Page 142

142      REPORTS OF AGENTS IN        WASHINGTON      TERRITORY. 
near the Pend d'Oreille River, 35 miles distant from the agency; some 60
or 75 of 
the Calispel and Colville Indians live in the immediate vicinity of the agency.
It 
may be inferred from the location of the Indians as above given, that their
manage- 
ment is a matter of some difficulty, but their peaceful disposition was favorably
commented upon by General Sherman in his late visit to this section, who
volunteered 
the remark that the Indians of this agency at least had not given his department
any 
trouble. 
NECESSITY FOR GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS ON RESERVATION. 
Although, as shown, the residence of the agent is centrally situated as regards
the 
location of the different tribes, I remain unchanged in my opinion that Government
buildings for agency use should be erected upon the Colville Reservation
at a point on 
the Columbia River accessible to the greater number of the Indians of the
agency, as 
the larger number of the different tribes will always be on the east side
of the range 
of mountains between the Columbia River and the Okanagan River. 
There should also be a small residence, stable, &c., erected on the Cmur
d'Al6ue 
Reservation for the use of the resident farmer there. 
NECESSITY FOR REMOVAL OF INDIANS TO RESERVATIONS. 
I would renew the recommendation in my last annual report bearing upon the
re- 
moval of the Upper Spokans to the Ceur d'Aline Reservation, referred to in
my letter 
to your office of February 15,1683. It would also be advisable to remove
the Calis- 
pels to either the Cour d'A16ne or Flathead Reservation; they were otiginally
from 
the latter place. There will, of course, always be some individual members
of above 
tribes who will prefer taking homesteads and remaining where they are-, and
in such 
cases provision should be made for the necessary fees to enter their land.
The, funds, 
$500, placed to my credit by telegram for payment of homestead fees of Indians
at 
this agency were not received until the 28th of June, 1883, too late to be
available. 
I would recommend that provision be made for payment of said fees for the
present 
fiscal year. 
TRESPASS UPON TIMBER, C(EUR D'ALhNE RESERVATION. 
Much annoyance has been occasioned by white settlers trespassing upon the
timber 
of the Cotur d'Alne Reservation in consequence of the undefined boundaries
of the 
reserve, which, however, will be remedied when the survey authorized will
be com- 
pleted. 
FAILURE OF CROPS. 
Owing to the unusual dryness of the entire season the crops will fall far
below the 
average of last year, although there have been a number of new farms taken
and an 
increased acreage under cultivation; the Cotur d'Albnes in particular have
suifi-red 
severely from the drought, and it is anticipated that there will not be half
the yield 
of former seasons. 
BOARDING SCHOOL AT C(EUR D'ALkNE RESERVATION. 
The new boarding school erected by the Sisters of Charity, at a cost of $4,500,
at 
the Cceur d'Albne Indian reservation, referred to in my last annual report,
has been 
completed, and is a large and commodious building, well adapted to accommodate
50 
or more boarding pupils. 
COLVILLE MALE AND FEMALE BOARDING SCHOOLS. 
Theo buildings for accommodation of the male and feniale boarding schools
at 
the Colville Indian Mission have been enlarged and improved during the past
year. 
The attendance of the boarding scholars at the three schools of this agency
has been 
very regular during the past year, and at the annual examination the proficiency
of 
the pupils was favorably commented upon by the large number of white settlers
who 
were in attendance. More attention than formerly has been given to the industrial
pursuits of the pupils. The larger girls and boys are very diligent in assisting
in the 
dairying, cooking, farming, gardening, and general work incident to the conduct
of 
the school. 
AGENCY POORLY PROVIDED FOR. 
The agency was visited last November by United States Indian Inspector Gardner,
who commented upon the poverty of the agency equipments, and, I understand,
rec- 
ommended that they should be materially improved by the purchase of an ambulance
and additional animals. He also visited the schools and professed himself
as very 
favorably impressed with their management and the proficiency of the pupils.