PART II. SPOKANE RESERVATION

Since the inauguration of the acquisition program in 1941 the Spokane Tribe, State of Washington, has acquired an aggregate of 6,982.92 acres (19 tracts) of land. Of this amount 6,103.16 acres (11 tracts) of alienated land were returned to trust status and the remainder, 879.76 acres (8 tracts), were acquired while in a trust status. Authorities for acquisitions are shown in the following attach

ments:

1. Tribal resolution dated October 1, 1940.

2. Project plan dated January 24, 1941.

3. Letter of transmittal dated January 24, 1941, from Land Field Agent to Superintendent, Colville Agency.

The records do not reflect any tribal purchases prior to inception of this program. The Spokane Tribe does not presently have a "key tract" purchase program.

The dates of acquisition, according to fiscal years, are as follows:

The purpose of the acquisition project was to consolidate and increase the grazing range, to purchase farmlands to produce hay for winter feed of livestock, and to have better fire control.

The land is being utilized in various range units, mining leases or tribal assignments to individual Indians for their use. Of the total acreage 70 percent is being utilized by individual Indians and the remainder by non-Indians.

The following gives a summary by tracts and acreages:

1 Because of some tracts being utilized for 2 separate purposes, both were counted in different categories, thus the discrepancies in tracts, 23 rather than 19 (total acreage did not change).

[Attachment 1 (Spokane)]

RESOLUTION OF THE SPOKANE TRIBAL COUNCIL

At a special meeting of the tribal council held at Wellpinit, Wash., on October 1, 1940, at which Douglas Clark, assistant land field agent, was present, to consider the land purchase program for the expenditure of $30,000 of tribal funds authorized by Congress for the acquisition of lands, the following resolution was adopted.

It is the recommendation that first consideration be given to the acquisition of the white-owned patented tracts of grazing and timber lands, a large acreage of which has been logged off, located in the eastern part of the Spokane Reservation, principally east of Sand Creek. The area of these tracts is estimated as being 6,357 acres. Any funds remaining after the purchase of this land should be used in acquiring white-owned agricultural lands, giving first consideration to the most productive lands that can be acquired at the appraised valuation. The acquisition of the logged-off tracts of patented lands is of first importance because of the following reasons:

1. The Chamokane grazing unit will be consolidated, which is advantageous because it will make possible the control of trespass of white-owned cattle on Indian lands.

A. It will allow for the proper fire control of this area.

B. It will facilitate the forest and range management of the area involved. 2. A considerable portion of the logged-off lands may be cleared and developed for agriculture. If not acquired by the tribe, these tracts may be purchased by white farmers and developed into farms, further increasing the trespass and administrative problems.

Approved this 1st day of October 1940.

SPOKANE INDIAN TRIBAL COUNCIL, By DAN SHERWOOD, Chairman. GEORGE CORNELIUS, Secretary.

[Attachment 2 (Spokane)]

LAND ACQUISITION PROJECT PLAN FOR THE INDIANS OF THE SPOKANE INDIAN RESERVATION, STEVENS COUNTY, WASH., TRIBAL FUND PROJECT, 1941

1. INTRODUCTION

The Interior Department Appropriation Act for the fiscal year 1941, approved June 18, 1940, contains the following item providing $30,000 of tribal funds for land acquisition for the Indians of the Spokane Reservation:

"For the purchase of Indian-owned and privately owned lands, improvements on lands, or any interest in lands, including water rights for Indians of the Spokane Reservation, Wash., $30,000, payable from any funds on deposit to the credit of the Indians of said reservation: Provided, That title to land or improvements so purchased shall be taken in the name of the United States in trust for the Indians of the Spokane Reservation."

The purpose of this report is the recommendation of a specific land purchase program to be carried out in accordance with the above act. The program recommended has been approved by the Spokane Indian Tribal Council. Upon its acceptance by the superintendent and by the Indian Office, the work of procuring options on the lands proposed for purchase will immediately be embarked upon.

II. STATUS OF LANDS WITHIN RESERVATION

The Spokane Indian Reservation was established by Executive order of January 18, 1881, and finally by a joint resolution of Congress of January 19, 1902. Under an act of May 29, 1908, approximately 628 Indians were allotted 65,114 acres of land and 1,247.3 acres were set aside for church, school, agency, and townsite purposes. By proclamation of May 22, 1909, the President opened the surplus lands to settlement, of which 5,781 acres were classified as agricultural lands. Of the surplus lands 82,647.5 acres were classified as timber and reserved for tribal use.

