161 the Indians to be benefited shall do as much of this kind of work as possible without cost to the Government. Survey of arable land.-Under the authority granted by your office the survey of the land susceptible of irrigation will be commenced as soon as possible and continued as far into the winter as the weather will permit and will be made in such manner as not to be disturbed by subsequent surveys. Detailed maps will be made during the inclement weather and submitted to the Department indicating the location of each Indian, the extent and character of his location, as well as of land available. This will make an intelligent assignment of homes possible and will break up the habit, too common, of changing locations for any reason, however slight. Cabins, sheds, etc., are abandoned, another location selected, building anew to be gone through with, perhaps to be repeated in another year or two. This survey, among many other benefits not noted, will place the Indians in continuity on the streams, thus greatly facilitating irrigation. Employés. But one of the old white employés remains, the others having either resigned or were discharged. The farmers in particular were, in my opinion, disqualified in that they were not practical farmers and commanded neither the respect nor confidence of the Indians. Besides, the head farmer, I discovered, had been con cerned in the purchase of Indian Department cattle. Control. These Indians are in the main biddable and only need a kind but unrelaxing guidance-a hand of steel in a glove of velvet. Births: Males, 36; females, 30. Deaths: Males, 33; females, 26. 1, 811 867 944 460 596 437 169 155 73 40 55 42 13 66 59 Conclusion.-From a careful observation of these people I am satisfied that they are now at a point when rapid advancement can be made, particularly in agriculture, if the system of irrigation just begun shall be carried to completion and additional farmers authorized to teach and show them the way. The idea that agriculture can not be made reasonably successful should be relegated to the bourne of dead delusions, for while I write, on land where I have been able to put water and where the farmers have closely supervised, oats are being harvested that will yield from 25 to 50 bushels per acre, and under like conditions a good potato yield is assured. Before concluding I wish to acknowledge my obligation to the Commissioner for his courtesy, patience, and favor with which he has considered the many appeals made for these people. With the law for my guide and a high sense of responsibility my inspiration, I shall endeavor while I remain on this duty to make his administration a success and leave these people further advanced than I found them. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, L. W. COOKE, Captain Third Infantry, Acting U. S. Indian Agent. The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF BLACKFEET SCHOOL. BLACKFEET AGENCY BOARDING SCHOOL, August 10, 1894. SIR: I have the honor to submit here with my second annual report of this school. A somewhat detailed account of the school's history, its location, and a description of the grounds and buildings appeared in the report for last year. That the large boys might be at home in haying and the smaller children in berry-picking, authority 6655 I A—-11 School opened October 1, with 44 pupils present. The former pupils who returned were not all in until the 18th of October, while new pupils were added throughout the months from October 1 to May 18. Five of the former pupils did not return, two going elsewhere and three being in poor health. Two transfers to Fort Shaw occurred in January. Fourteen pupils were withdrawn during the year, some being needed at home. the health of others being too delicate for them to remain longer, and one entering the Army. Forty-seven new pupils were enrolled. The whole number on the rolls for the year was 145; 83 boys and 62 girls. The greatest number in attendance at any one time was 128. The greatest number for any one month or more, 127.5. Average attendance for the year, 118; average age of pupils, 11. The system of keeping in your office a list of eligibles on which to draw for recruits when withdrawals occurred was an excellent means of keeping the school full, and your further purpose to have all the children the school can care for present at the opening on October 1 will materially increase the average attendance for the incoming year, besides relieving the superintendent and teachers of the annoyance which always comes of delay in getting pupils in. The buildings are not adequate to the present demands of the school. The increased average attendance over last year was 32, and it is believed that 150 children could be placed here and that number kept in attendance without any additional employé force, save one teacher, if we could have another building. As we are now situated it is not possible to see the whole school at once while conducting the opening exercises of mornings and the Sabbath school on Sundays. Having no assembly room, the dining hall, the only room large enough to accommodate the entire school, has to be resorted to on all holiday and other public occasions. The boys' waiting room, 14 by 22 feet, the only place they have in which to congregate when the weather is not suitable for them to be out, is much too small for comfort. The two bathrooms, 8 by 15 feet each, are quite inconvenient, and the laundry, a room in the main building, 12 by 20 feet, is not large enough for the amount of work that has to be done. With a new building so constructed as to provide an assembly and class rooms we could adjust