The Ronan pioneer. [volume], December 22, 1911, Image 1

About The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970

Image provided by: Montana Historical Society; Helena, MT

                
Iv
THE RO OAN PIONEER
Entercd as second-claws matter May 12, 1910, at the Fct Located in the !icart of the (rcat Flathead Indian Reservation
office at Ronan, Montana, under the Act of March 3, 1879
Volume H. No. 34. RONAN, MISSOULA COUNTY. MONTANA, DECEMBER 22, 1911.
-- - -$2 Per Year
Reservation Roads Again
Held Up by Department
During the past two year
quite a number of county road
have been located and platted b;
the board of county commission
ers across the Flathead reserva
tion. At the time such actioi
was taken the county surveyo]
was instructed to make blut
prints of each proposed road and
to furnish the interior depart.
ment with a copy of same thai
the road may receive the approv.
al of the department. This ha,
been done in each and every in
stance. Previous to Jan. 1, 1911,
the department, for some unac
countable reason, rejected the
applications for easements over
certain allotments, and thus pre
vented the board from establish
ing the roads as desired. An
other letter has lately been re
ceived from the department an
nouncing that the matter was
closed against the county. This
placed the county officials in an
embarassing position and pre
vents the improvement of the
roads on the reservation as has
been contemplated. It stopped
all road work under consideration
and leaves the people here at the
mercy of the elements. or upon
their own resources so far as
road improvement is concerned.
Another feature which is not
the least vexatious is that all the
money expended so far may have
been spent in vain, as the roads
upon which work has been
done may be closed against them
'at any time. When it is known
that fully $20,000 was expended
on the reservation roads this year
it becomes more serious than
would appear at first thought.
Again, it was intended to com
mence in the early spring an
other campaign on the reserva
tion and build more roads and
repair where needed, the roads
improved during this year, This
will also be impossible now, or
until the matter has been thresh
ed out with the department and I
some title secured in the county,
for an easement over the lands
adjacent to the roads.
There is probably not another I
parallel case anywhere in the
whole state of Montana. Here
is a new country, settled by pro
gressive, energetic people, com
pletely at the mercy of some
bureau chief in Washington for
relief from the disadvantages of
having no roads. It is a condi
tion that should not be tolerated
for one moment. The board of
county commissioners realize the
great need of road work and are
ready to do more than their share
toward this work, but find their
hands completely tied by some
departmental regulation regard
ing allotted lands.
To this paper it seems as
though the man or men who
have the matter in their control
at Washington, should either
come out here personally, and in
vestigate the condition and do
something to correct the abuse,
or else should communicate with
the local Indian office and get
such data as would change their
attitude thereon.
It can be stated as an absolute
truth that the increase in value
which is bound to come to every
Indian allotment with the build
ing of a good road alongside such
allotment, should and would be
enough to more than offset the
depreciation resulting from the
loss of the narrow strip taken
for such road. Just think of it.
A farm without a road to it.
Such folly is beyond the reason
ing of the most imbecile mind,
's to say nothing of a supposedl:
is educated, thinking person, hold
ýy ing a responsible position witl
i- the general government.
n Apology Not Needed
r
e A prominent business man of
I Polson was in town one day' this
- week and while here took espec.
t ial pains to say to several Ronan
- men that he wished to apologize
s to the Ronan Commercial club on
- his own behalf and for many of
the delegation from that town,
- who came to Ronan to attend
3 what they supposed was a rail
road meeting gotten up by Ronan
people. He said that, after the
meeting started they learned
that they were more mislead than
the people here, and to set them
selves right before the Ronan
business men, he wished to say
that none of them were cogniz
ant of the real intent and purpose
of the meeting.
It is very gratifying to Ronan
people to know that the real busi
ness men of Polson take this
view of that meeting. At the
time, some felt that it was an
imposition to come down here and
present such a proposition as was
presented, and some resented the
imputation that the delegation
from Polson should consider us
so gullible as to be taken in with
such chaff.
