Mr. SCOTT. Not with the limited amount of reimbursable money we have available at present. If we could get a larger allotment of reimbursable money it would be possible to help some of those who want to go to their Montana land. The CHAIRMAN. How much have you got? Mr. SCOTT. $6,000. The CHAIRMAN. You might be able to loan some of them who have Montana lands that are good lands. Where is your land? Mr. MARTIN. In Sheridan County. The CHAIRMAN. That is a good country over there. Mr. MARTIN. I would be glad to try if I was given a chance. The CHAIRMAN. Over in Sheridan County there is some of the best land located in the country. Of course, in the last couple of years it has not been so good, but ordinarily they have as fine crops in Sheridan County as in any county in the country. Mr. MARTIN. Most of us young men who have land over there and others live on their parents' land. On some forties or eighties there are four or five families. The CHAIRMAN. Why do you not go over there in Montana and work your land? I do not care what anybody says about that_land in Sheridan County; there is excellent land around Medicine Lake. The farmers over there ordinarily do very well on that land. I am rather familiar with it. Senator FRAZIER. Their allotments were among the last over there, so probably it is not so good. The CHAIRMAN. It may not be. Senator FRAZIER. There have been a number of Indians who went over there and then came back. The CHAIRMAN. I think it would be a good idea for the Department to investigate what land they have over there, see what they have, and what kind of land it is, and who these Indians are. Then see if something cannot be worked out, a little money loaned them so they can start in over there. Put them on their land over there if that can be done. There is no use sitting around here starving. If you have some land over there, you can at least make a living on it. Mr. AZURE. We have a Government tractor here and a plow, and the people think they should be horses doing that work instead of that tractor. They have one of those caterpillars pulling something. I do not know what they call it. It is something on wheels. Senator FRAZIER. A grader. Mr. AZURE. It takes away the work of 12 teams. The CHAIRMAN. It seems to me that the engineer ought to use all the labor that he can in the way of hand labor and teams where he can do it at anywhere near the price that he could do it with the tractors. Mr. AZURE. If they get on a hill where they have stumps or roots to clear up, then they put the teams in there and they keep this little tractor plowing behind. We should have more chance to do that work. The CHAIRMAN. We will talk that over. Now, if there is anyone else who wants to be heard, you write out a statement and send it to this committee. It will be printed in these hearings. If there is anyone that would like to get a copy of the hearing, they may write 26465-34-PT 30-20 to the committee, either to Senator Frazier or to myself, and will see that a copy of the printed proceedings is furnished you! (At 4:30 the subcommittee adjourned.) Hon. L. J. FRAZIER, Senator of North Dakota, Hoople, N.Dak. BELCOURT, N.DAK., November 20, 193 MY DEAR SENATOR FRAZIER: In regard of the investigation made in Belc N.Dak., by the Senate Committee of Indian Affairs on October 15, 1933; I testified to the conditions of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewas others. That it took us in on a surprise and a lot of our Indians were prepared to be called so sudden; that by calling your attention in wri to you in stating our matters of affairs; that many asked me to make inquiry to the committee. That we have the approximate number of Indians here on reservation are patent-in-fee and nonenrolled, which work provided for such Indians and are refused by our officials, and told they shouldn't get work from this office because they are not enrolled of agency of Belcourt. Which they ask to be put to work on the conserva project, and the answer returned to them is that they are not enrolled. many difficulties are pending to our Indians; of course, some went to county to secure work and they are told to go back to the reservation their help. But they all feel that they should be taken care of by means or other, and also they claim they vote the same as any other citi and can't get the right as any other individual of this county and be turi down so. The question was brought up before the Senate committee, on stated date in this letter that the Indians were discriminated against, wh I believe you gave answer to, Senator, that there was money appropria for such individuals to be used for such purposes, and the following of t statement we desire to follow. We are willing to cooperate in every " possible. But eventually when an Indian is refused for such needs he's couraged and can't be a good citizen. In the previous election for can dates for our future welfare we took it a great interest to work for m and the Turtle Mountain Cooperative Association is still working hard put forth such measures to put among the tribe for their benefit, that the n coming election we