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Show 24 REPORT OF TIIE COMMI8SIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. of the Leech Lake reservation. This location is unfavorable to their moral improvenlent and'material progress, from its proximity to the Inmber.camps of the whites. Thus far the effort made to better their condition by placing them on farming land, has proved a failure. The ground broken for them has gone back into gra,ss, and their log-houses ara in ruin, the former oocnpants betaking themselves to &heir wonted haunts. It would be well if these Indians could be iuduced to remove to the White Earth reservation. At Red Lake, the Indians have had a prosperous year; good crops of corn and potatoes have been raised, and anumber of houses built. This band would be in much better circ~lmstances were they possessed of :I greater qdantity of arable lands. That to which they are at present limited allows but five acres, suitable for that use, to each hmily. I t is proposed to sell their timber, and, with theproceeds, clear lands, pur-chase stock,. and establish ;E manual-labor school. The Pembtna bands reside in Dakota Territory, but are here noticed in connection with the Minnesota Indians, because of their being a t tached to the same agency; they have no reservation, having ceded their lands by t.reaty made in 1863, but claim title to Turtle Mountain, in Dakota, on which some of them resided at the time of the treaty, and which lies west of the line of the cession then made. They number, the full-bloods about three hundred. and fifty,and the half-breeds about one hundred. They lead il somewhat nomadic life, depending upon the chase for a precarious subsistence, in connection with an anuuity from the Government of the United States; Their agent recomme~ldst hat "the Government either recognize their right to Turtle Mountain, and furnish them means to change their mode of life, or else obtain a home for them on the WhiteEarth reservation, a,nd order them to remove there." The Cl~@pewas of Minnesota hare had but few educational advan-tages, but with the facilities now being afforded, and with the earnest endeavors that are now being put forth by their agent and the teachers employed, especially at White Earth, it is expected their interests in this regard will be greatly promoted. At White Earth, school operations have been quite successful, so much so that it will require additional ac-commodations to meet the demands of the Indians for the education of their children. The only other school in operation is that at Red Lake, under the auspices of the American Indian Mission Association. The school formerly maintained at Leech Lake is closed, the teacher having resigned and no successor having been obtained. The Mississippi bands have limited annuities, &c., under treaties of 1842, 1854, 1.855, 1864, and 1867, as follows: In money, $24,166.66; in goods, prov~sions, tobacco, medicines, &c., $4,467.67; for their ad-vancement in agriculture, &c., $6,000; for salaries of carpenters, farmers, physicians, &c., $2,600; for support of schools, $4,666.67; and in common with the Pillager and Lake Winnebagdshish bands, under treaty of May 7,1864, as follows: In work-oxen, agricultural im-plements, &c., $1,500; for employment of carpenters, blacksmiths, l;iborers, physician, and female teachers, $7,700. The Pillager and Lake Winnebagoshish bands hare limited annuities, &c., in addition to those in common with the Mississippi bands, under the treaty of February 22, 1855, as follows: In inoney, $10,666.66; goods, $8,000; for purposes of utility, $4,000; and for education, $3,000. The Red Lake and Pembina bands have limited annuities, &c., under the treaty made with them October 2,1863, and supplementary treaty of April 12, 1864, as follows: Red Lake band, in money, $10,000, and in goods, $8,000: Pembina band, in money, $5,000, and in goods, $4,000. Together, they have for pay of phy~ician,b lacksmith, miller, and farmer, $3,900, and for ,purchase of |
