OCR Text |
Show themselves, even if sometimes less favorable reiults are obtained, for the best thing for them is to pick up experience as independent work-ers and thus acquire the faculty of initiative. In such cases he merely visits the Indians occasionally to inquire as to .their welfare and the conditions of their employment. While every exkouragement has been given to those who were will-ing to go out as individuals on their own responsibility, employment has been procured also for Indians in gangs or groups, mainly on irrigation projects and railroad construction, and the demand for Indian laborers has far exceeded the supply. Rwords as to the number of Indians employed and the amount of their earnings have been kept only where the group of Indian laborers was large enough to justify the employer in incurring the expense of providing some one to have special charge of them. The work of controlling the inflow of the Colorado River to the Salton Sea was undertaken in July, 1906, with Mexican and other libor; but by the 1st of August the company was glad to make arrangements to employ Indian labor, as in that climate no other cer-tain supply could be. procured or kept. This work continued through the year and furnished employment to not less than 1,100 Indians, mostly Pimas and Papagos, the force ranging from 207 in August, 1906, to 667 in March, 1907; Their pap was $1.92& per day of ten hours for ordinary labor, and $2, or even $2.25, for those showing any skill. Their commissary deductions were small, as they. received their wages in money every week and usually paid cash for whatever they bought. The Indians had their families with them, could board themselves at a low cost, were given free transportation both ways for themselves and families, and suffered no hospital deductions. From August, 1906, through May, 1907, their gross earnings amounted to $115,784.44, and after deducting the small commissary charges, etc., the net remainder was $107,404.54. In October, as the work at the Salton Sea intake apparently neared completion, work was found for the Indians on the Government dam at Yuma. But a break in the Salton Sea levee again created an urgent demand for all available Indian laborers, and, as-the wages there were better and the general conditions more satisfactory, the Indians preferred to remain. There-fore only about 100 went to work at the Government dam. Their gross earnings from October 27 to December 26 amounted to $3,325. Their work, as a rule, was satisfactory, and many more were wanted than could be furnished. From 50 to 125 Indians also worked about four months as laborers and teamsters on the Colorado River near Yuma, receiving $1.75 and $2 a day. On the Roosevelt dam north of Phoenix, Ariz., Indians have been constantly engaged in road work under an Indian foreman, and a few |