are going to work still harder to put these men who b worked for us. I beg you to send us a statement in return of this letter h the Indian should be cared for, and if any of our Indians are not treat right, we will report it to you. Very respectfully, ALEX MARTIN, Secretary of the Advisory Committee. STATEMENTS ON THE FORT TOTTEN INDIAN AGENCY AS OF OCTOBER 10, 1933, FOR THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE. (COMMITTEE VISITED FORT TOTTEN AGENCY OCT. 15, 1933) (Committee visited Fort Totten Agency, October 15, 1933) POPULATION A. Summary of the 1930 census: Tribe, Sisseton-Wahpeton Band of Sioux. Tabulated sheet no. 1 gives the information on number enrolled, ages, sex, and whether mixed or full blood on and off the reservation. In addition to the enrolled members there are about 500 Chippewa Indians living on the reservation, in the city of Devils Lake, and in the vicinity of Fort Totten who are assisted from the Fort Totten Agency, although enrolled elsewhere. The proportion of ward and nonward Indians is about of equal number among the Sioux and Chippewa of the total Indian population of about 1,450 in this territory. B. A tabulated sheet no. 2 gives comparative populations for the years 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1933, showing an increase largely due to the vigorous health program started since establishment of the hospital. HEALTH A. Families having one or more milch cows: 81. B. Diseases most prevalent: Tuberculosis-pulmonary, glandular, bone; venereal syphilis, gonorrhea; trachoma. C. Condition of hospital, number of beds, etc.: The hospital was remodeled in 1930, has 35 beds and 4 bassinets, good sterilizing equipment, operating room, laundry, 2 private wards, 5 general wards, kitchen, dining room, storage cellar, and 2 serving rooms, one on each floor above basement where the main kitchen is located. D. Recommendations for improvement: Additional equipment needed for which funds are not available are-operating table, obstetrical bed, bed-pan hopper and sterilizer, laundry tumbler or dryer, and linoleum for upper floor. Additional space or addition should be provided for a nursery, a laboratory, storage space, and a morgue. E. Tuberculosis cases: Active: School-male, 7; female, 6; reservation-male, 13; female, 11. Arrested cases: School-male, 7; female, 10; reservation-male, 10; female, 9. Seventy-five percent of the population may be classified as contacts. The Mantoux test given in public and boarding schools follows, which includes school children from on and off the reservation. The majority of the children in the boarding schools, Fort Totten and Mission, come from Chippewa Indian families enrolled under the Turtle Mountain Agency: Turtle Mountain children: Positive-male, 45; female, 62; total, 107. Fort Totten Reservation children: Positive-male, 27; female, 50; total, 77. Total positives above, 184; total negative, 178. It is estimated there are about 40 cases of incipient tuberculosis on the reservation, which have not been diagnosed, due to lack of facilities or failure of patients to report for examination. Venereal diseases: This is listed for information and to show the health work being done on the reservation. Clearly a social problem among the Indians and needs attention. Three hundred and ninety-four Wassermanns have been taken, 73 were found positive and 321 negative. Analysis of above shows: Gonorrhea is quite prevalent and is usually treated by private physicians ( by patent medicines purchased by the patient, as they are prone to conceal thei troubles from agency health employees. Many of the older Indians have had bad cases, which have burned them selves out as a natural process of the disease, with resulting blindness, cornea opacities, and thickly scarred lids. These are not included in the trachoma tabulations above. G. General health conditions: All school children have been vaccinated against smallpox and diphtheria. Also preschool aged children have bee immunized as follows: Diphtheria-male, 39; female, 51. General health conditions have improved very much in the past 3 years Provision should be made for removing active tuberculosis cases and lessen contacts. Some means should be provided to clean up remaining trachoma cases in families who will not give consent to operative measures. Treatment is not enough, as they have had intensive treatment, but the infection is embedded in the tissues and requires operation. Venereal cases will require police power to bring such cases to the hospital for treatment. Very few will avail themselves of the opportunity for treatments after discovery and invitations to take treatments. Please refer to the population tables for confirmation of increased health conditions. INTOXICATING LIQUORS A few A. Special efforts have been extended by the superintendent to cooperate with local, county, State, and Federal officers of the law in all matters pertaining to local affairs whereby service might be rendered to them. As a result of these acquaintances and friendships it has not been hard to secure their whole-hearted support in suppression of the