OCR Text |
Show Agent Conger found the Yanctons in a very unsatisfactory condition, and expressing mnch discontentment, and complaining that govelnment had not kept its promises to them, as made in the treaty by which they ceded what is now the settled portion of Dakota. IIe reported the agency buildings in a dilapidated condition, and everything run down; no cattle or stock, farming tools few and in bad condition, and very small preparatiol~ for a crop this year. I t being already the 1st of May when Mr. Cnnger took the agency, hut little could he done towards getting in a crop, and, for want of good seed, that little for ibe most part failed. The Indians are represented as being very idle and improvident. There is no school on the reservation, and none has been in ex-istence, although the treaty provides liberally for one, and the vuuchers of late Agent Burleigh are on file for 'the exnenditure of considerable sums of monev foi the and there are no mikionaries or teachers, though the 1ndia;s express a desire for their services. I t being considered that the annuities of the tribe are sufficient. under nroner managemint, to place these Indians in a much better condition, and th& t$ey ought to he at least as well provided with the comforts of life as the neighboring tribes of Nebraska, the superintendent and agent are doing everything in their power to accomplish this end. On account of the failure of crops, special snp-plies of food must he furnished to the tribe for the coming winter, and with this fact in view I have been hubhanding the funds applicable to them ; hut as nearly one.half of the appropriation for them for the current fiscal year had been used before the year commenced, it is doubtful whether the amount on hand will he sufficient to prevent suffering among them. Tlle cause of this deficiency, and the remedy proposed for it, are stated in that part of this report relating to "Pi-nances." I t is hoped that another year these Indians, being better provided, and influ-enced by pressing necessity, will be found cultivating good crops. The agency fams, at all events, will he under cultivation. The Poncas, who had been without a regularly appointed agent for some . time, hnt who were under the charge of a person specially detailed by the su- perintendent, were found to havesotne 250 acresunder cultivation, with a pms-peet of an abundant crop. This hope has been fully .realized, and the tribe, with the proceeds of a successful hunt, is in a comfortable conditionfor the win-ter, and, as appears by the report of Governor Edmunds, ex o&o superintend-ent, they are affording aid to their neighbors the Yanctons. The buildings of the agency are stated to be much in need of repairs, being built of cottonwood, which makes very poor lumber. There is no school upou the reservation ; the treaty requires one, and money to a considerable amount has been forwarded from time to time, on the requisition of former agents, for scl~ool purposas. Special inquiry has been directed to this point. The agent pro noss to employ Indians to do the necessary labor npon the reservation, and finPds them willing to work for reasonable wages, and anxious to increase their stock of teams, wag-ons, kc. We shall, I am confident, find matters much improved also at this agency another year, if the season is favorable for crops:-" Attention was called last year to the fact that the murderers of several of this loyal and friendly tribe had not been discovered and punished. I trust that, as there seems to he no probability that this will he doue, a speeial appropriation may be made for presents to thc relatives of the deceased. Oonsiderine the character of the soil at the Crow k kaee ncv. the fact that <. *, . ~ the Sioux removed thither were mo~tlyo ld men, womrn and cltildren, who llnd bcvn takpn captive or given themaelVea up soon after the Yinue9ota massarrca, and the f~~rtlrfearc t thut their small nttcmotdat huntine had been fru~trntcdh v their parties being turned back by the mili&ry forces, tcese Indians are in as iood a condition as could well be expected. They are provided for out of an appropri-ation of $100,000 made by Congress, all treaties with their tribe having heen |