OCR Text |
Show Unfulfilled Promises: Negotiations with the Intruders, 1849-1882 57 after its main negotiator). The other leaders were Kaniache and Ankatosh of the Taviwach, Nicaagat, Paant, and Suriap of the Yamparika, Piah of the Parianuche, Pabusat of the Kapota, Guero of the Moache, and Jose Maria. About sixteen million acres of the Colorado lands were reserved to the Ute People for their "absolute and undisturbed use and occupation."23 The rest of their land was ceded. The Ute People were to receive schools, teachers, a sawmill, additional blacksmiths, clothing, blankets, food, cows, and sheep. In addition this treaty stated that everything that had been promised in the 1863 Treaty was in force. However, the 1868 Treaty was only new unfulfilled promises to the Ute People for larger cessions of land. In August and September of 1868 Colorado Governor Alexander C. Hunt went to each of the seven bands, held councils with their leaders and obtained their signatures or marks. However, according to one account, the leaders were reluctant to sign. Supposedly they only signed with the understanding that all that related to sawmills, farming, schools, and going onto a reservation would be struck out.24 However, these provisions were not removed from the treaty. One article of the treaty anticipated the Dawes Allotment Act of 1887. As part of the effort to turn the Indians into farmers on individual plots of land, the People were encouraged to break away from the tribal group with its communal land holdings. The article provided that the head of a household could select up to 160 acres of land on the reservation to farm which his family would then hold exclusively. Ouray decided to set an example. He took a farm of 160 acres not far south of present Montrose and moved into a small adobe house provided by the government. He and his wife, Chipeta, adopted Anglo dress and furnished their house with curtains, furniture, china, and silver tea service. They planted a garden and raised sheep.25 Under the provisions of the treaty an agency was established for the "Grand River, Yampa, and Uintah" bands on the White River. Another agency was established on the Los Pinos Creek for the Taviwach, Moache, Weeminuche, and Kapota. Control of the Ute People was now increased. (See Map p. 58) |