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Show REPORT OF AGENT IN'UTAH. Indians on reservation.-This reservation is ocoopied by the Uncornpitghre hand of Ute Indians, with a few White River and Southern Utes, in numbers as fallows: Unoompaghre Utes ....... :.. ...................................... 938 White Kiver Utes. ................................................. 33 Southern U h . -- 59 ! Total ..................................................... 1. ..... 1,030 These Indians are known as "blanket" Indians, and have made hot little advanoe-rnent. In the past they mostly followed the hunt and spent their time in gambling and horss-racing. They have done little or 90 work; they have not had the opportu-nities offered them. Their reservation is tqesert. There are no sgrieultural lands, , I excepting about 200 acres on the horder &, he Du Ohesne River, that are cultivated, out of the 2,030,000 of aeres contained im%e reservation. This 200 acres is orer- , crowded with small farmers, and there are uow a large number who are willing and anxions to farm if they had the agricultural ladds upon which to loate. Some are now locating on the Uiotah Keservation, where they can take out ditches and go to work. Discoveries during the past year show that this reservation codtains immense , deposits of a Hiaeral similar to that discovered on the Uintah Itesernation - asphalt, or "!$Ison-ite," as it is called. During the past years number of trespassers crossed the eastern line of this reservation and located mining claims of this mineral, snd in February laet I sent the police force, in charge of Mr. J. T. McConnell, Uintah agency farmer, and Mr. John McAndrews, agency herder, to that portion of the reservation and drove ant the intruders, destroying their stakes, houses, fences, ete. This reservation, altnaogh s. barren waste. is rich in minerals; and inarmnch as the Indians are prohibited to mine on their reservations, I most cheerfully recommend the azle of this reservation, and that the orweeds of such sale be nsed to settle these Indians permanently upon the lands of the Ulotah Keservation, in the building of houses, water ditohes, and for such other purposes as would provide them with comfortable homes and with the means of home support within their reach, the greet object being to keep them on their reservation, giving them no necessity of going into the adjoining States and Territoriesfallowing the chase. Little orno progress can be made with these people until this has been aceornplished. Isewe*, an7ruities.-Fations sre issued weekly at this sgency, wnsisting of beef. floor? sugar, coffee, and baking-powder. An anndity was made during the year, each man, woman, and child of the Uncompaghre tribe receiving $14 each. The 33 White Rivers received 87.04 each. The 59 Southern Utes holding tiokets at Soothern Ute Ageooy ware compelled to go there to draw their maoey. As these Southern Utes have ms,de their home on this res-ervation, and to prevent the necessity of their being compelled to travel so long a dia-tsnee as the Southern Ute Agency to draw their annuity, I have asked for and received authority to transfer these Indiaos to the Ouray pay-roll, ilod to cancel their money tickets issued at their former reservation. An annual diatrihu~ion is made of blankets, clothing, hoots and shoes, eta. A grs- ' . toity payment amounting t,o $1,235.65 was made to those Indians who were prominent for industry and good conduct dnrinz the year. Agency buildings.-The bnildiogs at thisagency. with theexceptionof theagent's house, sro in a very dilapidated condition, and are fast going to decay. They are searcolyhahit-able. They consiatof the old eott,on-wood staeeadequsrteru, built by the troops in 18H0, and was then known as Fort Thornburg. These buildings can not he repaired. 1% would be folly to rebuild st the present site. Should the Indians hq located on the Uintah Agency, a nub-agency could then he established and new hnildihgs erected. Po1ieo.-These Indians have always opposed the creatiou of a police force. During the pear, however, I appointed s force eonsis:ing of a. captain and six privittes. I se-lected for such the best men in the tribe. Theresolt is that I have s good, reliable, and ' brave set of men. who execute my orders with promptness and fidelity, and who take a pride in their new calling Scboo:-There is no sohod at this agency, nor has there ever hem one. It was gen-erally supposed that they were apposed to such, and, in fact, opposed to white men's waya-that they were a warlike, desperate people. I do not find it so. I find them patient and obedient. I have never issued en order thst was disoheyed, or given an ad-vice that was disregarded by them. Even during l.he troubles of 1887, when they were fired on and attacked by the militia, and people of Colorado upon the pretense of having violated some game law: and when the coontry was alarmed at vhat was supposed to he a threatened Ute wm, these Indians, at my command, put up their guns and retired to their wickeups, and have remained on their reservation since thst time. |
