New-York tribune., 1871-11-08
THE CALIFORNIA INDIANS.

GOOD EFFECTS OF KINDNESS, EDUCATION, AND
CHRISTIAN INFLUENCES-WSDOM OF THE
PRESENT HUMANE INDIAN POLICY DEMON
sTRATED.
HooPA VALLEY INDIAN RESERVATION, Kla-
math County, Cal, Oct l0.-Perhaps few words from
this distant locality regarding the working of the Pres
dents Indian Policy may be interesting. Ths rsssrya
ton is in the northern part Of California near the Oregon
boundary, and established in 1894 The Indians at
that tme 700 in number inhabited this and surrounding
countless and the dread and terror Of the whites
This s beautiful valley, about five miles long, and sur
rounded by lofty mountains, rough and preoipitOus In
the extreme Tho Trinity River through the entire
length Of the valley. Last Winter the President gave
the several agencies of the California Indians to persons
nominated by the Conference Of the Methodist Church
The Rev. D. H. LOury commissioned agent for this
reservation and entered upon his duties in March.
bringing with him six Christian families empoyes
When they came here they anticipated more less diff
fculty In managing the Indians and what else could
they expecti Seven years since, these were at war
AGENT Mr. stockton Ever sne s the
bauched White men, with squaws for their mistresses;
numerous haibreed children whito 90 their fathers
%erS poisoned against the Whites and some Of the most
prominent ones threatened to leave saying new agent
agents tried In vain for some time to induce the Indians
to TO the school they established and to attend he
religious services but they had empty houses and vacant
seats for their palms. the Indians saying they wanted to
icateh" them-''white man tell them So" The agents
did all they could to countcract these evil influences, and
finally succeeded They have harvested 500 acres Of hay
and grain without single Indians refusing to work and
have never had to punish one for disooedienee Ihey
have established school, and numbers OF children who
had idea Of the alphabet are now rapidly earhng 70
write and can readily read words Of five or SIX Letters
large Sunday school Ia also In successful operation An
organ used IN both day and sundaysehools delights
the pupils; and they readily follow their teacher In
singing simple school melodies; they can DO heard
1ummpg these tSS% SVer ,sc eeyeuts Of Christi
,anty and every Sabbath tell them some Bible story
which interests them We have little hope OF benefit
ing materially, the old Indians but have all confidence
In being able TO cvze and Chrisanize the rising gen
Grafton provided the Presidents policy s carried out TO
its full extent 1t viii take time but u ls p0ssDe anu M
practicable There six Christian families on th,
reservation and their influence and example cannot ia
of proving sautary Indeed, already see decided
Improvement In their dress and manners.
our hands have been full since the day of our arrival
There were few convenences for so many fames as al
the empoyes whom succeeded save two, lived Win
souaWe in old tumbe-down houses. We Oil hudded 10
gther for the first two weeks in the agents house but
we are now all comfortably housed. We have erected
six new buildings, and now engaged In building
savmi capable of saving 10000 feet Of lumber per day
and hope the coming year to furnish many Indians iu
ber with which they may build comfortable dwellings,
fort tunm6plNeg.