The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-17
INDIAN AGENCY REPORT.
AssHcv ov m
EAc Avn Fox lNpIANs n l0wA, I
YnRA SENT 81. l0N.

- SAC AND Fox inDIANs n i0vA,
TOLEDO. Iowa, Sept. -. i05A
p,,-yr ohed;eucetto the requirements
~ ne Indian Department at W ashsnevon,
Yh.yr I'M honor 70 submit herewith my
..rcrd ...ual report Of the condition Of
~ indixn. Agency under my caro-.
have No very important changes TO note
n regard to de indians in my charge
s;nce nv last report. This part OF the
tribe Of The 6ac and -Fox Indians OF the
Mississippi, embracing almobt one-half of
the whole remaining tribs.. reside on the
lands Of Tama County, Iowa, which they
Element was made BY permission Of. the
which Is not very valuable, 10 situated
xlong the Iowa river, and embraces an
area of AID acres. About 100 acres Of
this land are under cultivation; the bal.
Ance is used for pasturage for the ponies.
Nearly all Is enclosed with q substantial
fence Most Of the Indians have been To-
Gated this Summer, a. last Summer. on
from 3 to 10 acres per family and have
cultivated, under the direction Of the
farmer, well, what was assigned to them.
The number Of Indians is about the same
as reported last year, an increase Of three.
The number at this time is as follows
Men, 1903; Women, So; Boys, 70; Girls, II;
Total, 1888. Several old Indians and .
number Of children have died during the
past year The health Of the tribe, 10 I
general thing. is good; they have no cpl
demic disease among them, and very lit
tie scrofula or vencreal disease. that pre-
vail TO such an alarming extent among
.some tribes OF Indians. They have had
plenty of good food and clothing during
the past ycsr. In this respect there hes
been manifest improvement lately.
THEY WILL NOT m CrvI.YzKD.
With very few exceptions am not able
to report any very great progress In the
way of civilization during the. past year.
These Indians cling with great tenacity to
their old ideas. They follow their natur-
ri instincts, and regard these instincts 40
the voice of the Great Spirit" to them.
They are an intensely religious people IN
their way; they observe the ceremonies
OF their system OF religion with the great.
est punctuality and fervor Only few
have or seem to have a disposition 70
adopt the white mans ways Of living"
II they are to be civilized they must be
educated, and this cannot be done As long
rs they roam about more than half the
year engaged in hunting and trapping.
am of the opinion that there should be
system OF compulsory education inagura.
ted in the case of this tribe, il they are TO
remain in Iowa. contemplate asking
the Legislasure OF. Iowa for some legisla-
ton on this point. 1t is of the highest
importance that something be done that
these Indians be put in . condition that
they can tie reached by missionaries. Az
long as they persist in roaming over the
country at their pleasure it is utterly I'm.
possible to accomplish much in the way
Of their civilization and Contamination.
To-day you may be able to induce them
TO send their children to school, but tho
next day, in order to prevent their chill.
drcn from attending school, they are OF
ron hunting expedition with their squaws
and children.
About the usual number labored faith.
fully during last harvest for the neighbor-
ing farmers, binding wheat and making
hay: The statistical returns Of farming
for the year ending August 81, "a (which
herewith transmit show the individual
wealth of this tribe to he nearly Ga, 600,
not including their lands. They have too
many ponies They are dctriment to
them. have been trying to induce them
to exchange some OF their ponies for
COWS; trust will succeed by and by.
In conclusion, l have only to say such
is the unsettled condition Of these Indians
ut present, owing to the almost constant
agitation OF their removal to the Indian
Territory, but little can be done to civil
ize and Christianize them under the cir
cumstanccs. It is matter, therefore, Of
great importance that the question
whether they shall beallowed to re-
main in Iowa or 70 to the Indian
Territory should bedisposed of one
way or the other If they are per
mitted to remain where they now are, the
buildings necessary for educational and
missionary purposes should at once be
erected; If they must go, the fact should
be communicated to them distinctly, and
measures taken to accomplish the end
without delay
r HowyEuT