mr. George Bobb, Mr. James Nimrod and Mrs. Iyall, in separate communications, I shall recommend that they be declared competent in the sums necessary to purchase their future homes, as I believe they are fully capable of managing their own affairs.

I have personally inspected and appraised the farms which have been elected for Mrs. Moxley and Mrs. Longfred near the Chehalis reservation; and the Skokomish Farmer has appraised the farm selected on the Skokomish reservation for Mr. And Mrs. James Nimrod. I believe that the appraisement of these three farms are just and I have recommended that they be purchased for the Indians. Two other farms are to be inspected and appraised in the near future for Mrs. Iyall and Mr. George Bobb.

As the Commissioner is undoubtedly aware, the majority of these Indians have not accumulated much ready money and it is imperative that their homes be purchased for them without delay in order to permit them to put in the crops what are possible at this late date and thereby avoid re real want during the coming year and the unnecessary expenditure of their money for subsistence.

And have since used it as a common pasture, fencing off separately the fields and smaller pastures near the homes. Besides the springs and river the Nisqually Lake, good duck and fishing ground, provided the livestock with ample water. For more than 50 years these Indians have cultivated lands, mostly in the bottom, where they had summer cabins and orchards, and smokehouses for drying the fine salmon which they caught in abundance from the river, sloughs, and spring creeks.

The war spirit, combined with Tacoma’s ambition to possess a great Army post at its doors, and the newspaper and other boosting propaganda to accomplish this, made it very unpopular to oppose the county’s suits and valuations of lands condemned. The trial of cases in groups before a jury and the hurry incident to trial of some 1,500 of such cases in order to acquire the lands needed prevented proper consideration of individual cases. Particular reference is made to statements of a. R. Titlow and Walter Christian, both able lawyers, who were attorneys for a number of owners of important buildings. (A, 8-10, 12-15)

The attorneys’ fees and other costs of condemnation were nearly $300,000 or over $4 per acre. The elaborate preparation of the county is shown by Exhibits C and a 95-96. It will be noted that the basic values for land was very low-from $4 to $25 an acre on the Indian reservation, along the bottom of which some of the best soil in the State is found. (A, 14, 15, 17, 46, 48, 49, 56. C, 2, 36.) The county appraisal allows only $75 an acre for clearing 50 acres of this Indian bottom land, although the appraisers’ own statement (C, 3) asures us that it costs “from $125 to $200 or more per acre” to clear such land of stumps and get it under cultivation. Over 40 years ago the Indians had cleared and were cultivating this fine bottom land. (A, 49.) In his annual report for 1911 (pp. 4, 5, 6, 7) the Tulalip superintendent states that the ost of clearing ranged from $30 per acre for valley land, with brush and only a few stumps (using a donkey engine) to as high as $229.24 per acre for clearing heavily stumped land, using explosives and a donkey engine-in the last case the cost of explosives alone was $86.28 per acre. He mentions the subject has been studied by the Washington Logged-Off Land Association and the United States Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. One of the best authorities is the Weyerhauser Timber Co., whose manager informed me that is cost from $100 to $200 per acre to prepare logged-off land for cultivation, and he related the company’s recent experience in that line which cost over $200 per acre. Several other excellent authorities agree with these quoted, and several remarked that most of the upland was not woth te price of removing the stumps, the bottom lands being the exception. Note that the State immigration bureau values Nisqually River bottom land from $200 to $500 an acre. (a, 90) And its fertility has been attested for nearly 60 years. (A, 43-49m 50-56)

Upon inquiry among the farmers in the Nisqually bottom adjacent and below the reservation, I find that they value their cultivated lands at $200 an acre and up, and they state it costs them nearly that much to clear the land. Mr. Aldridge owns an 80-acre farm in the bottom next to the reservation for which he paid $7,000 ub 1902m abd gas subce cleared most if it and made good improvements. Mr. William Gardener paid $16,000 for 280 acres in 1907, nearly all bottom, only 12 acres cleared. Prior to his purchase the Northern Pacific Railway had secured a right of way through the place, which reduced it from 357 acres, and since then the railroad has built a double-track line, and the paved highway has been constructed from Tacoma to Olympia across a corner of this land, and 50 acres has been cleared and substantial improvements made. His land is not for sale, and from inquiry of him and others in the neighborhood I find that most of the land is owned by old settlers and very little has been old in recent years. One sale recently made near Gardner’s was that by Otto Coleman of 80 acres for $6,000, only 15 acres being bottom and 8 acres being cleared, the balance of being logged-off hillside. Sheep sheds were the only improvements on this tract. These lands are on the Thurston County side of the Nisqually and between the reservation and the paved highway mentioned. A short distance below Willie Frank, one of the dispossessed Nisquallies, paid $1,000 for 6 acres of bottom land partly cleared and improvements worth $150. Frank Mounts, whose father was once agent of the Nisquallies, informed me that he has land for sale in the Nisqually bottom 3 miles below the reservation. He wants $250 an acre for cultivated land, which, he says is low because of the fact that since so many homes were condemned for Camp Lewis people were afraid to buy. And ha named instances where people had been awarded but a small part what their homes had cost them, and in a few cases hardly enough to pay the encumbrances. (A, 94.)