matters so as to be convenienced all around. The two school buildings should be painted before another year. The guttering on both is now in need of repairs, and ought to be fixed before the inside walls are calcimined, which it is the purpose to have done before the end of the present interim. Cattle sheds with shingle roofs are a necessity here and can not be dispensed with longer without serious loss. These, however, we hope to have before another winter. Owing to the vast quantity of suow which accumulated about the buildings during the winter and the heavy rains which came soon after the snow disappeared, water has stood in the cellar at a depth of from 3 to 27 inches from the 20th of May until now. All efforts to pump it out have been unavailing. The present indications are that it will be with us, several inches deep, until late in the fall. Should such be the case a good root house will have to be built. The condition of the cellar also sug gests the importance of a milk house, which could be built, with water running through it, at small expense. The health of the children, all things considered, has been good. Two cases of sore eyes appeared late in November, from which time on till near the end of the term there was an occasional case, all of which, with one exception, yielded to the physician's treatment. Influenza had a run for several weeks early in the winter, affecting more or less nearly every one connected with the school. Two cases of pneumonia, one of erysipelas, two of nervous affection (St. Vitus's dance), and several cases of tuberculosis required the physician's presence frequently during the year. Two consumptives were withdrawn, who afterwards deceased. One boy was unfortunate in having his leg fractured by the fall of a horse he was riding. When it is remembered that we have no hospital accommodations whatever, and that the agency physician is from 18 to 22 miles distant with a high-water barrier in his way during the spring freshets, this will not be considered a bad showing. Of the school farm, 15 acres are in cultivation, 10 acres of which are seeded to barley, oats, potatoes turnips, and wheat, with the portion put to grain, also sown to tame grass. Of the grain there is a reasonably good stand. It is now heading. Should the season prove too short for it to mature, there will be a fine quantity of excellent forage for the stock. The field potatoes are doing fairly well. The grass seed caught nicely and promises a good stand. The garden, 5 acres, looks the best it ever has at this time of year. In subsisting the school the young vegetables have been used for some time. Of the root crop there will be a moderate yield. The vines are not doing well and little is expected of them. This parcel of ground is principally "gumbo," and practically worthless for garden purposes in a wet, cold season, as this has been. The intention is to seed this land to grass and open a new tract for a garden where the soil is better. The wild grass on the school lands is good. We are now in the midst of haying, and aim at putting up 100 tons, the most of which will be cut near the buildings. The school cattle are in fine condition, the increase very good, and the prospect for a profitable herd of milch cows in the near future is quite encouraging. The improvements for the year consist of an icehouse 14 by 16 feet, 12 feet from sills to eaves; a refrigerator; 6 wardrobes, placed in the sewing room and dormitories; 2 storm-houses built over the west doors of the school buildings; 2 water-closets; boys and girls' waiting rooms, and boys' bathroom wainscoted; floor laid in waiting room, hall and porch of boys' building; well-house sided and painted; 8 acres of new land broken; 512 feet of portable snow fence, and 828 rods of post and wire fence; storm windows and wire screens provided for school buildings; iron sinks provided for kitchen and bathrooms; 1,500 fir posts provided for fencing; and a system of irrigating ditches with the necessary head gates and wasteweirs, as follows: Ditch No. 1 is designed to irrigate the school garden and adjoining grounds; No. 2 to sluice out the sewer drain at the school; Nos. 3 and 4 to irrigate the school farm grain and grass fields. The ditches are well constructed, and it is presumed that the annual cost of repairs will be small. Industrially the outdoor labor-farming, gardening, caring for the stock, preparing stove wood, providing water for house use, hauling away kitchen slops, keeping the grounds in order, etc.-was performed by the boys under the direction of the industrial teacher, one of the male teachers, or the superintendent, as occasion required. In addition to this general work they made 46 fence posts of material procured by them in the mountains, barked the 1,500 posts furnished by the Department, constructed the 828 rods of fence mentioned above, aided the carpenter in making all the improvements about the buildings, assisted the male employés in putting up about 40 tons of hay, and did most of the work on the irrigating ditches. In this connection permit me to quote the agency engineer: "The work was chiefly done by the labor of the school boys under my direction, and in justice to them I will say they were quicker, more apt, and possessed more energy and skill than the full-grown Indian. The boys accomplished more in a day than the adults under the same circumstances and conditions." The indoor work, under the direction of the heads of the different departments was performed by the girls, and in point of activity, aptitude, energy, and skill they were not surpassed by the boys. They did cooking, laundering, sewing, and