Told by the Pioneers - Washington Secretary of State

Told by the Pinneers
according to the white man's way_ They were wary-"Bye and bye
Boston man come and swallow all Indians' illihee (land)." They
were willing for the farming experts to plow and sow and harvest.
They would take the grain, but not do the work.
Chief Moses
The government built Moses a house at Nespelem, on the south half
of the Colville Reservation. Moses still lived in his tent and the only
time he used his new house was on hot days when he would get on the
north side of it and sit in the shade.
Moses had a fine looking young squaw. It was reported that Moses
wanted her to marry a white man. One hundred and fifty ponies
would be her dowry. Several white men went and got acquainted, but
none were reported to have married her.
The Indians used to come, 600 to 1000 of them, to camp in Coulee
and dig camas. They still come, but in fewer numbers. 'What has
hecome of them? The white men brought them smallpox, as well as
farming implements. One year there were forty Indians camped by
a stream and smallpox broke out among them. They took steam baths,
and then jumped into the cold river, their treatment for all illnesses.
They died and the river bank was lined with graves. Other diseases
thinned out the race and what one sees today is the result.
Indian TVar Dances
The Indians, after the settlement of their disputes with the whites,
got peevish about something and got up a big war dance at Nespelem.
They danced for a week. The new settlers headed for Walla Walla.
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The government distributed rifles to the settlers-old Mississippi and
Burnside rifles that had been used in the Civil ·War. For advice, I
went to see Bill Wilson about that war dance. Bill laughed and said,
"They will dance until they run out of grub, then they will disband and
go dig camas." They did.
Wife Receives a Gift
My wife received $2000 from her family and invested it in the townsite
of Osborne, which was promoted by me. Squatters were pitching
their tents there and staying. When I ran them off, they came back
and moved into an old shack on the place. I tore down the shack and
then they took refuge in an old root house. Then I compromised, and
told them they would have to move out or buy. More kept coming
and 95 % of them bought. If the high dam is completed, the town of
Osborne and the original homestead will be under water. The government
will buy this property and the holders will all be satisfied.
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