I visited the farms on the western side of the Nisqually Reservation, where soil is similar to that on the eastern side, which the county valued from $40 to $20 per are (mostly $10), and allowed $10 to $15 per acres for cultivation, although it allowed nothing on 185 acres of “old” or “spl” cultivation. (A, 95.) One place has 20 acres, mostly cleared, 8 acres in cultivation, fenced, good frame house, small outbuildings, well. Improvements worth about $800. Two thousand dollars was wanted for the place.

Another farm near by of 190 acres has 120 acres in cultivation, 30 acres in pasture, 30 acres in second growth-timber, 4-romm house, big barn with shake roof, cistern, 4 outbuildings, well, fenced. It sold in 1918 for $14,000. Improvements are in fair condition, but only small part of value of the farm. The Weyerhauser Timber Co. several years ago sold logged-off lands in this vicinity for as low as $4 an acre, but retained the mineral rights. A recent sale of logged-off land by this same company near Yelm and about 4 miles from the reservation brought $30 an acre, with same reservation of mineral rights.

The Yelm irrigation district begins less than 2 miles from the reservation and extends up the Nisqually River about 6 miles and contain 7,000 acres, recently put under irrigation from the Nisqually River waters. Lands within this project sell from $60 to $200 per acre, in addition to construction costs and maintenance charges. (37-38) Attached is a printed description of this district by Prof. Henry Landes, dean of the College Of Sciences of the University of Washington, a recognized authority on soils, wherein he discusses the advantages of the gravelly prairie soils (which are just like the reservations soils), the fertility of silt-laden waters of the Nisqually, products producced thereby, etc. He shows the district’s advantages over the Sequim Prairie, an irrigated district in the northern part of the State on strait near Port Townsend, in Yelm has better railway and highway facilities, is near to the best markets, and emphasizes that it is only 15 miles to a paved highway. Bulletin 8, published by the Washington Geological Survey, under Prof. Landes’ direction states as follows:

(Page 73) The correlative of Yelm Prairie is found in Nisqually Prairie on the east of the Nisqually River. The river valley between these two prairies is younger than the deposition of the gravels and is consequent on the northward slope of a once-continuous outwash plain. The erosion of this valley has divided the original plain into two longitudinal portions, constituting Nisqually and Yelm Prairies, respectively.

The condemned Indian lands, which are a part of the same gravelly prairie, can be watered by same river and are neared to the same good markets and only 3 miles to the nearest paved highway and railroads on one side, and 4 miles the other side to two railroads and another paved highway soon to be constructed into Tacoma. At Yelm is the first important application of Nisqually silt laden waters to irrigation. I passed through the Yelm district several times and could see the good crops resulting from irrigation, and I noted that the gravelly soil was the same as on the reservation. I talked to several merchants and farmers-old residents-and they were convinced that, with irrigating water to supply needed moisture during the summer drought, they can grow highly profitable crops of vegetables and berries so much in demand in the Puget Sound markets. Mr. J. P. Martin, a merchant and farmer, I found digging his potatoes from the land he valued at $200 per acre, but it was not for sale. He pointed to 40 acres of poorer land, unimproved, which he recently sold for $100 an acre, and to logged-off land just outside of the irrigation district which was recently sold for $40 an acre by the Weyerhauser Timber Co. Mr. Martin added that in 1910 the gravelly prairie land was worth from $15 to $20 an acre. I am informed that the Indian lands were not considered susceptible of irrigation in the future to a degree that would make a value at this time, and therefore that feature was not given value in the condemnation of the Indian lands. However, it is my opinion, based on what is being done successfully at Yelm, only 2 miles south of the nearest condemned Indian lands, that the Indian lands could be irrigated with equal success and rom the same source, but would be much more valuable by reason of their being much closer to paved highway and the markets of Tacoma and Seattle.

