Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-10-11
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f,5*7 ISt, Louis Special Dot. 8.

y lSt. Louis Special, Oct. 8. ~.:
Secretary Sohurz who has been making
tour of the Indian agencies, and who Was at
Muscogee, in the Indian Territory, when
the recent Ute outbreak occurred, reached
here to-day on special train on his way to
Washington. He first learned that there
was trouble at the White River Agency upon
reaching Rock Greek, Wyoming, from the
Laramie mountains on September LIST.
ried on o-Denver for the purpose of con-
sulting with Gov. Pitkin and other persons
who might be conversant with the situation.
The Governor and others with whom he con-
versed at Deliver expressed the opinion
disturbance, and attributed the difficulty be-
tween the agent, Meeker, and the Indians to
the efforts of the former to make the Indians
work and to keep them on their reservation,
the Utes being repugnant to engaging in
any labor for self support; and also to the
circumstance that the Utee, in consequence
of the gradual encroachments of settlers
and miners in the vicinity of their reserva-
ton, had become convinced that they would
ultimately have to give up their lands. This
seemed to be the prevailing opinion at Den
YER. Nobody seemed to entertain the idea
that the Utes had been sufficiently provided
with food, and Secretary Schurz has no in
formation which would point to such state
of facts.
''It was reported to me-" said Secretary
Schurz, stthat the Utes had been hunting
outside of their reservation and burning the
woods for some time, and that they had
killed large number of elk, deer and ante
lope, leaving the carcasses of many of the
slain animals upon the ground, and taking
only the hides. This seemed to indicate that
they not only had enough to eat but they had
more than they could dispose of. The ex-
tensive burning of woods in Colorado
was also attributed to the mischievous spirit
of portion of the Ute tribe. had some
appointments to visit the Indians in the In
dian Territory, the non-fulfllment of which
would have been great disappointment to
those Indians. But for this circumstance
! would probably have gone from Denver
| across the mountains to the Ute reservation,
for the purpose of endeavoring to compose
the difficulties existing there by personal
effort. gave up this idea on &C
count of my promised visit to tribes in
the Indian Territory. now see that, had I
gone to visit the Ute reservation, should
have arrived there about the time of the
fight.
"The outbreak is very deplorable one,
especially as the condition of all the Indian
tribes which have visited is eminently
hopeful and gratifying. The policy followed
| by the department of gradually 4aing the
Indians self porting has borne excellent
fruit everywhere, and the Northern Ute
agency is the only place where it has met
with determined resistance. I am conf
dent that no malpractice can be attributed
to Agent Meeker, who is known and respect
ed all over the State Of Colorado as q man of
most unimpeachable integrity and large be-
nevolence. Neither do I think the Indian
Office is blamable in this case, for it has fol-
lowed the same policy with regard to the
Utes which has been pursued with very
gratifying success with the Sioux and other
tribes. As the case nov stands, operations
must, of course, be. now pushed with the
greatest possible energy to bring the ag-
gressive portion Of the Ute tribe to reason. .