Arizona citizen., 1878-03-08


 Maj. H. l.. Hart, agent, has endeavored to procure suitable tools for these h. dians, the Department has not yet au- their purchase, and Indians are actually digging with sticks, and with baskets of their own making. are carrying and throwing the dirt and gravel out of ditches. They make slow progress, but considering their tools, hardly any other people would make any attempt at such work. They are well behaved and with reasonable assistance from government united with firm and just civil management, they will ere LoIg become selfsup- porting SO far as the substantials off life are concerned. Arriving at the main Agency and finding the follow ing issue-day, Mir Valentine and Capt. Moor decided to remain till noon and witness the Issue and observe the h. dlans and their conduct. About 5000 are rationed here. All the Indians dol not appear for ra.ions, but representa-
 tives of all families do. The ration tickets are issued the day before the rations,
 and in some instances, many tickets are given to one person who draws in al bulk for all he represents, and the divi-
 sion made afterwards. This plan seems economical inasmuch as the wastage is less. There seems 10 be noI dissatisfaction in any respect save of
 the character which arises among all people, and relates to differences be-
 tween individuls. A source of annoy
 ance to the agen., is the polygamy
 practiced. At the tine of OUT visit, a couple of EskimiHin's wives had left
 him for some reason, and he was away
 after them. He thought they had gone to the San Pedro An attempt was
 made by chief Disalin to kill Agent
 Cum, and employees Beauford and
 Sweeney, because they interfered with
 his asserted right to fog his wives
 when and as he chose, he holding that
 he had bought and paid for them and
 hence had an undisputed right to
 thrash them. Agent Hart says the practice IS diminishing, as are some
 other savage but not altogether Indian barbarities. A case of drunkenness is
 rare. Education is greatly desired for
 the young-the old ones admitting
 the impracticability of themselves
 making much progress even if earnest | ly attempted. They have accumulated
 many head of cattle and sheep from
 saving of stock issued to them as ra-
 tions. Eskiminzin has some 200 sheep
 and 60 cattle But for his peoples
 welfare, he would abandon the reserva-
 ton, take up a piece of public land,
 occupy and cultivate it as citizens
 generally do. He has perfect conf
 dence in the friendly disposition of the
 people. He formerly thought the citi
 zens wanted to fight hlm and hls peo pie and did not want peace. He now is convinced of his error and so arc
 the Indians generally. He is the most influential chief and therefore his own
 views of life and its necessities and
 obligations will be more or less i'm pressed upon all. Diablo is only next in influence and holds about the same
 opinions. If ever these Indians leave the reserve for unlawful purposes, they will do SO because of hard abuse ol sheer neglect to provide them absolute necessities. Agent Hart seems to pos } sess their confidence and to have controlling influence over them. think he feels q want of cordial o deserved support 5y the Department and he or any other honorable agen
 should have it to succeed well. If tn, Department cannot give hlm such sup 9 port, then others should be appointed - whom it can. The responsibility i very great. NIT. Hart feels it and con 8 templates a visit to Washington with Q hope that he can secure deserved sur t port and confidence, and failing c e success to voluntarily make room fo a another. In this connection, it is proI l CT to remark, that Mir. Valentine an Capt. Moore were particularly please e with the orderly conduct, unIversa l. good nature and familiar but entirel t respectful ways of these Indians. The e observed the quality, kind and amour T. of rations issued, serving as it were i y place of that superhuity known as n military inspector who was not presen J. and were gratified to personally lear l of the base falsehoods about the issu, o And, by the way, after performing tn acknowledged humiliating and unnet t essarv service of inspector for som l, months, Lieut.. L. A. Abbott succeed '. ed in getting relieved, and Lieut.. Hem '- ley is expected to soon assume tn '- duties. The party were given ever 'f facility to see and learn the practic' 8 workings of the agency. They sa' y many of the passes returned by th | Indians, and found that in a larg
 majority of instances, they were give '. to enable the Indians to work in tu e mines at various kinds of labor, th d object being to get money to bu 'f things not supplied by Uncle San $ The pass system is valuable to the Il '- dians, and was perhaps never mol