The present status of the lands within the reservation is as follows:

Alienated lands

Tribal lands

Restricted allotted lands__

Acres

20, 858

83, 496

Administration sites_____

Total_____

50, 210

473

155, 037

III. DESCRIPTION OF RESERVATION

(a) Location.-The Spokane Reservation lies wholly in Stevens County, in the northeastern part of Washington. It is bounded on the north by the 48th parallel, on the east by Chamokane Creek, on the south by the Spokane River, and on the west by the Columbia River. The maximum length of the reservation is east-west, being 30%1⁄2 miles along the northern boundary, and the width 141⁄2 miles in the central part. The area included is 155,037 acres. The Spokane Subagency is located at Wellpinit, which is the principal settlement on the reservation, being located in the south-central part of the area. From Wellpinit the distance to the city of Spokane is 40 miles to the southeast. The nearest highway point is Reardon, which is 17 miles by graveled road to the south.

(b) Topography.-The reservation is occupied mainly by rolling benchland. The Huckleberry Mountains, lying principally north of the area, extend into the northwestern part of the reservation. This area comprises the most mountainous and rugged part of the reservation. Here two prominent mountains, one of which is known as Lookout Mountain, are the dominating features and attain elevations of 4,000 feet. The lowest point is at the southwest corner of the reservation, at the confluence of the Spokane and Columbia Rivers, where the elevation is 1,000 feet. The drainage of much of the mountainous are mentioned is by Sand Creek, which flows southwesterly to the Spokane River. The eastern part of the reservation is drained principally by Little Chamokane Creek and by Sams Creek, which flows southeasterly into Chamokane Creek.

(e) Vegetation.-The Spokane Reservation contains a fair stand of timber which occurs over a large part of the reservation. The timber consists of western yellow pine 75 percent, Douglas-fir 15 percent, and western larch 10 percent. The Indian-owned commercial timber is estimated by the USIS Division of Forestry to be distributed over an area of 121,429 acres, to have a volume of 363,980 thousands, and to be valued at $909,950. A large part of the timbered area is brushy. Many types of brush occur, including snowberry, chokecherry, mountain elder, ash, aspen, willow, servesberry, alder, cottonwood, wild rose, sumak, kinnikinic, and Oregon grape. The range grasses include pinegrass, grammegrass, wheat and rye bunchgrass, slender wheatgrass, and cheat. The average carrying capacity of the grazing lands is estimated by the Division of Forestry to be 20 acres per head (stock cow or steer) for a 6-month period.

(d) Climate.-The summers in this area are fairly warm and the winters moderately cold, the extreme temperatures ranging from 100° to -20°. The average annual precipitation is 15 inches and occurs throughout 10 months of the year, July and August usually being without rainfall. The average date of the last killing frost in the spring is about May 15 and that of the first killing frost in the fall September 25, making the length of the growing season 133 days. Snow usually occurs over the area from about December 1 until March 1.

(e) Transportation and facilities.—The reservation is well provided with good graveled roads, many of which have been constructed with CCCID labor. State Highway No. 22, from Davenport to Kettle Falls, passes through the eastern part of the reservation. From Wellpinit, State Highway No. 10, one of the main highways across the State, is accessible at Reardon, 17 miles by graveled road to the south. State Highway No. 395, from Spokane to Colville and British Columbia points, is reached at Springdale, which is 7 miles by road from the northeast corner of the reservation.

The Spokane Subagency is located at Wellpinit in the south-central part, which is the principal trading center on the reservation. Grade and high schools are maintained at Wellpinit under county management. Two grade schools are also maintained in the western part of the reservation, and from the eastern part Indian children attend schools at Ford, across Chamokane Creek from the reservation, and at Springdale.

The nearest railroad shipping points are at Reardon, 17 miles by road to the south, which is on the Northern Pacific Railroad, and at Springdale to the north, which is on a branch line of the Great Northern Railroad.

Electric power is provided at Wellpinit by the Washington Water Power Co., the power being generated at the Little Falls powerplant on the Spokane River.

(f) Indian population and distribution.-The total enrollment of the Spokane Indians is 898. There are 134 families, or 692 individuals, living on the reservation, as follows:

The majority of these Indians live on their allotments which are well distributed over the reservation.

