OCR Text |
Show happy r~~sulta.F ro111o ur ioolatnl and ~~nprotoeteaplo sition, rind tbe camparstively andl Hlnouut of beef required ior rho lteooi rllia agency, it ia alurvat impossible to secure a supply at reasonable ratcw. I would therefor* renew ulg former weommend-niioa that tllis agency be stocked will, cnttlr, aurliciellt to yield supplicoof beef for the wauuof tbuageuc~. &a, alreu tlruoght idridable hy thoDepantueor sod theagent, to fnrnieh 8 cow to each lalre. now but the mdo maub to be uaed. This matter com-men& itself to my judgmett 'for two reasons. First, its economy. I beliere that 6f-teen thaosand dollars, judieionsly expended, would, with proper management. rield a. constant and her-ing supply of stack for all the demands of this agency. It k tme there is BOme liability to loss, but in my jodgment not so much a8 though they belonged to outside parties; and they claim and, iu my opinion, should receive protection and indemnity for losses sustained hen the property is levally on the reservation. In the aeoond place, the moral and civilizing effcct of omnersfip is not inconsiderable. I have been led to observe the conservativecharacter of those of ourIndians who awn stack. They are more localized in their habits, and a sense of ownership nlnkes them more careful of the rights of others. \YB have not had our saw-mill in operation since last fall, at shich time, and during my sbssooe on leave, from eome cause the saw was spruugandrsndered praotically use-less, so that i t became neoeaaary to purchase another,whicl~v a s dome, and when we came to start the mill it was found that a oheok-valve belonRing to tho engine was broken. A new one had to be obtained in Salt Lake Citv. These various miehaos and delays havs prevented the msnufactore of Inmber, andas a consequence the 0061- pletion of our mili-building and the erection of a echool-house, whioh we had hoped to do, and to have had ssohool inaperat,ionlong ere this. But aam%ll matter or mishap with us in our isolated position onuses the oonsomption of much time and labor. Our greatest difficulty is to secure and retain a meohsnio competent to put in order and ran our mill aocoessfuliy. Such s. one wemuirt have. I have not felt at liberty to pzy heretofore the wages demanded, but coouomy in our situation is to secure the necessary skill Thoosh we have not yet had either sohoal or mission nominally established, still, I think, there is evidently a softening and oivilizing infloenoe st work, gradually leav-ening the massoa and preparing them for more rapid advancement when those more efficient means are brought into operation. Altogether it is believed there is a notice-able advance in theright direction, bnt it must be admitted to be slorr. I ~ometimea feel discouraged at the little progress made in view of the mews and efforts expended, but I apprehend I am not the only one in the service whobas been compdled to mod-ify his views with regard to what can be aocomplished in s given time. The Indian farms are so scattered and the timber for fencing so scarce and inaooes-sibls that much time and labor have been expended, altogether by the cmplay68, in fencing, as the Indians hwe not, thus far, been willing to take part in labor of that kind. Some few would if they were paid wages in money as other employ&, whioh is done elsewhere. I have, and would still recommend the payment of small wages to those Indians who are capable and willing to do general work. A small amount of money mould be a powerful stimulant, and would ultimately supersede the necessity for the employment of so many whites. We have a large number of logs ready for the manufact.nre of lumber. We have onltivated about thirty acres for the agency, but, owing to the extremely late andoold spring, the yield has not been good. I t waafnrthermsterially injured by some'breachy oxen which no fence could restrain. For the estimated amount of produots of both Indian and agency farms I refer you to my statistid report. The general health at $hihis sgenoy has been good. Still three deaths haveoccurred, whioh were chronic oases of diseases arising from their peculiar habitsand mode of life. I mould still urge the employment of a physician for both Iudiaus and whites. Without any sufficient data upon which to warrant a change in the estimsted number of our Indians I shall con-tinue my former one of 800, thou& only about 500 have been on the agency st any one time. I hsvs foundit very discult aud almost impossible to getan accurate enu-meration Of the Indians belouiug to this agenay. Richard I<aneas, one of this tribe, but who has been for some time at Lincoln University, Penosylvsuia, visited his friends during my absence in Salt Lake City, and has, at my request by letter, taken as complete a oensns as possible. I have not gat seen him to ascertain the result! and, if passibls, correct my o m estimate. Moat of our Indiana are now outon them an-nual visit aud hunt. Upon their return, about the first of Xovcmber, the annuity good8 willbe distributed. I hare the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, J. J. CRITCHLOW, UnitedStarer I,!dian Agent. Ron. 8. P. S m ~ n , Commissioner of Indian Affi:ira, ilhshington, D. C. |