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Show 50 renewed effort at Spanish Fork, the Indians would have starved in the winter of 1858-59 had not the Mormons given them large supplies. Forney was dismissed in September, 1859, because of mismanagement. The winter that followed was very severe and many Indian people died of starvation and exposure. To complicate matters, no superintendent was named for Utah, and the post was vacant from September, 1859 to November, i860. Agent Humphries, in desperation, went to Washington, D. C to secure funds to pay the $5,000 in debts which had been incurred in Utah. He got the money to pay the debts but new funds were not given until the new Superintendent, Benjamin Davies, was appointed. By the time Mr. Davies arrived in Utah, he could do little to rescue the decay that had taken place. The small funds given him to administer his area proved totally inadequate, and he was forced to close the Spanish,Fork farm in May, l86l. At that time, after the second intense winder in succession, the Indians were in a "state of nakedness and starvation, destitute and dying of want." Most of the furnishings of the abandoned farms were sold to provide food for the starving people, but this too proved only a temporary expedient. Bancroft observed, "The natives had no alternative but to steal or starve; the white man was in possession of their pastures; game was Benajim Davies to Commissioner Dole, June 30, l86l, RCIA, 1861, p. 129. |