(9) Types of farming.—Practically all of the farming on the reservation is done without irrigation. For this reason the crops produced are limited largely to hay and grain. The agency extension report for 1939 shows the tillable acreage within the Indian-owned area of the reservation to be 17,943. Of this area 9,646 acres are actually farmed, 5,560 acres by Indians and 4,086 acres by nonIndians. The acreage planted to the various crops and the yield obtained on the Indian-farmed land is shown by the extension report to be as follows:

The livestock industry is one of the principal industries of the Spokane Indians, and has promise of development. Therefore, the lands considered for purchase are those which will be of greatest benefit to this industry. At the present time, 105 Indian families on the reservation own 670 head of beef cattle and, in addition, 109 families own 285 head of dairy cattle. The opportunities for the expansion of this industry are apparent. Approximately 1.5 tons of hay per head is required to feed the cattle over the winter months. In the event that all of the Indian-farmed land were used for hay production, this production would average about 3,788 tons, or sufficient to winter 2,525 head of cattle. On the reservation, 125,916 acres are used for grazing, and this area is sufficient to carry from 4,000 to 6,000 head of cattle for the remainder of the year. Of this grazing area, 69,056 acres are at present used as Indian range and the remaining area is leased in 2 units as sheep range to white operators. Considerable difficulty has been experienced by the Indians from the trespass on the Indian range of white-owned cattle. The tracts of land proposed for purchase are those which will consolidate the Indian range. With the elimination of the white-owned lands within the Indian range, there will no longer be a basis for the grazing of white-owned cattle and the trespass problems should be largely eliminated.

(h) Indian employment and income.-The agency extension report for 1939 shows the average annual income of the Spokane Indians to be $485 per family. In addition to their agricultural activities, many of the Indians derive their living from the cutting and sale of cordwood for fuel. There is a good market in Spokane for the cordwood, and this furnishes an ideal outlet for Indian labor and allows the disposal of the lower grade species of timber.

-38-39

IV. PRESENT SITUATION AND LAND NEEDS OF RESERVATION

It is the opinion that the development of the livestock industry offers the mx promising method of increasing the income of the Spokane Indians. To aid the development of this industry, the acquisition of two classes of lands on the reservation are recommended, as follows:

1. Acquisition of patented lands comprising scattered tracts of logged-over grazing lands which will consolidate the Indian range into Indian ownership and thereby eliminate the trespass of outside cattle.

2. Acquisition of patented tracts comprising developed farmlands for the production of hay for winter feed of livestock.

The acquisition of the white-owned, logged-over tracts of patented grazing lands will consolidate the area known as the Chamokane grazing unit, which i used as a range for the Indian livestock, into Indian ownership. This acquis tion will benefit the Indian livestock industry for the following reasons: (1) It will make possible the control of the trespass of white-owned cattle on Indian lands which in the past has been a disturbing problem; (2) it will allow for the proper fire control of this area by the Indian Forestry Division and thus decrease the loss of range because of fires; (3) it will facilitate the forestry and range management of the area involved and thereby better conserve the timber and range; (4) it will increase the carrying capacity of the Indian range; (5) it wil prevent further development of white-owned, logged-off lands for agricultural purposes, which would allow additional white cattlemen to obtain a foothold on the reservation, thereby adding to the difficulties of tresspass control.

The acquisition of additional farmlands for hay production is advantageous for the expansion of the Indian cattle industry. This will also provide lands for the settlement thereon of some of the younger Indian families.

V. LANDS RECOMMENDED FOR PURCHASE

(a) Description of lands.—The purchase of all of the tracts of patented, white owned, logged-off grazing lands and some of the Indian-owned, fee-patented lands of this class on the reservation lying east of Sand Creek, but excluding the ares classed as agricultural land which lies along Chamokane Creek on the eastern border of the reservation, is proposed. This acquisition will consolidate the range land in the northeastern part of the reservation into Indian ownership. There are 19 owners involved in this proposed purchase, and the total acreage is 6,498 acres On 5 of the tracts proposed for purchase, 113 acres of the logged-off land has been cleared and is cultivated or is cultivable. On 4 of these tracts, limited improve ments have been made which are tentatively valued at $1,031.

After the purchase of the above lands, it is proposed to use the remaining funds for the acquisition of developed farmland. The purchase of the farm owned by O. W. Lanham, described as tract No. 20, is proposed but, in the event that this tract is not available at the appraised valuation, one or more similar tracts are proposed for purchase which may be available. The Lanham tract comprises 200 acres, of which about 100 acres are cultivated. Of the cultivated area, ap proximately 60 acres are subirrigated and 40 acres are dry farmed.

The location of the 20 tracts proposed for purchase is shown on the accompanying map of the reservation, which is marked "Exhibit No. 3."