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Show REPOKTS OF AGENTS IN COLORADO. old enemies, has been explained and justified in speoial report dated December 9, 1874. bs no answer was ever received from the Department, I take it that the suggestions msde by Onmay and their indorsement by myself were approred. The troubles between Utes and whites an Suake River,in December, 1874, which would haveled to war had not my personal sttention beengimn them in obedience to our telegram of December 10, were promptly settled by me and reported upon immediately deer my return from that place December 21,1874. I r i l l mereip repest whst I said in tbat report ss to the prime csuse of the trouble, vin, that abundance of whisky, furnished the Utes by one of the Snake River settlers, attnrcted the Indians to that plses, and its devilish quality had the effect of making them boisterous, insolent, and sometme* threatening. I do not think trooble will ensue there again from s like cause. In this connection, referring to suggestions made in my last aooual report, to telegram of Usy 26, 1876, and to official letter dslsd Juoe 3, 1876, I would herewith respeclfully renew my request for authority to employ a deteotivewheu deemed neceBasry to apprehend persons violating the law prohibiting the giving of liquor to Indiana. In eonelnding this brief report. I wish to thank the heads of the Depnrtment at Washinp ton for official courtesies, and toenpress the hope tbat each branch of the Indian service may be sr peacefully administered ss that wbose field of labor is in this Territory. I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant, JAMES B. THOMPSON. Uniled Slates Special 1,tdiur &srt. The CDMMIS~IONERO F INDIAN AFFAIRS, IVoehingtun, D. C. , LO8 PINOS AGERCYC,O I.OBAD0, Seplember Ifi, I=. SIR: I have tbe honor to submit my sewnd annual report. You orge upon m* special are in ascertaining the namber of Indians entitled to receive provisions and annuities at this agency. A count is quite impossible. You might 8s well try tooount a swarm of bees when on the wing. They trsvel sll over thecountry like the deer which they hunt. Even to register those you see would be difficult, for when yon ask their namas,"No nRme" is the oommoo reply. Pro181 inquiry among them, however, I sm satisfied tbat ia times past tbe number has been overestimated. Instead of aboot 4,000 in the whole Territory, m re-ported two years ago, there are probably not more than 3,000, about 9,000 of whom drsw from +is agency, the others being under the supervision of the White River sod Ahiquiu sgenmes. There has been little if any nlrtarsl irlorease during the year. In their present traoaitional state betweell barbarism and oivilieatiou decrease is nmie probable. It has been impossible to induce the Utsa here to work to any considershla extent. They wiil aome-times labor indt~stdooslyu pon powder-horns and guns, but not very akillfolly. We +ega,?d every oecn~stionan useful which requires anvooneentratioo of the faculties. I orooo~edt o the EbiriIdralert a ywu y umn as ni.l~re~~c~c1c1.;" toc nrprlltcr end mtath, r afilor;nti:ts 10. thob.arkrtnitil, sud otYel;.rc.d to bunnl Illem rmrl to rrqwrcr but 11r.w hoar*' work 8 d*y. Ile SDDLPto 80me of 1116: ludiilns shout it. but oun rrazooded favrral.1~. 1 have rtiil ho.o rr.. iowdvrr, of buiup aueec*alitl it, t b i ~di reelinn. Oo tho Uurapahgm. Lk>lon, Sen Mipwei, and La Plat* ltiver~tl mrc. arr twcuty or rltiny I'res who eulli\at~t:i leaoil uwre or lor* rlleeriv..ly. 0 1 1 the l ioea~~ahr ricn. June nnd .Iulr. I saw wrn, beans, squashes, sod maloos lookilig very well. Ib A;igu%t tlzey were mnffir-ingfrom the drought. This might base bean prevented b y proper aud suffieisnl means of irrigation, which will be seoored by the work now going on at the new looation for the agency. The stream by which the Indians had irrigated gave out early in tbe season. There is a laree number of emt8. and orob~blva s man,7 as 2.000 sheen owned b s differ-en1 ialembers oi'zhe ,rib?. ~ i ; v 8tl.i COBIS krv kept I )I nltlk and tml;t. 1 n;$ know that any of the wool is ~mtxrcrl. 'I'hayo auinhal* RIH sell I IPI IC~l w. i ~ zew ily carric.d tram ~ l h wto DIRPP lo auil thu uomalie Lab:l% oi their ow~ner,. I h v o n .runcl~n .u#mn!endsd tlw "urubntdof ahnep with a portion oilhe money lo bc rsprnderl ier h e lIiw itn~rlcr tlw aprer mcut of le7:1, and wm~ld here erprtrr 1htr Iwpe that this rec:om~sesdarion will nwer with favor, as I enn think uf nu form of civilized liln more likely tu lae ~clvr~tetid~ n~boc rcii,t.e... &nI am sstiefied that the step from herding to agriculture sillbe taken 6b msoy. Theealtle heloneioe to the aeencv. now numberina over 900. ha& east the Government a good deal to keep, &d I wwodd r&mmend that thzy be give" iuebarge tothe hd$s,if Ouray or other chiefs will be responsible for their proper keeping. In the Urteapnhgrs Vsl-ley they will be 80 far from white settlers sod the herds of white settlers that the are of t h wi ll be much reduced a s soon as they became wonted t.o the range. Having been originally wild Texas cattle, and being now improved by the introduction of only a few American bolls, they are entirely uutit for their original purpoae, nsmely, domestic use. Probably few of them could ever be trained to become good milkers. Perhapsa bundred or more may be culled out for beef daring the next year. Not a single cow has yet been tskea |