The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-12-02
CARL sCHURz'S REPLY
Calling upon Gen. Sheridan for . Detailed
Equalization OF CharRes.

lie says that the correspondence. the necessity
OF which he sincerely regrets. grew out OF the
following facts:
on Aug ~, 1873, p r. Hunt United States Indian
AGENT, Informed Maor.Gcn Pope that on Sept !. the
kiowa and Comanche Agency would he consolidated
with the Wichita Agency, aud made the request that
company Of cavalry should be stationed at the Wichita
Agency 10 keep the more turbulent Indians IN place
and added that by such arrangement the officers
stationed there can make the inspections Of beef and
Hour thereby avoiding the weekly ride from Fort Sill
the Wichita Agency. as heretofore"
Gen Pope forwarded this request TO Lieut. Gen. shcr
dan. with hisdisnpprova and Lieut. Gen Sheridan put
upon 1t the following endorsement fully endorse the
views OF Gen Pope and am well satisfied, after an ex
porence OF more than twenty years. that the principal
objection Of troops at Indian agencies and the removal
OF Indian agencies away from military posts has for It's
main motive desire to cheat and deraud the Indians by
avoiding the presence Of officers who would naturally
see and rcportit
Against this enforcement demonstrated in letter TO
the War Department under date Of oct Z 1875 and now
Lieut. Gen Sheridan aud Gen sherman In their en-
dorscmcnts transmitted to me Nov rs that they have
been on the spot themselves and that the and
At Fort sill excellent and the buildings a good A. the
wichita Agency that the saving ofmoncy to be accom-
pshed by the consolidation Of the agencies will be few
hundred dollars only. while the removal OF the military
post from Fort sin to the Wichita Agency, which would
follow the consolidation. would cost $4,000. and that
me President In giving the order for the consolidation
OF Indian Nrsrs i'm adyisns n must have besn aecsiy
by an Indian Agent
Mr.. schuz says in reply that the present
Comanche and Wichita Agency had absolutely
nothing to do with the consolidation. either by
s ser , or oneEWss since no e was appolnted
upon. That measure had been under consid-
GRAFTON Tor years On Oct 10. 1872. Capt Henry
l.. Alyord, Commissioner to the Kowas. Co
manches, and other tribes in the western part
OF the Indian Territory instructed by the de-
partm9nt TO visit and inquire into the condition
OF the Indian tribes and their agencies in the
Indian Territory, reported as follows:
~ 4 change IN the legation Of this agency Hiowa and
have been placed Where Il Is The agency and he mil
tary post with their attachments monupolkc all the
wood water and grass " that vicinity making N out Of
the question Tor any Indians however well disposed to
eofe@ce to the post and The set gTcunds OF he
ecryaon That 10 passing from the latter 70 AMI from
or Just around the tort which Is very undesirable Con.
scqueuuy no Indians ut the located within
a year or more.
In tho same year, Superintendent Hoag ex-
pressed himself In his report to the Commits
stoncr OF Indian Affairs as follows:
BY reason Of influence: irressuby evil but little pro
n".t Win N. .nrTognainss nqcsn ,r 1se \, 1 ig
civilization No Indian agency should be- permitted at
formidable force l.demoralzins influence upon the In.
me- m No.. -, ~ ~. a., ~. w.. W. ~
beneficial results recommend the removal OF the kowA
northcasterly Of It's present location.
Mr.. Schurz continues:
Thus appears that The information from which the
Wichita Agencies appeared highly desirable WAS dc.
/ Ufn
YES and seen what was TO be seen with their own
eyes hu some Of whom had srcnt several wears there,
Among iht :, persons We're not ony Indian ssens but
w. ,9,,, ,nleIi9'endSnis anl Other gentlemen
and by the Board Of Indian Commissioners Their opinion
The cas- then stands thus Gen sheridan asserts that
the buildings ~ We hiowa ana Comanche Agency are As
main buildings may be expected 70 fall down NJ any
e"mmssary 64inss erected during lie past year under
ihc supervision q the military department. and trans
Ia ms tNV N IN las arY
both very ral and defective; OF them has leaned
s@f P' 10 p SSss o Isy N " ee have
That was shortly aner they had been erected by the
ported Il appears then. that the military had erected
that large amount Of money. Their subsequent
condition Is described In other reports here quoted
sarly have be replaced by others least enough
secondly 4. % The water; Gen sheridan lay. srsa.