darning that would compare favorably with like work of white girls of the same age. Some of their needlework was superior-not excelled by that of an experienced seamstress. While working with the agency carpenter at the school some of the boys evinced an aptitude in the use of tools sufficient to warrant special instruction in carpentry, and I would suggest that when the buildings at the new agency are ready for occupancy, and the trades are under way, some of the boys be apprenticed, dividing the time between the class room and the shops. It required watchfulness and persistent effort to bring the boys to appreciate the cow. They liked the horse and preferred to handle him. But the main dependence of Piegans is in cattle. Hence the importance of the cattle industry and the necessity of being acquainted with and attending to the needs of the individual animal were urged upon the cattle detail as it was made from time to time. The schoolroom work was good. Very perceptible mental advancement was made. With attractive methods and exercises varied the attention was held and the interest kept growing throughout the year. "With such enthusiasm on the part of the children," said a visitor of experience in Indian affairs at the close of an evening session, "they can not help learning." None were drowsy; all were on the alert. The gain in the use of the English language was very gratifying. When the school closed it was practically an English-speaking institution. All had quit the tribal language save a few, who came in near the end of the year. Two years ago all talked Piegan; some could talk English, but simply would not, the mother tongue being much more convenient. Painstaking drills in language in the class room and at the evening sessions, coupled with an unvarying daily prompting of the individual child, solved the problem. More attention was given to music than formerly and visitors who make a specialty of this art detected some excellent voices and predicted that with proper training good singing would be easily attained. A taste for drawing was developed, and in this line work was done which not only "astonished the natives," but was a surprise to all who were interested enough in school work to examine it. An entertainment was given by the pupils on the Fourth of July at which about 500 Indians were present, besides a large number of white people, among whom were several agency and railway emiployés. The programme, participated in by 125 pupils, consisted of music, recitations, concert motion recitations, dialogues, iliustrated stories, marching songs, doll song and drill, tambourine drill, chime dumb bell drill, flag exercise, etc., in all of which patriotism predominated. At the close of the exercises Capt. L. W. Cooke, acting U. S. Indian agent, made an address expressing himself not only pleased with the work done during the year, but agreeably surprised at what he had there seen. The address was congratulatory in character and proved a stimulus to both teachers and pupils, whose patience in well-doing merited the success achieved. Rev. W. W. Van Orsdel, of Great Falls, was present and talked for a few minutes in a very happy vein. In the score of years passed in Montana this gentleman never saw anything more impressive than this paying of homage to a great nation by its wards.' Rev. E. Dutcher, of the Brooklyn mission, noted the marked advancement the children had made since he witnessed their performances the year before. In the evening there was a grand display of fireworks, which afforded the pupils great amusement. Good citizenship being the ultimate of our endeavors, the supposition that it can come independent of religion must be indulged with caution. Uulike the child having a home where Bible truths and commandments have a reformative and regulative power, the Indian child is practically without a home and destitute of these superior governing precepts, save as they are imposed through the schools, where these children are passing from the condition of aliens to that of heirs of a vast political inheritance. The Sabbath school was, therefore, an interesting feature and regularly held. The Lord's Prayer, twenty-third psalm, Beatitudes, and Ten Commandments were readily committed and recited with reverence. The International Lesson series, with accompanying Bible lesson pictures, was used, and the picture lesson and other papers, furnished by friends in the East, were received and read with avidity. The school grounds proper are absolutely without inclosure. Children disposed to run away have no obstructions to encounter. The clean prairie lies before them, stretching away from the very doors. Still, runaways were few, and grew gradually less from the beginning of the term. There were no policemen at the school from first to last-not even to bring in children at the opening; all came independently or were brought by their parents. There were more local comers and goers the past year than ever before. Inspector McCormick made a short visit a few days before school opened. Inspector Duncan was with us in July last and talked to the children in terms complimentary. The Fort Shaw Indian school band was here on the Fourth and rendered a number of selections to the wonderment of the old Indians and the delight of all present. I would not close this report without thanking you, sir, for your uniform courtesy, kind advice, and generous support. Your interest in the school, manifested by your frequent visits, untiring efforts to give it a working equipment, promptness in keeping up the attendance, and liberal plans for the greater efficiency of the institution have been