The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-01-14
A FEW SIMPLE STATEMENTS.

A FEW SIMPLE STATEMENTS.
BELLEFoSTArxE, ONO, Dec o3rd, "a.
EDITOR CHRONICLE:
NJ attention has just been called to an
editorial in your paper Of the 18th, re
flecting on me personally. Itsecins to me
in this case the old adasc is again veri-
fed. THAT if any one hunts for flowers
he will find flowers, but If he hunts for
vermin he will find vcrnin." l am will
ing to believe that you have been misled
by not having Knowledge Of the facts in
the case, for surely you would not know
ingly and maliciously so deeply injure a
stranger who never did you any harm
that he is aware of.
But will you allow one who feels him
self deeply injured by your editorial Of
the 18th make few simple statements in
explanation of thtS Charges you make
against hims
In regard to the Indian land being al
most enclosed by substantial fence"
Here find that a paragraph was lief, out
Of the original report either in TRANSCRIPT
ing or printing 1t should read "the bal
ance referring to the Indian land) is used
for pasturage for the ponies. The trespass
Of their ponies On the premises Of the
neighboring farmers is a frequent source
Of dissatisfaction, and this could be
easily remcdicd if they would but allow q
fence to be joined to ncighbors on the
southwest and on the north. In this way
tile source of difficulty could be easily re.
moved as nearly all is enclosed with q
substantial fence" sincerely regret the
omission of this paragraph which you will
at once see is necessary to make the sense
complete. do not say in my report that
fence belongs to the Indians. l had nc
reference to the little fields fenced off by
the Indians, but l desired to show the
Department that this source of complaint
Could be easily stopped if the Indians
would only allow fence to be made al
the points referred to. There is fence
aleng the r. r. on the cast, and Mr..
Burgess fence on the south, and there is a
fence on the west; on the north towards
Montour it is open if my memory serves me
right. l was making arrangements to
fence these several gaps, but the Indians
objected These believe are the simple
facts in the case. insist what said
about that fence is correct. You say ''there
are not Is rods of substantial fence be-
longing to these Indians All l have to
say in answer to this statement is-go and
see for yourself Look on the east of the
X. r., there is Joseph Tesso's and John
Ne-mo-k's, then west of the r. r. and over
towards the river you have Mcintosh,
and Ko-no and Magces and others.
My judgment IS that these fences arc
Substantial fences"
2. In regard to the amount of land under
cultivation. 1say in my report about
100 acres. never measured the land but
] supposed it to be about that amount.
dion. L. Clark, former agent, more relia-
1sble citizen you have not in your county,
an his reports estimates the amount of
land cultivated about 100 acres, (sce Re-
ports for 1868 &C., u and since his time at
least 10 or IL acres have been cleared and
put under cultivation. Imay be mistaken
rs to the amount, but endeavored to
estimate the amount correctly.
3. According to my advice quite num-
Der Of families did erect their tents on lots
of land they cultivated as reported.
These lots of land were assigned to them
much 81 tfe work, it is also true that the
men, on those lots referred to, did q good
deal Of work. ! do not say in my report
that the men did the work but "the fami-
lies did the work. and my son says he
did advise and direct them.
4. In regard to the property of the
tribe. The agent is only asked to approx
mate the wealth. endeavored to do this
to the best of my ability. had to rely
on the Indians manly for facts. They re-
ported to me that they had in their posses
sion as property about 2S5 ponies, and that
the Average value of their ponies per head
was about $40 each, saying that their
FORMER agent valued them at $i5 each,-
which would make. ....... S12, 8o5
Their corn, beans, potatoes, pump
kins, &C., l set down at. ........$ 1000
The money and valuablcs ....... 400
Aot"I. IL, go
But regarded the valuation of their
ponies too high so said in my report that
they are worth nearly $4,000" believe
this to be NEARLY" if not quite correct.
'ihc former agent in his report of farming
statistics, estimates their wealth, mot in
Guiding lands) at $l3.2l5, (see Report for
1871, pages 5l6.) think he was as, care
full as was in making my report. | see
by report of 1868 they reported 265 ponies
they now report 2S5. think my estimate
is not too high.
5 With regard to the school-house. In
your editorial of the 18th you say, that
an appropriation of 81 200 has
been Tong since made by Congress for the
purpose Of building school house vet
not one step has been taken towards hav-
ing such building erected" is pro-
baby (you say) part Of the bank capital
u the institution where the degenerate
offspring of the mighty missionary nov
drdsos salary as bank clerk while his paw
IS Indian farmer in Tama county, Iowa
IS IT'LL going on" Congress did make an
appropriation last sprung Of 81, 200 for the
purpose of building school-house on the
indian lands in lama Co., Iowa. How do
Iou know that mot one step was taken
owardss building such houses wish
0 say to you and all, that all was done
hat could be to carry out the object
Il the appropriation. 1t was deem
d best to try to get the consent of |
he Indians first that the building
night be erected on their lands (Which
held in fee SIMPLIFY The matter was
brought before them and discussed at |
hrec meetings of the tribe, and at each
meeting the proposition was unanimously
'otcd down, and was moreover assured
y one OF the Indians whom l believed
hat the house would be burned if built.
n view OF these and other facts equally
important. advised the Indian Depart
aent against erecting the school-house
niece building could be erected at the
anne time as residence for the agent and