The people here are ready to
assist in every way in their pow
er to promote and encourage a
legitimate scheme for the build
ing of an electric line over this
country, and are not particular
where the said railroad starts or
ends, but it must be a business
proposition and not a J. Rufus I
Wallingford story. Blackie Daw i
may have many counterparts, i
and J. Rufus many subterfuges c
to part the unwary from their t
money, but when Ronan people i
know it, not a dollar is going to e
be filched from any of them. E
The Pioneer congratulates the N
PoIson delegation on seeing a c
colored gentleman in their wood- r
pile, also.
Presidential Office.
Ronan is now a presidential
postoffice, it having been advanc
ed to a third class office. Wed
nesday Postmaster Sterling re
ceived the following letter which
explains itself:
Washington, Dec. 16, 1911.
Postmaster, Ronan, Montana.
Dear Sir: The receipts of your
postoffice and your compensation
as postmaster for the quarter end
ed September 30, 1911, have been
sufficient to advance the office,
under the provisions of the Act
of Congress approved March 3,
1883, from the fourth to the third
class. Your salary as postmaster
has been fixed at the rate of
$1,300 a year, beginning January
1, 1912. Respectfully,
C. P. GRANDFIELD,
First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral.
Usually when a postoffice is ad
vanced to third class the salary
starts at $1000, but the receipts
and business of the Ronan post
office has been so great that in
stead of starting at the minimum
the salary is started at what the
receipts warrant the department
in fixing at $1300 from the start.
Mr. Sterling has improved the
office equipment to meet thegrow
ing demand, and during the rush
hours of the day has added to the
working force so as to expqdite
the handling of the mail. All
these are in keeping with the
growth of the town and patrons
of the office appreciate it. Mr.
Sterling's commission from thE
president is expected to arrive
t any day.
"Ring, Ring for Liberty"
ly Through the courtesy of Pablo
1& Potvin the above patriotic pic
ture now adorns the wall of the
principal's room of the Ronan
school. On Saturday last the
presentation was made by Fred
Potvin, the junior member of the
firm, and the pupils join with
s Professor Healey in expressing
their appreciation of the gift. As
the title would indicate, it
e is the picture of the ringing of
liberty bell on July 4th, 1776, at
f Philadelphia, and the coloring is
in harmony with the subject. It
is a gift from which all may re
ceive a lesson in loyalty and
fealty to the country and is a fit
ting object to look down upon the
pupils of any school.
Ain't it the Truth
Pioneer:-My attention was
called to the fact that Stanley
Scearce renewed a bridge six
miles south of Ronan, in better
shape than it ever was before.
So if the Reclamation Service
put in the same kind of lumber
over our ditches where the travel
is great, I feel sure that the bus
inessmen and the community
at large would be highly elated.
JOHN G. WALMAN.
t
Superintendent
Harmon's Visit
State Superintendent Harm n
and County Superintendent Mrs.
Pearl T. Marshall, were in Ro
nan Monday and Tuesday. Mr.
Harmon was on his way to
Poison to help dedicate the new
school house being built there,
but upon arriving in Ronan was
informed that the building was
not completed as yet and that no
dedication would take place at
this time. A meeting was ar
ranged here for Monday evening,
and one of the largest audiences
assembled in the opera house
which has greeted any one up to
date. A. Sutherland was the
presiding officer, and extended a
hearty welcome to Ronan to both
Mr. Harmon and Mrs. Marshall,
and after listening to several
musical selections, Mr. Suther
land presented Mrs. Marshall,
who spoke on the school problems
confronting the people of Ronan
and the reservation. She re
viewed, briefly, the work of the
past 18 months and congratulated
the people on the spirit shown in
advancing the schools of the rcs
ervation. She said that 18
months ago there was only one
school, while now there are 18.
This is one of the best signs of
the class of people who have
come here to make homes.
Mr. Harmon was introduced
and for about an hour gave the
people an impromptu address
along educational lines. He dis
cussed the modern methods of
teaching and told of the work of
his office during the past seven
years. He pointed out some of
the defects of modern teaching
and told why it was that teach
ing as a profession was not as
successful as other professions.
The real reason, in his mind, wns
the fact that four yeurs wa.; thu
average life of the school ma'am
service, they leaving off teaching
to engage in other avocations
and thus forcing the inexper
ienced into the school rooms,
while in other professirnm i. is a
life work to ail who engage
therein.