greatly helpful in times of weariness and anxious care. Very respectfully, Capt. L. W. COOKE, Acting Indian Agent. W. H. WATSON, REPORT OF PHYSICIAN, BLACKFEET AGENCY. BLACKFEET AGENCY, MONT., July 1, 1894. SIR: In compliance with the rule of the Department, I herewith transmit my annual report of the Blackfeet, Blood, and Piegan tribes for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894. I took charge of the medical department at this agency July 25, 1893. During the past year there have been treated 403 cases of sickness, of which 213 were males and 190 females. These are cases that have appeared on my monthly reports and were visited at their homes or treated at agency, and do not include four or five times as many more trivial cases treated at office, of which no record is kept. There have been during the year 59 deaths, the majority of which were due to tuberculosis in some form, the pulmonary and lymphatic varieties being most common. Many of these fatal cases were children that a timely course of nursing and feeding, with proper medical treatment, might have saved. Treating this class of cases under present conditions is almost a farce, owing to the fact that the mothers and relatives of the children have not the knowledge and ability, had they always the inclination, to properly care for them. This fact alone makes it of the utmost importance that a hospital be completed at this agency as soon as possible. There have been during the year 66 births, including two cases of twins, and exceeding the deaths by 7. We have had no widespread epidemic during the year. During the month of December, 1 case of discrete smallpox and 1 of varioloid following vaccination occurred. The case of smallpox occurred, most fortunately at a house containing only 3 people, 2 of whom had had the disease. The source of infection was a camp of Cree Indians off of the reservation. The utmost care and vigilance by agent, police, and physician prevented a spread of the disease. A rigid quarantine was at once estab lished, and too much can not be said in praise of the Indian police, who, though the thermometer was 25° to 30° below zero, stood guard so faithfully that not a person entered the infected house during the course of the case, notwithstanding many were turned away. The Indians have absolutely no conception of the necessity of quarantining such cases, and considered it quite a hardship that they were not allowed to visit their friend, the police having to threaten to shoot several times to prevent their entrance. Disinfecting measures were thoroughly carried out on the termination of the case, fire being the factor most em, loyed. Measles have appeared several times during the year, but have never been epidemic. These people fear measles more than smallpox, since in the past their method of treating the former disease was generally fatal, being a plunge into ice-cold mountain streams frequently during the course of the disease. It is said many never emerged from the water after the first plunge. My work has been constantly increasing during the year, the Indians being not only willing but anxious to have medical attendance when sick. Their rites and ceremonies are kept up still, to a very limited extent. It is impossible to give each case the amount of care best for it, though I am busy all the time. This can be readily understood when it is known that my rides are from a few miles to 60 miles in length. The proposed hospital will largely obviate this, enabling the physician to bring his cases together where they can receive not only proper medical attendance, but wholesome food and protection from exposure. The good results will be seen most largely in the children. Many of the little ones that die now, had they proper care at the critical times during their childhood, might live to be healthy men and women; and since all the advancement of these people in civilization must be through their children, the health of the children becomes a vital part of the Indian question. There are numbers of children here of suitable school age whose health precludes their attending school. Many of these by a course of hospital treatment can be made fit for school. The sanitary condition of agency and surroundings is as good as it is possible to make such a place. The fact that we do not have much sickness here is due only to the particularly healthy location of of this reservation. There have been 2 cases of accidental death during the year, 1 from drowning and 1 from the kick of a vicious horse. Four fractures have been set, and I amputation performed, besides numerous minor surgical cases attended, including 2 cases of gunshot wound. One case of attempted suicide by leap ing from a cliff, resulting in paralysis of lower limbs and organs of the pelvis, occurred in month of April. At the Government boarding school, on Willow Creek, there have been treated during the year 109 cases, of which 52 were males and 57 females. There were no fatal cases, with the exception of one case of consumption that was removed from school and died at home. General health of school during the year has been exceptionally good, it being visited by no epidemic save one of influenza, in mouth of March. Notwithstanding more than one-half of the children were in bed at one time, and several cases of peritonitis resulted, there were no fatal cases, which gives evidence of good care by those in charge. The sick at the school are cared for under very unfavorable circumstances at all times, there being no hospital facilities whatever. After completion of the hospital at new agency all cases occurring at the school can be