pure water ~ that country, and adds that the large It
asi ue.s" The trouble !. only that ,he large
os,eS on s .S IN va, Srsfs are
tary post what Gen sheridan says Of the pure u
Now. mt dc military encampn, Sus ,Ga efees & not
- pare when It flows our o. e The sodiers receive that
case the military a. the reports De rcquecd state dn not
trcek above the ioft but the Indians. Who
have to gather IN large numbers below Port
OF that creek with tho additions has received in the
ports Il natural Therefore. that the Indians should
prefer water elsewhere which has not to rnn through a
such water without diacuty between Fort sill aud
,, IN hs r,at. son, SstRs c,es oS the ai
chlls, aud OF malaria diseases Is also worthy Of aucn.
Thrd-The land near Fort Sil be a. good as Gems
p0rts here inserted state dat tic cousumpuon of wood
aud gra.s aud hay and The use made OF thc water hy the
military a. Vel a, ihe grcunsiancc Nat ic couutrl
near for ~. Is much NOR TO d ought, Than we
generality conceded To rnntan land Of up, nor auttv
in agricultural point OF view render the ctucnc nt 0f
the Wichita Agency decidedly desirable thcsc Indians
~ avs ,' ~, r, ' - ., w N'"t anu
Fonrh-tne stealing q cattle and PONIES on the part Of
ng alanf H. d anpoya9 nee may sa
relative 10 NE iulahs or OF te lnda.s rgiauNe % the
military pot should be 50 grTansed a. to render NE m.
So.5e Of '''' A''''"' ''''' way as easy as
At present most the Indians located between the
post ami The Texas border ON the wcst and south and
ihc post cannotbe moved n i certainly best that the
| between thcm aud The Texas line
Gen sherman expresses The opinion that the consoi
iRnks ai the wicGita should he moved &c fSft sill and
WICHITA Agency This would appear to me a very I'm.
Wis measure Tor ,he ioll9wni reason N addition 10
are satisfactorily settled have ar.c tracts Of land
feeling Wen and arc rapidly improving from Year 70
year, Ine hinwa, anl 'rnn'n.' az ~ az mes, re-
the Wlchias woald be- 20 destroy very hopeful begin
der unfavoranle and discouragng circumstances The
Ecm9'a v inc ea,Mns AK an ,uT 1tt
away with much Dissatisfaction and enable them a.
| Tie down permanently under much more favorable and
oucouragng circumstances Both Will gain the Nichtas
hy ing aud the klnwas aud Comauches BY moving
| while the Government service wall he simphhed and
| much money saved.
caly -eaks Of this measure having for ITS principal
motive desire 20 cheat and dcfraud the Indians hy
avoiding the presence ~ officers who would naturally
aud report IT, and this on an endOrscme Mt
| muncauun from the FIRST agent Of the consolidated
agency requesting that officer be stationed az thai
agency expressly tor the very purpose among Other
| things. OF masking regular inspections.
TINS is on level with thr humauon recently putiorih
hy tcu sheridan In another Official paper. that the
moyal OF the Red cloud AMI spotted Tall Sioux OWNS
10 systemAuc working up ON the part NJ traders and
contractors while that removal was known To- be or
dered on the earnest advice Of Gen. Crook These
stances TO show with what leyy such charges
INDUCED in
tary OF the Interior and the Commissioner uf Indian Al
fairs after the latter had permitted themselves 10 be de
eeyed ny some Indian Agent, and that tho whole PRO
cecdlng aimed AT the removal Of the military post
from Fort sill 10 the Wichita Agency, whchNoud
| an expense of slOhOiu
may assure Gen sherman that nobody In this depart
ment dreams of removing the military post. This de
partmont desires Fort sill to remain exactly where Is
An that contemplated u.s. that the Indians be located
rs have Fort sill between them and the Texas line
and be placed on better locations between Fort Sill
| aud the Wichita Agency, where they can make perma
settlement, as to be supplied from the latte
point which will better promote the welfare Ut the ndi
ans and save large sum VI money annually TO the Gov
| eminent
The statoning of company OF cavalry the Wichita
Agency will probably not be needed and may say her,
| lie reou of that M adj