His talk was entertaining to
parents and pupils alike, and if ý
e his advice is taken there will be
ea great improvement in the
schools of the state.
Both speakers advocated the
consolidated school, basing their
conviction on the idea that better
o service for less money can be se
cured through the establishment
e of one central school, graded to
meet the demands of the locality,
than with many small schools
where the teacher has from one
to eight grades to teach. It is
their opinion, also, that it is
much more economical to convey
the pupils who live at a distance
to the central school than it is to
maintain so many smaller ones.
It is a matter which should be
carefully considered by the peo
ple here now, as the indications
are that more room must be pro
vided for Ronan during the com
ing year. In fact, it is certain
now that this must be done, and
if one central school will do bet
ter work and at less cost than
many small ones, then we should
by all means build the larger and
central school.
Mr. Harmon and Mrs. Mar
shall remained over to attend the
farmers' institute and enjoyed
the speaking as much as any of
us. We all hope to have both of
them come again.
Miss Effie Hollingsworth filed
on a homestead in section 15,
20-20 this week. She purchased
the prior entryman's right. I
What Would
He Say
Farmes Gregg of MinnesotE
said at the institute Tuesday,
that he thought this the best
favored country he had even
seen during all his many trips
over the country. He said that
he had visited many states and
that nowhere had he seen such
great natural advantages as was
to be found here in the Flathead.
"Why," said he, "you have the
richest of soil, the best of water,
are protected by the high moun
tains to the west and east, have
unlimited timber for all purposes
and the only thing to fear is
that with all these blessings you
may become shiftless though
not beiug made to exert your
selves in making fine homes."
Coming from such an author
ity that sounded good to us. But
does Farmes Gregg understand
the matter all the way through?
Does he realize just how much
there is to discourage, and just
what obstacles are thrown in the
way of the settler who has
located here intending to carve
for himself and family a home?
With all the vast amount of tim
ber to be seen skirting the high
mountains to the east of us,
there is not one stick available
to the settler with which to im
prove his land. The settler must
have a permit to cut a little wood
for fuel; he must have a permit
to cut a fence post, to cut a house
log, or to use the timber for any
purpose. After securing the per
mit, he must pay a price fixed by
some bureau chief in Washington
for the timber.
The settler finds that he cannot
secure the building of a road to
and from his farm, owing to the
fact that some allotment may be
touched (nroute. He finds that
a telephone line cannot be con
structed to his farm home for the
s:ime reason. He finds that in
stead of aiding him to make im
p -ovements and develop the re
s ,urces of the country, the gov
e ronment is pl1 cing every possible
obstacle in the way.
The thought occurs, what would
he say about such treatment if he
only knew?
Farmers' Institute Tues
day Was Well Attended
The farmers' institute advce
;e- tised to be held Tuesday was we
nt attended by the farmers livin
to tributary to Ronan. The day wa
Y, pleasant and the speakers arrive
)ls before noon from PoIson, when
ne they had held a similar meetini
is the day before.
15 Professor Cooley, superinten
' dent of farmers' institutes at the
,e agricultural cultural college, way
in charge of the speakers, anions
S. whom were Farmer Gregg of
e Minnesota, of whom it is said n(
) man, dead or alive, has done s(
5 much for the farmers of thai
state; Prof. M. L. Wilson, in
charge of experimental stations
n in the eastern part of the state
d and of the faculty at Bozeman;
" T. A. Hoverstad superintendent
n of farmers' institutes at Fargo,
dN. D.
d The meeting was held in the
opera house at 2 o'clock, and the
higher grades of the public school
attended in a body, being in
charge of Principal Healey, and
all of the pupils gave close atten
tion to what was said. The course
of study adopted for Montana
carries a study of agriculture
with the other branches and it
was deemed wise to have the pu
pils attend these lectures.
Superintendent Hoverstad talk
ed on poultry subjects and gave
the experience of the station at
Fargo, in its care of chickens and
the means adopted to get the
hens to lay best in winter. What
he said should be of value to the
farmers here and should give
the industry added value.
