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Show this trend would continue. Since many of the necessary irrigation ditches needed for the farming of the land had already been started, it would be a waste of time and money to move the Indians to a new location and start all over. 56 The Indian Rights Association had its own people inspect both the old and the proposed reservation and found the latter to be lacking in many requirements. Although the proposed reservation was three times the size of the present, it would not adequately support the nearly one thousand Utes because of lack of water. Although the inspection group found that there were a number of small streams on the slopes of the Abajos, these streams usually ran dry during the hot summer months. 57 The inspectors decided the use of water storage and irrigating techniques during these summer months were very limited at best and very expensive. The other streams located on the reservation were reported to have the same problem during the summer months. The inspectors concluded that not enough water was available to support the tribe, certainly not if the tribe were to attempt any agricultural pursuits. Besides the water issue, the Association found other problems with the proposed reservation. Three communities, largely Mormon in population, and numerous ranches were located within the proposed boundaries. The Association felt that removal and compensation for land and improvement to the land would be too expensive. It was estimated by the two investigators that $ 150,000 would be needed to compensate the settlers for their claims, 58 and there were also the claims of the miners in the region. It was not known to what extent these claims existed, but there was every indication that a number had been filed on the land just north of the San Juan River and east of the Colorado River. 59 The settling of these claims was seen as a most difficult matter and not worth the expense or effort. In the final analysis, the Association felt that the relocation of the Utes would be too expensive for Government consideration and would not bring about the desired civilization of the Ute people, a long established goal of Government policy toward the American Indians. Three groups added their support to that of the Indian Rights Association in fighting against removal: the Territorial Government of Utah, the settlers of San Juan County, and the large cattle companies that ran herds in the area of the proposed reservation. The Territorial Assembly felt that Utah already had too many Indians within the boundaries of the Territory and should not have to be subjected to the increased burden of more Indians, especially when Colorado, by the removal of the Utes, would no longer have any Indians inside its boundaries. The residents of the area, as would be expected, did not want to move. Many had been sent to colonize the area by the Mormon church and felt obligated to remain. While some saw the possibility of selling their land claims at a profit to the Government and were willing to leave, the number of petitions from the citizens of the area to Congress indicated most setders were against moving. 6o The cattle companies, did not want the Indians moved into the region for fear of losing their grazing lands - a very costly loss. There were also the fears among the companies, particularly the Pittsburg Cattle Company, that having the Indians close 56. Painter, Removal of the Southern Utes, op. cit., pp. 4- 7. 57. Francis Fisher Kane and Frank M. Riter, A Further Report to the Indian Rights Association on the Proposed Southern Ute Removal, ( Phil.: Indian Rights Association, January 20, 1892), pp. 7- 9. 58. Ibid., p. 27. 59. Ibid., pp. 23- 24. 60. Morgan to Secretary, op. cit., p. 24. - 45- |