On September 12, 1911, Mr. J. W. Martin, superintendent of irrigation, reported to Chief Engineer W. H. Code on the matter of irrigating some of the Nisqually Indian lands from the water of Muck Creek. Should the water of Muck Creek be not available, he submitted estimates for construction of a pumping plant to utilize the water from the perpetual water level which he found from 40 to 50 feet under the surface of the reservation. Withhis report he submitted photographs of thriving crops then growing on ranched near American Lake and irrigated by water pumped from wells, the soil being the same gravelly soil of the reservation. Accompanying the report is a lengthy account in the Daily Ledger. Tacoma, Wash., published September 3, 1911, which describes in enthusiastic terms the crops being grown by irrigation on “at least 20 thriving farms” around Steilacoom and American Lake. The newspaper article is headed “250,000 acres in back yard-Tacomans awake to possibilities of gravel prairies south of the city-Water alone needed-Rotary and Commercial Club men find gravel soil easy to reclaim by simple, inexpensive method.” The article states:

An inducement to irrigation is the fact that the prairies seem to cover an immense underground lake. Water is abundant in every part of the prairie, being reached anywhere depths of 15 to 20 feet, the average well being from 28 to 40 feet.

It mentions the luxuriant crops growing on the irrigated ranches of E. F. Gregory, C. E. Detweller, and others near American Lake and at the farm of the Fort Steilacoom Asylum. Mr. Martin accompanies his report with photographs of the Nisqually Prairie and data to show the feasibility of irrigating. Shortly after this the Tacoma Commercial Club and Chamber of Commerce widely advertised the possibilities of irrigation on the gravelly prairies from wells. (See Exhibit A, p. 42.) Some of the people who answered this appeal and bought homes and small tracts, especially near American Lake, had their lands condemned for a small part of what they cost them. Mr. Gregory gives several cases. (Exhibit E, 36-37) O. S. Brooks (A, 20) bought a tract in same vicinity. One convincing argument given out is that it is cheaper to irrigate and fertilize the gravelly prairie than to pay the enormous prices for removing stumps; and even the best lands must be irrigated during the dry summer months to secure best results in growing berries and garden truck.

It was repeatedly asserted to me that the county ignored values based on favorable location, proximity to paved highways, railroads, bodies of water, scenic views and other value-making features. That the lands were appraised mainly on that they produced. This, notwithstanding that the vicinity of Camp Lewis has rapidly grown in favor since advent of paved roads as a county-club district and summer-residence section, and was also rapidly being cut into home and garden tracts when the cantonment stepped. The publicity given the gravelly prairies helped sell many home tracts, some of which Pierce County later took at great loss to the owners. Tacoma is gradually building toward American Lake and Camp Lewis, about the only direction it has to expand. (A, 42, 94.)

Some of the most prominent real estate dealers in Tacoma who are familiar with Camp Lewis lands state that the county paid much less than the lands were worth, and one of them asserted that the lands in Camp Lewis would sell among the realtors were George M. Elliott, A. H. Barnhisel, and Jesse O. Thomas, Jr. Mr. Thomas accompanied Mr. Stephen Appleby to Washington, D. C., in December, 1916, and secured agreement from the Secretary of War to maintain a division post if 70,000 acres were donated by Pierce County. (A, &, legend on Exhibit I.) I consulted many realtors, bankers, attorneys, and others intimately acquainted with Camp Lewis lands, some of whom had had their own lands condemned or had been employed as attorneys. While all expressed themselves freely and condemned the methods used in securing these lands only a few would give me written statements, the apparent reason being that they could not afford to appear to be antagonizing the establishment of Camp Lewis, Tacoma’s cherished ambition, which all favored, although they deplored the great bitterness engendered in securing it. One prominent realtor, who had done a great deal toward securing Camp Lewis, denounced the inadequate awards and incident expense, and stated that no real estate man or other person who valued his reputation would testify in these suits, as he might know land was actually worth $100 an acre and so testify, but the jury would being in what the county’s appraisers would say-maybe $10 or $20-and the witness would be made the laughing stock. (A, 8, 21, 90, D. E.)

Mr. A. R. Titlow states (A, 8) that-

Fourth. It was unfortunate that the court permitted, which it did, the attorneys for Pierce County to each time select the lands that should be tried first or in the order desired by the county of Pierce. In the first suit the first group of cases tried covered the poorest and worst land, and probably less improved than any of the whole 70,000 acres condemned.

