1974-11-01 Char-Koosta News

              FIP STUDIES EXPANDED USE OF TRIBE'S WATER
St. Ignatius: The Flathead Irrigation Project is wrapping up an engineering study which among other things, proposes to line the Pablo-A canal with 30 miles of plastic and raise the dam at beautiful McDonald Lake by 45 feet.
The study, which is the third phase of a long range project to 'improve' irrigation on the reservation, will be completed by the end of October. It was started last November by the Helena engineering firm of Morrison-Maierle.
According to an engineer for the firm, the completed study will make a primary cost-benefit recommendation
THE NEWSPAPER OF THE SALISH, PEND'd ORIELLES
of lining the Pablo feed canal with waterproof plastic. The lining project, will cost approximately $2,000,0 00 in re-imbersable appropriations. The A-canal is the main feeder of the Flathead Indian Irrigation system. It meanders between St. Mary's Lake above St. Ignatius along the foot of the Mission Mountains to the Pablo reservor near Poison.
As word of the plans to line the main source of fresh water along the upper Mission valley, several people have become concerned about possible and probable side effects of the project. Indian Public Health Sanitarian John
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AND KOOTENAI TRIBES OF THE FLATHEAD RESERVATION
15 C
HARKOOSTA
Volume4   -   Number 1Z(3    NEW MOON OF AUTUMN      (November 1,1974)
NORTHWEST TRIBES BECOMING "ENERGY ARABS"
Poison:"I don't think Indian Tribes should pay for the greed and mistakes of the white men'1 that is what Northern Cheyenne Tribal Chairman Allen Rowland said about the current panic .for energy resources and most tribal delegates attending a resource seminar in Poison agreed.
The seminar on tribal natural resources was held at the Koot-Nay Holiday Resort October 10 and 11. It was attended by leaders of 2 4 tribes from
five western states who belong to the Native American Natural Resource Development Federation of the Northern Great
Plains.
Rowland said his tribe is currently trying to break Bureau of Indian Affairs negotiated leases for coal which lies under the surface of the eastern Montana reservation. He noted that the leases between the tribe and large coal companies were signed and sealed "before we really knew what was go-
ing on". "In those days we had faith that the BIA knew what was best for us....but we discovered later that they were more interested in mining our coal than in helping us," he said.
Rowland said that a hearing between the coal companies, the the Northern Cheyenne tribe and the Crow Tribe (which had also signed leases for coal both on and bordering its immense southeastern Montana reserva-(continued on page 12)
1,400 INDIANS TO POLL NOV. 5
Lake county voters, which include some 1,400 Indians, will go to the polls Nov.5 to decide on 22 state, local and federal offices and three constitutional amendments.
The Lake County General ballot will feature such important races as western district U.S. Congressman, two state representatives, one state senator, Public Service Commissioner, a county commissioner and county sheriff. The three constitutional issues include: — an amendment to allow the
state to set up a mineral mining land reclaimation fund. ~ a measure to amend the state's liability under the new constitution.
-~ and an amendment calling for a legislative session every two years rather than yearly.
In addition, there will be several local ballots. Ronan and Valley View have school bond issue ballots and the cities of Poison, Ronan and St. Ignatius must select study commission.
All voting will be performed at district precincts. Most precincts will be open from 8 am in the morning to 8 pm in the evening. Exceptions are Irvine Flats, Garcau Gulch and Yellow Bay which will open at 1 pm.
Voters are not required to have special identification to qualify for a ballot. They must, however, have registered and they will have to sign for a ballot.
Indian platforms of many candidates appear in this issue of Char-Koosta starting on page 9.
KOOT-NAY LODGE IS RAIDED
Poison: Two tribal members were arrested on gambling charges Oct. 19 when Lake county Sheriffs Deputies raided a new Poison resort operated by Tribal Councilman Bill Morigeau.
Madeline Couture, 66, Elmo and Alfred "Felix" McCullugh, 31, of Poison were charged with operating a prohibited gambling game. Both were released on their own recognizance pending a hearing Oct 22 before Justice of the Peace Gene Hammon.
They were arrested when eight deputies moved in on the "Godfather's Palace" gambling facility on the second story of the new Koot-Nay Resort. According to Lake county Sheriff Bill Phillips, McCullugh has been charged with "dealing" and illegal dice game and Couture was arrested for allegedly conducting a black jack table. Both gambling games are illegal under a county gamb-(continued on page 2)