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Show 3- 1142 Ux., anu. Piute DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR xrouble at - - i.- v nr, a in M'n UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE Consolidated Ute Indian Agency Ignacio, Colorado. April 9, 19E3. r^ he Honorable, ^ he Commissioner, My dear Mr. Commissioner: I have xhe honor to submit the following report regarding the recent Indian xrouble in and aboux Blanding, UXah. This report would have been submixxed before but illness prevented me from doing so. I lefx Ignacio March 2l. I wenx ' by xrain end sXage xo Cortez, where Mr. Heed, Principal of Ute Mountain School, met me and we proceeded by automobile xo Blanding, reaching xhere xhe afternoon of xhe 25d. I found considerable excixemenx exisxing all xhrough that country, and pickets were posxed around on xhe ouxskirxs of Blanding, xo prevent, as was claimed, other renegade Indians coming to Blanding and affecting a release of prisoners held. I found seventy- nine Indians, men, women, and children being held as prisoners in xhe casement rooms of xhe public school. These prisoners were guarded by several depuxies all having Winchesters. It ' was necessary for xhe school auxhorities xo dismiss xhe school in order xo have xhe building xo house xhe Indians. The basement was warmed by a furnace and a stove and was comfortably warm and xairly well lighxed and ventilated. The Indians were being well cared xor. Aboux an hour afxsr my arrival xhe citizens of xhe xown called a mass meexing ax which I was invixed xo be present xogeXher with several correspondents of xhe Associaxed Press. Immediately after xhe. meeting was called xo' order the chairman invixed me, as a representative of xhe Indian Office, to tell xhe people what I proposed to do and what relief xhe community was xo receive from xhe Government. I advised them that I had just arrived ax Blanding and before making any statements regarding the action of the Department it would be necessary for me to aquaint myself thoroughly with all phases of xhe present xrouble and that more good could be achieved if xhey would state xheir side of xhe case and their individual views regarding xhe presenx trouble. This they proceeded to do, several of the mord influential men going into the past and present relation between the Mormons and the Indians. |