The jury, by its verdict, which was based practically upon the testimony of the county all the way through this first group, which was a very low verdict, indeed, thereby more or less establishing a precedent, or an example, for the same jury in trying the balance of groups of cases in this first suit.

This method of committing the jury to the low values was called to my attention by other parties. Some rich men with large holdings in Tacoma and others through patriotic motives were willing to take whatever was handed them by the county appraisers, and overlooked by the county’s attorneys. Read Mr. Titlow’s comments on this. (A, 9, 10.) Several told me that the county’s attorneys openly told the jury that they held the purse strings on the county, and, judging from their actions, this must have been believed by them. (A, 9, E, 11.) Mr. Walter Christian, of the firm of Sullivan & Christian, leading attorneys, states (A, 14):

In the trial of these suits the county had a splendid organization, and its experts as to values seemed to treat the entire tract practically as useful only for grazing and agricultural purposes, and gave it no value for anything else, and the various juries hearing the evidence seemed to adopt the county’s views. The fact of the matter is that at the time these cases were being tried there was a great popular local wave of patriotism, and because this land was wanted for military purposes, and was necessary to get a big tract for that use and the amount which was to be paid for it had been fixed by a bond issue of $2,000,000, the county officials undertook to show and did convince the jury that it ought of get all the land it wanted for the sum which had been voted for that purposes.

Two suits, each involving 35,000 (approximately) acres, were instituted August, 1917, and September, 1918, in addition to the Indian suit in April, 1918. In the neighborhood of 1,500 respondents, all told. (A, 8, E, 5.) Many of those dispossessed of their homes by the last suit have joined in a petition to the Secretary of War, and several called on me and gave me copies of their printed data and brief filed with Secretary of War. (D, E.) I went carefully into the records of several of these cases and also saw some of their places. It will be noted that many of the them got very much less than their places were worth or had cost them, being homes where they had lived for yeats and had made a living there from. One of them who lost part of his land (not the improvements) is C. H. Thompson, formerly auditor of one of Tacoma’s big banks. After a painstaking and intelligent study of soils, products, transportation, and other advantages he purchased in June, 1915, at what amounted tot a forced sale, 240 acres of land, paying therefore $14,300 in cash. The county appraised the whole at $6,843 and took the poorer prairie land (143 acres for $1,778.77, after increasing its appraisal $418.84 or 30 per cent; to include a half mile of road and fence, which fence was valued at very liberally. The county took nearly all his pasture, leaving 96 acres of land, of which 59 acres is fine creek bottom soil, sub-irrigated. This place is less than 2 miles from Spanaway Lake, 1 ½ miles from the paved highway from Tacoma to Mount Tacoma which a recent bond issue will complete in Tacoma and the park entrance. (Map, Exhibit F), and to Roy the same distance to the south of his place. I verified the sale of this place to Thompson from records and the attorney who handled the matter for the owner in a suit to cancel a contract of purchase for $12,500 which has been defaulted. The defaulting defendant, through a realtor, finally secured Mr. Thompson as a buyer and the suit was dismissed. On the 96 acres which Thompson was permitted to retain the assessed valuation is $2,160, being 50 per cent of full valuation. The tax rate is 53 mills this year on this property. It is part of a narrow wedge jutting for 2 miles into the cantonment south of Spanaway Lake, and was evidently not taken because it was high priced. Southwest toward Roy are several large tracts (in green solid with red border) which the county did not condemn for the same reason.

Contrast this with the million-dollar judgment against the port of Tacoma ( Pierce County) which the same attorneys and expert witness secured for 240 acres of unimproved submerged tide flats, assessed at $198,000.

Introduction: The U.S.policy to transform Indians into American citizens eroded many of the foundations of Native culture. As the transformation continued and Indian identity was extinguished even the names of Indians began to reflect the changes going on. In the following document one can this process at work. On the left are the approximate English spellings of Nisqually names. Next is the “new” identity of the Native American in American culture.

Census of the Indians of the Nisqually Reservation, W.T. belonging to the Puyallup Consolidated Agency, for 1888.

