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United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the commissioner of Indian affairs, for the year 1905
Part I ([1905])
Reports concerning Indians in California, pp. 180-195
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Page 195
REPORTS CONCERNING INDIANS IN CALIFORNIA. 195 much more time to his duties as contract physician than the requirements demand. Industries.-These Indians are engaged principally in agriculture and stock raising. A very conservative estimate of their stock shows that they possess 600 head of horses, 1,000 head of hogs, 2,000 head of cattle, and 1,600 domestic fowls. During the past year they have raised on their allotments 500 bushels of wheat, 4,000 bushels of barley. 1,200 bushels of corn, 2,000 bushels of potatoes, 1,000 bushels of beans. and 6,000 bushels of other vegetables, cut 3,000 tons of hay, and made 2,000 pounds of butter. At the sawmill they have sawed for their own and agency use 87,000 feet of lumber. They have also cut 600 cords of wood, for which they have received $3.50 per cord, and transported 250,000 pounds of freight, for which they have received $2,500. As nearly as I am able to estimate, their income from all sources for the past year has been about $17,000. In addition to this income they have raised sufficient feed to subsist their stock, as well as sufficient agricultural products to subsist them- selves. Marriages.-Seven formal marriages have been solemnized during the fiscal year just closed. Liquor traffic.-This continues, as in the past, to be a very great detriment to these people. The sentiment of the whites in the valley is very much in its favor, and it is an impossibility to get evidence concerning the furnishing of liquor to an Indian that will convict. Some headway has, however, been made against the traffic by the maintenance during the year of a lodge of Good Templars. It has a membership of nearly 50, practically all of whom approxi- mate the requirements, and some of whom, previous to joining the order, were hard drinkers. Crimes.-Practically no crimes have been committed on the reservation, and none of which I am cognizant, off the reservation, except such as have been directly traceable to liquor and which have resulted in the offender being sen- tenced in the justice court of Covelo for disorderly conduct, to pay a fine, or to be confined in the county jail. School.-The school has had a fairly successful year. The attendance has been about 100. 1tost of the employees have been industrious and willing, though some of them were not particularly efficient. In the main they have been loyal, also. Unusually good work has been performed in the schoolrooms and kitchen, and fairly good in the sewing room, laundry, and general house- work department. Good work has also been done in the garden and on the farm. For the calendar year ending December 31, 1904, the school farm netted, after deducting cost of maiiitaining same and estimated cost of pupil labor thereon, $898.21; and from present prospects it will net more during the present calendar year. The dairy has been quite successful during the past fiscal year. Milking on an average of 10 cows we have secured 6,561 gallons of milk, from which have been manufactured 1,679 pounds of butter. Besides this we have increased the herd 10 in number, and have taken therefrom 838 pounds of net beef, valued at $92.18, thus making the gross proceeds from the herd $1,084.08, be- sides the value of the increase. We have also butchered 25 hogs and 23 pigs, from which we have secured 3,794 pounds of pork, net, and 306 pounds of lard, valued at $462.24. It may be added, to secure these results, less than $150 worth of purchased feed has been fed to this stock, the balance having been raised on the school farm, and with less than our regular authorized labor. Improvements.-No extensive improvements were begun during the year. We have been kept busy completing those under way, which include the new laun- dry and commissary. Some new walks were laid, some shrubs and trees were set out, some fences and corrals were repaired, some new floors were placed in the buildings, and considerable interior papering and painting .were done. Bell bill.-During the year there was introduced in Congress what is known as the Bell bill looking to the opening of the relinquished part of the reservation for settlement. The original bill would have defrauded the Indians of all remuneration for the land, and the bill, as passed. is a rank injustice to them. Your office already knows my attitude in the matter, so it is hardly necessary for me to say more than that if Mr. Bell was correctly reported by the newspa- pers in his speech in Congress on the bill he misrepresented the attitude of the authorities here relative to the sanie. HORACE J. JOHNSON, Superintendent and Special Disbursing Agent.
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