Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1875-11-17

Montana Herald, writes thus of the
Blackfeet Indian Agency, Superin.
tended by Maj. John s. Wood, of this
city:
BLACKFEFT AGENCY.
Ina brief time we drive beneath
the arched gateway and are soon made
comfortable and heartily welcomed
BY the little community here station
ed at the northernmost extremity OF
our journey. Tho Agent, Major
Wood, 10 absent at Badger creek, sup
orintending the construction OF the
new agency post, but Mrs. Wood, .
most estimabIe and cultured lady, aud
her two daughters, Louella and Fran.
cis, are ''at home :" % also tho Agents
brother, Mr.. Q. a. Wood, DIR. A. e.
Hill, tho Agency surgeon and physi-
clan; Mr.. John Rsinford, Secretary,
and his accomplished and agreeable
wife; the veteran Interpreter, Henry
Robare, and other. Tho farmer has.
tens forward to take care of onr horses
and DR.. Hill bundles ms off to his
bachelor quarters, where we dnst,
wash and refresh Ourself with .
draught of delicious spring water and
puff at q choice cigar. We stopped
several days with the good folks here,
most agreeably entertained, and
spending portions of two days in sue
cessful hunting and fishing expedi.
tions with that prince of sportsmen,
DR.. Hill. Grouse and chickens are
plentiful everywhere along the Teton,
while trout are abundant in the pools
OF Spring creek and the main stream
of tho valley. Pleasant evenings were
passed at the family quarters, where
the Misses Wood and Mrs. Rainsford
entertained us with vocal and instru-
mental music, and Mrs. Wood related
some interesting episodes of Indian
life. Practical reforms, looking TO the
elevation morally and otherwise of
the numerous tribal bands of Black
feet under the jurisdiction of this Agen
cy, have been instituted and carried
successfully forward by Major Wood.
The Agent returned on the evening
of the day preceding our departure,
and what information his assistants
had not already given US Of Indian
matters he fully supplied. Whiskey
selling has been effectually shut out
from the reach of the Red men, and
drunkenness and crime are no longer
occurring in the country. The abol-
ishment OF polygamy among the tribes
has been consented to and the Indians
are now content to take but one wife.
British appellations applied to.chiefs,
warriors, women and children. are
eventually to be done away with alto
gether, and Christian names sub
scribed to instead. The Agency
school, taught by the Agents dsngh-
ter, Is full to its capacity, and the
scholars are being rapidly tutored In
elementary educational exercises. We
have never visated primary white
school where the little ones better &C.
quilted themselves In singing than q,
this Blackieet Agency Indian school
THE NEW AGENCY,
Fifty miles north Of the Teton, on
Badger Creek, is going up. Tempora
ry quarters are about completed, and
the Old Agency will Be abandoned
by the last of the present or the fore
part of next month. A steam saw
mill is on the ground, and squared
logs are being sawed for the perman
ent structures. Major Wood is il
charge of the work, and personally
attends to the details of the construc
ton, and takes hand at the heavy
work, even. He speaks f1atteringly
of the new location, and says in wood
water, stone, and ground for cultiva
tion, the site is all he could desire. IT
/ isolation is the principal objection tt
lit, and even in this respect he think
the Agency will be better off thar
those along the Missouri. We confes
to the impression that Major Wood i
the right man i'm the right place, ant
that he is one ofmany eminently fitted
for the responsible position he is call
ed upon to fill. His knowledge O
Indian character enables him to man
age the wards under his charge effect
! lively, and his judgement seldom Il
ever errs in the efficacy of plans adopt
ed for their government.