Indian Name	No.	English Name	Age	Relation
Petewaw	1	Peter	47	husband
Mayalitsa	2	Louisa	43	wife
Chipman	3	James Chipman	51	husband
	4	Mary	44	wife
Yak’tun	5	Tenas Laplett	47	husband
Sili Kinaqud	6		44	wife
	7	James	12	son
Quatch	8	John	30	husband
Tiai-wick	9	Annie	43	wife
	10	Robert	18	Son
Laplett	11	Willie	27	husband
	12	Hannah	23	wife
Quantan	13		73	widow
Quiomuth	14	Bill	35	husband
	15	Mary	33	wife
	16	Seymour	14	son
	17	John	2	son
	18	William	12	son
	19	Freddie	4	son
	20	Bill’s Mother	52	widow
	21	Luke Boy alkh	65	husband
	22	Marion	52	wife
Sanatum	23	Wesley Bob	45	husband
	24	Lucy	42	wife
	25	George (Bob)	12	son
Stequa	26	John Stawha	52	husband
Nagalitza	27	Polly	56	wife
	28	John Clahamy	33	husband
	29	Jane	37	wife
	30	Julia	15	daughter
	31	Anna	13	daughter
	32	Susie	9	daughter
Tom-a-ti-laiq	33	James O. Pawaty	43	husband
	34	Katie	33	wife
	35	Maggie	4	daughter
Lepalk	36	John	34	husband
	37	Annie	35	wife
Nuba-Nub-la	38	Joseph Maxlet	42	husband
	39	Mary	47	wife
Kul-aw-ay-klap	40	James	32	husband
Netsa tsi	41	Nancy	20	wife
	42	Augusta	14	sister
Kluck-u-pah	43	Frank	42	widower
Yit-zals	44		52	father
	45	Willie Frank	6	son
Se-liu-hath	46	Tenas Pealo	53	husband
Ghats-chub	47	Francis	57	wife
Klatush	48	Jack	32	husband
	49	Ellen	30	wife
	50	Henry	15	son

Introduction: In this letter from the Cushman Indian school in Tacoma the writer elaborates on problems associated with Indian education in the area. There was no “Indian” school on the Nisqually Reservation, but many children studied at the Cushman School and boarded their too.

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE
Establishment Of positions.
Cushman Indian School,
Tacoma, Wash., Dec. 9, 1914.

The Honorable
Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington, D. C.

Sir:

I have the honor to recommend that there be authorized at this school the following positions:
Matron for the large boys at $660
Disciplinarian at $1000
Carpenter at $840

Out of the $50,000 appropriated for the support of this school there has been apportioned for salaries $22,420, which is $1240 less than last year. For an annual estimate, $20,340.89. For other purposes, $7,231.11. Of this last item there is about $6000 for which no authority has been granted. The salary per capita, I think is below the average, as we now have 330 pupils enrolled, and have several more applications.

After a careful investigation and study of the situation here, I am thoroughly convinced that it is absolutely necessary to have a competent matron in charge of the building where there are between 90 and 100 large boys. The dormitory is the home of the boys while they are here, but without a matron it is like a home without a mother; it cannot be kept clean and nest and homelike, and the boys become careless in their habits, rough and boisterous in their conduct, and coarse in their manner. A matron is necessary to direct the cleaning and arranging and ventilating of the rooms, and to lock after the boys clothing and many other things which are necessary to the welfare of the school, and which only a woman can do.

It is utterly impossible to maintain proper discipline among 200 boys without a thoroughly reliable, competent and energetic disciplinarian, who can devote all of his time to the overnight, training, and drilling of the boys. He should be a man without a family so he can room in the building and thus be in constant touch with the boys so as to stimulate them to take greater pride in their personal appearance.

The school is located within the corporate limits of the city, and public conveyance pass the school quite frequently, and the boys can easily get away at night and get into the city and into bad company. There has been some drinking among the boys and I fear that without the assistance of a disciplinarian there will be more. In office of August 22nd, 1914, instructing me in regard to my duties here, I am advised that whisky is the greatest menace to the Indian race, and that I should exercise the greatest precaution to see that steps are taken to fully protect the student body from actual contact with liquor.

A carpenter is badly needed to look after the outside work and in making repairs and improvements. There are many frame buildings, some of which are old and need considerable repairs. Besides there are a number of boys who are studying carpentry and need instruction by a competent man. We have a manual training teacher in the carpenter shop, but all of his time is required in the shop to instruct the boys in the proper handling of machinery.

I request that this matter be given immediate consideration and that the positions be authorized and appointments made at the earliest practicable date.
Very respectfully,
Superintendent.

TBW(S)

Sir: In accordance with the requirements of your circular letter of July 15, 1882, I have to submit the following as my seventh annual report as United States agent of the Indians of this agency, this being my tenth year in the Indian service in this Territory:

There are four reservations and seven outside bands belonging to this agency, all fully describe in my last annual report, giving location, area, and description of each of said reservations, with the number belonging to each, and the number of Indians belonging to each of said bands, &c. (See report commissioner Indian Affairs for 1881, pp. 163 to 168.)

