The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-09-06
the IND1AN TROUBLES.

The annexed letter has been received
= - ~ rn..-....-,.. f-a... = u Z.

#
mt the Indian Bureau from one of the
agents of the Government.
OFFICE OF SUP'T OF INDIAN AFFAIRS,
UTAH. GREAT SALT LAKE CITY,, \
l. = Thursday, July 30, 81. }
To Hon. N. G. Taylor, Commissioner oj
Indian AGGtrS' ......-
SIR 81 observed among the tele-
grams published in our papers here, an
exceedingly meagre synopsis of your
report made during the recent special
session of Congress, relative to the
causes of the present Indian war.
| Washakee and the other principal
chiefs of the Eastern Shoshones visited
me a few days since, and l had IA con-
versalion with them relative 10 the
same subject. l write you regarding
this, thinking the views OF Washakee,
| who is undoubtedly the most sagacious,
honorable, and intelligent Indian
among the uncivilized tribes, might be
of interest to you, especially as
they would seem to corroborate your
own in every particular. Washukee
said that the country east from the
Wind River Mountains to the settled
portion of Eastern Nebraska and kan
sas, had always been claimed by our
principal Indian Iribes-ths Sioux, Ar
rapahoes, Chevennes and Crows; that
| il was a country Astounding i'll game,
| thus furnishing TO the Indians an abun-
| dance of food, as well AS large quanti-
ties of surplus robes, skins and turs, by
the sale of which they were made com :
paratively wealthy; that all tho tribes
inhAbiting that region were contented, +,
and entertained towards the whites the
most friendly feelings until the opening
| of what il usually known as the Pow
| der River route to Moutana-a rOnd
leaving the old express route, near Fort
Laramie, and passing by circuitous
| oil NlNaAl In
dians objected strongly TO the opening
of this road, knowing by expert
ence that the game would in con
sequence soon disappear, but did not
! commence hostilities at once, since
they were informed by the whites
that there was no other way for
them TO go 10 the gold mines OF
| Montana. % That they soon found this
was not true; but that few people pass
| ed over the rond, but that forts were
built, soldiers sent out to protect the
roads, and trains we've often passing,
but only TO carry supplies 10 the troops.
| That the soldiers, TOO, gave Indians
whisky, took from them numbers OF
their squaws, and otherwise mallreateu
them; and that after mature delibera-
tion, the Indians were satisfied that The
road was only made to afford employ
ment to the soldiers and TO destroy their
| game; they must sIurve after few
| HthTS, Will tue VI lhtiA
| game, and that 1t was as well 10 die
| lighting as by starvation. They had
accordingly taken uparms, resolved to
drive out The whites or perish in the
endeavor. L asked Washakee if the
white traders had, by their conduct, in
any way aided in the present state of
affairs. He replied that they had not;
that the regular traders, licensed by
the Government, Were nearly always
good men, since they were under the
! control of the Great Father, but that
there were great numbers of white men,
thieves and murderers. who were out
laws because OF their crimes, taking up
their residence among the Indians, and
were always melting them TO outrages,
often leading them in their stealing
raids. The views of Washakee,
although somewhat crude AS TO the
reason for keeping open the road, are
/ in most respects entirely correct, ANA
are the views of all disinterested men
| familiar with the subject. What is
/ known as the Powder River Road is
one Ol the most complete and eXpen-
sive humbugs OF the day. Attention
WAS first called to the road, and lIs
opening secured, by certain SpeCulaturs,
owning or expecting to own certain
lucrative tOll-bridges, roads, and fences
| thereon. 1t was claimed to be many
hundreds of miles shorter than the road
via Fort Bridge. 1 have, however, my
self conversed with numbers of freig ht-
ers who have passed over the road, and,
without any exception, they have
stated that they would never go by that
route again; that although on the map
| it would appear shorter than the route
via the city, yet that, by reason OF the
numerous detOurs, they believed it nc
| tuHlly longer, and that IL was worse
road in every respect, especially as re-
CARDS wood, water, grass and streams
| difficult to cross. These reasons would
OF themselves have been suifiient to
have caused an abandonment of the
route; but itwas at this time found that
the Missouri river, contrary to ancient
theories, was navigable for light
draft steamboats,. For the last two
years, all freight for Montana, from the
| States has gone by the Missouri river.
| Had the Powder river road, therefore,
| been all that was at first claimed for il,
II would have been abandoned by
freighters, since freight could be taken
| by steamboat to Montana prohtably at
six to eight cents per pound, while land
| transportation would cost about three
| times such rates. In view OF the above
| facts, il has at all times seemed to me
most singular that the Government
should persist in keeping troops along
| a road abandoned by all freighterS and
emigrants, when the results OF such
course, unless the Indians were induced
to cede the right of way, could not fail
| to be an Indian war. think it would
| be within bounds TO say that every
pound of freight taken over the Powder
river road for the past two years las
cost the Government already at least
| 81 600, and the expense would seem to
| be but commenced. Many of the In
dians within this superinlendency, in
| .heir hunting expeditions meet and
| converse with the hostile Indians. From
their statement 1 feel entirely certain
that II the troops were now Withdrawn
| from the Indian country, and treaty
made with the hostile Indians, guaran-
teeing them the occupation of their ter
ritory cut by the Powder river road
for certain term OF years, peace could
be at once restored and kept. Ii has
been the correct theory of our Govern
ment that since the Indians do not
make the highest use of the soil, we
may take it from them, afIer reason
able compensation, as fast as the same
is needed for settlement. There is not,
| however, in the vast region cut by the
| Powder river road and now occupied
| by troops, u single settler or white per
son other than the hangers-on of the
army. No person save the pure minded
and patriotic army contractors would
be injured by such abandonment. The
army expenses for a single week would
be sufficient to perpetually tranquilize
the hostile tribes. Atthe expiration OF
ten or fifteen years, were IL deemed ad-
visabie to open the country for settle
mont, arrangements could be made
with the Indians accordingly, either by
setting apart certain portions as reser-
vations, or by removing them 10 some
suitable portion of our territory, be-
| tween Montana and Alaska.
| Very respectfully,
| Your obedient servant,