6
THE CHEM AWA
AM ERICAN
suits. Under the conditions which Mr. Sells found on the reservation,
wheat could not be ground into flour, nor the surplus farm products
raised by the Indians marketed, for the reason that maHy of the Indians
lived on the reservation 60 or 70 miles from the nearest railroad.
As a result of Mr. Sell s visit to the Tongue River Reservation, the in
dustrial program was completely changed. He immediately authorized
the erection of an excellent flour mill which will enable the Indians to
have their wheat ground into flour, from which they will secure their
bread. In order to provide a market for their surplus hay and4 other
surplus farm products which the Indians could not sell on account of
being so far from a railroad, these products were purchased and fed to
a large number of weak cattle and 280 head of steers. The surplus was
fed to the cattle at a large profit. The result of the experiment of feed
ing the steers on hay throughout the winter can best be determined by the
following comparisons of the prices of steers fed, with the class, age,
and grade of steers permitted to run the range without feed: Average
price received for steers fed hay during the winter, $126; average price re
ceived for steers of the same age and grade that were not fed hay during
winter, $108.
W hile the result of the cattle feeding has been gratifying and profit
able to the Indian Department and the Indians, the providing of a mar
ket for the surplus farm products has resulted in much more good. The
Commissioner’s plan has fully demonstrated that stock raising and ag
ricultural pursuits go hand in hand.
The providing of a market for the Indians’ surplus farm products and
the erection of a flour mill has within the past six months induced the
Indians to more than double their farm activities.
Encouraged by the market provided for the sale of their hay, the In
dians have recently purchased forty new mowing machines and twenty
hay rakes, and are putting forth unusual efforts to harvest a large hav
crop.
It is believed by those who are acquainted with the Northern Cheyenne
Indians and their country that if the present plan of increasing and feed
ing their stock is continued and the Government continues to aid them
in providing a market for their surplus farm products, their hard times
are past and the tribe will soon be rapidly traveling the road to civiliza
tion, self support, and prosperity. The results speak for themselves.—
Clay, Robinson & Co.’s (Chicago) Live Stock Report.