The condition of the Indians of this agency is semi-civilized. The blanket as an article of dress and the breech-cloth have for many years been wholly discarded, and all dress like whites. They all se coffee, tea, sugar, flour, &c., are all constructed after the manner of whites. Their habits, as a general rule, are thriftless. The idea of becoming wealthy seems never to enter their heads. The supply of their present necessary wants is all they ever aspire to. Many of them do a vast amount of hard, rough work for the whites in the way of clearing up, ditching, and fencing lands, harvesting, logging, &c., but they almost universally spend their wages as fast as earned. Their disposition, except when intoxicated but the white man’s whisky, is always peaceable, quiet, and harmless.

Their character among the whites for truth and veracity, for the payment of debts, punctuality, &c., is not good. The extent of progress among adults during the year, like the growth of forest trees, is but little observable, except in Christianity, which is spreading among them and is creating an improvement in their mortal deportment. Progress among the pupils of the two industrial boarding-schools at the Puyallup and Chehalis reservations has been marked and gratifying.

Said history from beginning to the end is of like unremitting labor, mostly in the office, occasioned by the complicated, cumulative, redundant, circumlocutory system of accounts required of an Indian agent from which he is seldom able to determine when he is or will get through with accounting for and explaining any item of government funds or property that has passed through his hands it appears to me that the most vitally important duties of an Indian agent are among the Indians of his charge, urging them on by every means possible to that degree of civilization that they may be safely citizenized and melted into the body politics of our nation. But standing between the government, his sureties, and the penitentiary, he has but little time to devote to said important duties under the system of accounts.

A commodious and much needed addition to the Puyallup boarding-school buildings, 60 by 28 feet and two stories high, was constructed during the past year, and so far completed as to be in use. Said buildings are now capable of comfortably accommodating 80 boarding pupils. A like needed addition was recently constructed to the boarding-school buildings are the Chehalis Reservation, 20 by 50 feet and two stories high, and so far completed as to be in use.

Both of the school farms have been improved and made more productive during the past year. The statistics of the Puyallup, Nesqually, Chehalis, and Squaxin reservations herewith inclosed show a gratifying increase of acreage under cultivation, amount of agricultural products, and in the number of live stock upon the first thee named reservations, but upon the Squaxin Reservation a decrease in acreage under cultivation and in amount of agricultural products. Nearly all the Indians of the Squaxin reservation were engaged during the year oystering, which has been profitable, hence they have been absent from and neglected their homes on the reservation,

Have from the first proved themselves prompt, obedient, and reliable, and are an efficient power in educating Indians in the observance of law and order. But their pay—only five dollars per month—is too small where they receive no rations in addition, as is the case in this agency. Where a policeman is required to do duty, subsist himself and family, and furnish his own horse, as is often the case, five dollars compensates but for a very few days at the lowest daily wages.

Too much importants cannot be attached to industrial boarding-schools for Indians, as they are the only means by which Indians can be brought up to a sufficient degree of civilization as to be safely and beneficially enfranchised with all the rights and privileges of citizens; and the further such schools are removed from Indian reservations and contact with the parents and tribes of the pupils the better, as then the manners, customs, industries, &c., of the surrounding whites are soonest absorbed, and the native Indian languages—the greatest barriers to their civilization—are soonest supplanted by the English, the only medium through which they can acquire civilization in our country. Schools on reservations, properly conducted, are next in importance to those outside. Attendance upon such schools should be made compulsory, and the system so perfected that no Indian child in the limits of the Untied sates could be allowed to grow up without passing through some one of these civilizing mills. The annual report of Prof. T. R. Wilson and of Prof. G. W. Bell, principals of the two industrial boarding-schools belonging to the agency, are herewith sent, and commended to careful perusual, as they show the status and efficiency of said schools.

Having labored unremittingly among the Indians of this agency in different capacities for the last ten years, and become personally acquainted with all the members of the different tribes and bands, and having acquired the confidence of all, and the most earnest good will of the better disposed among them, it is with some feelings of sadness that I leave them, from not having been able to do more for their elevation than I have. But having faithfully and conscientiously discharged my duty towards them to the best of my ability, and not having in that time bettered myself one dollar in wordly wealth, it is a matter of much satisfaction to me to know that I have laid up some treasure where it will be available to my credit in eternity.

Very respectfully,
R. H. Milroy
The Commissioner of Indian Affairs.