Prof. Wilson talked on flax cul
ture, and while it is probable
that very little of this crop will
be attempted again next year, by
reason of the results attending
the efforts of those who sowed it
last year, what he had to say on
the- subject should be taken in
account by anyone who may ven
ture to do so.
Farmer Gregg lectured on
strawberry raising as done by a
Minnesota farmer and his exper
ience is a valuable asset to those
who may contemplate setting out
beds of this most desirable fruit.
He told how to get the best re
sults from the least work, a mat
ter of great concern to the busy
In the evening at 7:30 another
meeting was held and the same
interest was shown as at the
afternoon meeting. Lectures on
subjects were discussed, and bc
sides those who spoke in the
afternoon State Supt. Harmon
talked on his experience as a
Gallatin valley farmer. Mr. Har
mon owns and operates a farm
near Bozeman and while he may
be termed an educator he is also
a good farmer and is realizing
handsome profits from his exer
cise of modern methods thereon.
Taken all in all, the meetings
held in Ronan and in other towns
on the reservation will be of in
calculable benefit to the new
farmers and will give them bet
ter ideas on how to start in right.
From here the entire party
went to St. Ignatius and good
meetings were held there both
afternoon and evening on Wed
nesday.
Double Purpose Chickens
E. E. Healey, principal of the
Ronan schools, is a chicken fan
ceri. He has devoted consider
able time and study to the busi
ness and prides himself on hav
ing some of the best of the dif
ferent breeds he owns. He has
some (l the iinest Leghorns and
11 gets eggs every day, more than
g enout h to supply his family
s wants and sells a dozen every
d once in a while to the writer.
e They are good eggs, and when
r one says a good egg that means
considerable. There is not any
- degree of goodness when it is
applied to eggs. Then he has
what he calls his "double pur
pose" chickens, and they are the
Buff Cochins. He has a rooster,
a mammoth fellow which he in
tends to harness to the cart when
he moves on the farm next year,
and may use him to plow with.
Mr. Healey says he has a breast
like a Percheron and can travel'
as fast as a turtle, so if that is
not a chicken for a farmer to
breed where will you find one?
Big Poultry Show
The Western Montana Poultry
association will hold its first an
nual exhibition at Missoula, Jan
uary 9 to 13, inclusive. The
state show was held in Missoula
last winter and served as an eye
opener to the possibilities of the
poultry industry in Western Mon
tana. It is confidently expected
that the coming show at Mis
soula will be one of the biggest
and best in the Northwest this
winter. The premium list is
ready for distribu tion and con
tains an attractive list of prizes.
Poultry breeders and fanciers
are invited to send birds to the
show at Missoula. If you desire
a premium list, send your name
and address to L. W. Austin,
Secretary-treasurer, Miss oul a,
Montana.
Mrs. Mix Dead.
Word was received in Ronan
Wednesday of the death of Mrs.
Norman A. Mix at the family
home in Missoula early that morn
ing. Mrs. Mix was the wife of
N. A. Mix who clerked for Fred
Potvin about a year ago, and
was well known to many people
here. She was a niece of Mrs.
Potvin and Mr. and Mrs. Potvin
and Mr. Rainville left at once to
attend the funeral. Besides the
sorrowing husband she leaves a
young baby and three other small
children.
Married in Missoula
On Dec. 14th, 1.911, Mr. C. S.
Lionberger and Mrs. Ella Mc
Donald, by Rev. I1. S. Satley, at
the home of F. M. Truesdale.
The bride and groom were ac
companied to Missoula by Mr.
and Mrs. Chris Vandenburg.
Supper was served following the
ceremony and the happy couple
are now at home on the ranch
northwest of Ronan. Mr. and
Mrs. \Tandenburg have also re
tarned home.
Moving Picture Show.
On Christmas day, Monday
next, at 2 and 4 p. m., the motion
picture show will be on the boards
at the Ronan oteý'a house. The
electrie light will ! e used for the
first time and >. ecial picturss will
be shown. Admission 15 cents.
Captain Joh n W. 2wanson of
the City of Poison, running be
tween Some;'s and Poison during
the summer mn.nths, was in town
Wednesday and filed on a home
stead in section _-21-21.
Mr. and Ci s. .. C. Luallin
have moved back to Ravalli
where the foin:er's business re
quires his presence.