cared for there with benefit to them and great relief to the school. The sanitary condition of school buildings and surroundings is fairly good. The stable and plant should be moved, its present location being relatively bad. The distance of the school from the present location of the physician makes delays unavoidable at times in obtaining his attendance on cases of sickness. In conclusion of this, my first ann al report, I desire to express my gratitude to agent and employés for their hearty cooperation and ass.s.ance in my work. Capt. L. W. COOKE, U. S. Army, Acting Indian Agent. GEO. S. MARTIN, Physician. REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF IRRIGATION, BLACKFEET RESERVATION. BLACKFEET AGENCY, MONT., June 30, 1894. SIR: I herewith respectfully submit my report for the year 1894, dating between April 20 and June 30. Under my supervision the following ditches and other works were constructed, namely: 1 Head gate, 2 feet 7 inches by 2 feet 5 inches by 5 feet, in lateral ditch first named. This system waters 80 acres of land owned by the Indian Curley Bear. The labor used in the construction of above-named ditches being: 5 Indians, 3 Indian teams, and 1 Government team 5 days, and agency laborers 6 days. I then rebuilt the water collars around the headgate in main ditch of the Willow Creek system, as the original collars were breaking. Also constructed a dike 4 feet high and 70 feet long over the gate, to protect same from floods, the labor used being 4 agency laborers and 3 Government teams, two and one-half days each. Between May 4 and May 20 the following ditches, head gates, and bridges were constructed: One ditch 24 feet wide, 1 foot deep, and 300 feet long for the purpose of draining the foundation of the warehouse at the new agency; 4 ditches constituting an irrigating system for lands adjacent to the Government boarding school on Willow Creek, namely: Ditch No. 1, 2,200 feet long, 4 feet wide, 1 foot deep; capacity, 100 M. inches. To control the flow of water in this system of ditches, we constructed seven head gates, as follows; A bridge 12 feet long, 10 feet 6 inches wide, with hand railing and wheel guard, was made across ditch No. 3. Labor employed, being agency laborers, forty days; Government teams, thirty-four days; school boys, thirty eight days; school team, one day; school farmer, one day. May 21 and 22 I spent in company with the agent making surveys to determine the boundary line of the reservation and the location of a saloon at Summit station, on the Great Northern Railroad. Between May 23 and 25, inclusive, we built a dike over head gate No. 5, ditch No. 3, school system, to protect same against floods, and two bridges. One across Willow Creek at the school building 16 feet long, 10 fee 6 inches wide, with hand railing and wheel gnard. One of the same dimensions across Ditch No. 2, Willow Creek system. Labor used being: Agency laborers, nine days; school boys, fifteen days; Government team, one day. Between May 26 and 31, inclusive, surveyed a ditch at new agency, which is to be built for the purpose of protecting the new agency from fire, irrigating agency lands, and slaughterhouse purposes; also surveyed a ditch about 1 mile in length at Blackfoot, which will be constructed by Policeman Kipp. Then constructed one head gate 4 by 6 feet by 12 inches as a water gauge in Ditch No. 2, Willow Creek system, also one apron, 2 by 12 by 4 feet for a wasteweir in same ditch, and plowed 2,400 feet in length of ditch at new agency, above named. Labor used being agency laborers, nine days; Government teams one and one-half days. Between June 1 and 7 we plowed the remaining 1,500 feet of ditch at new agency; surveyed and built one-half mile of Go-Devil ditch (3 feet wide, 10 inches deep, capacity, 20 miner's inches of water) to water Young Bear Chief's land; also built one head gate 1 by 1 by 4 feet in said ditch and turned the water through the same. Labor used being agency laborers, six days; Government team eleven days; Indian laborers four and one-half days. Between June 7 and 30, inclusive, I built a system of ditches situated about 6 miles west of old agency, which I will call Badger Creek System No. 1. This ditch is built in three sections: Section No. 1, 8,200 feet long, 5 feet wide, 1 foot deep; capacity, 1,200 M. inches. Section No. 2, 6,000 feet long, 4 feet wide, 1 foot deep; capacity, 800 M. inches. Section No. 3, 1,998 feet long, 3 feet wide, 1 foot deep. Sections 2 and 3 are a continuation of Section No. 1. Built one head gate in Section 1 for a water gauge (dimensions 2 by 5 by 7 feet). The area watered by this system of ditches will aggregate 4,000 acres, three Indian farms being included in this tract, namely: Bull Shoe, White Man and Duck Head. Labor used being Government plow team (6 horses); ninteen days; 2 agency laborers (nineteen days each), thirty-eight days; Indian laborers, two hundred and ninety-nine days; Indian teams, one hundred and forty-four days. General Remarks. In two months and ten days under my supervision Indian labor has built 4.87 miles of main ditch, 2,124 feet of lateral. 2,156 feet of sublateral, and 3,390 feet of Go-Devil ditches, or they have moved about 8,000 cubic yards of earth, 2,000 yards of cement gravel, built 12 head gates, 3 bridges, and we have surveyed and staked all ditches constructed. The area watered by these ditches will aggregate something over 6,000 acres of agricultural land. The ditches and head gates are well and substantially built, hence the expense of repairs will be very small. Very respectfully, Capt. L. W. COOKE, Acting U. S. Indian Agent. H. L. MCINTYRE, Civil Engineer. |