liquor traffic among Indians, as well as other problems of law enforcement relating to Indians. cases of sales to Indians or possession of liquor on the reservation are taken before the United States Commissioner at Devils Lake; however, the greater number of cases are handled locally in county or municipal courts. There is no Indian court or judge at Fort Totten. One Indian police is on the Federal pay roll, one having been taken off June 30, 1933. The latter acted as night watch about the school and agency plant and is sadly missed. The liquor situation is bothersome, but not the problem it is at many of the reservations. There is little drinking on the reservation, most of it being at the city of Devils Lake. HOUSING CONDITIONS A. The majority of hourse are of log construction, which are warmer in the severe winter weather. This type is also advised because of low cost and The Indian owner performing the labor. B. There is a need of better housing conditions, which is limited by available funds to a large extent. In 1932 there were 26 new homes and 54 improved. In 1933 there were 22 new homes and 23 improved. No great progress Can be anticipated until the younger people can secure life tenure, at least, to hands upon which to construct homes. Commissioner Collier's land policy should have favorable consideration by Congress. EDUCATION A. Boarding schools, capacity and attendance: (1) Fort Totten Government School, grades 1-9, capacity 190. Attendance September 30, 1933, boys 119, girls 91, total 210; (2) Mission School of the Little Flower, capacity 115, enrolled 140. B. Discuss effect of sending Indian children to nonreservation boarding schools: (1) Only children completing Fort Totten are sent to nonreservation schools; (2) for the past 4 years no difference has been noted in the children that have attended a nonreservation boarding school and those that have not. They have returned to the reservation after attending 1 or 2 years and have taken up the usual line of work, that of working at home or working out for white farmers. Their vocational training has given them a general educational benefit, but does not aid them particularly in their line of agricultural employment. These Indian boys and girls need an agricultural and home economics school in North Dakota near their homes after finishing the elementary grades. Fort Totten is ideally situated and partially developed for it. C. Reservation day schools: There are none, except public day schools. D. Indian children in public schools: (1) There are 23 on the reservation, which comprises about 12 townships, 7 school districts have Government tuition contracts, and 2 high-school districts, 1 of the latter being the Benson County Agricultural Training School at Maddox; (2) 20 boys and 18 girls belonging to this reservation enrollment are attending public schools out of a school population of 249. Indian children enrolled at other agencies attending public schools on the reservation number 24, or 62 Indian children in public schools on the reservation. E. Recommendations for educational advancement of Indians on the reservation: 1. Place all children possible in public schools until they have completed the sixth grade, building two more rural schools to accommodate them. 2. Because it is impossible to build school houses for all families within 2 miles of them it is presumed the mission school will care for the surplus, and a tuition paid for those who do not live within the 2-mile limit of a public school or an expensive transportation system developed for attendance at public schools. 3. The public rural school cannot ever hope to give adequate agricultural and home economic training to the older pupils, especially Indian children. Consequently an agricultural training school is recommended for these older children to which both white and Indian may be admitted. The proposed agricultural set-up should be followed up by providing the young married people finishing their course with an opportunity to purchase on long-time payments a farm not far from the school as a community center. F. There is one Indian student at the University of North Dakota receiving a scholarship loan. She is now a junior there and has received $750. G. There is one mission school; capacity 115, enrollment 140, with Father Ambrose Mattingly of the Benedictine order. RATIONS A. Total number receiving aid 977, includes those from Devils Lake and vicinity. Amount in food and clothing amounted to $5,970 for the fiscal year 1933. The amount of cash paid laborers essentially for relief was $4,866. AREA AND CHARACTER OF LAND A. Area: Approximately 400 square miles, or 256,000 acres, of which 126,000 acres were allotted originally, 52,466 remain in trust. B. Area cultivated: No irrigation, dry farming cultivated 35,000 acres, scattered grazing area 17,446 acres of trust lands. D. Value of timber operations: Estimated $2,500, consisting of firewood, posts for fencing, and building logs. Of allotted lands remaining there are 144 farms operated by Indians comprising 10,300 acres. On the reservation there are 585 farms of whites and Indians. |