Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-10-10
NUMBER 15.
The Indian Outbreak

me 4uSl1u SHsITelA
In Northern Colorado, in its main features,
appears to he about the old story. The
White River Utes are a tribe of about eight
hundred Indians, well armed, warlike, and
Of superior capacity. Their reserve has for
two years past been visited continually by
parties of white men seeking settlement and
prospecting for gold. The Indian agent
known as Father Meeker''-who, it is now
feared, has fallen a victim to the outbreak
has succeeded up to the present year in send
ing the most of these unlawful visitors away,
but their visits have been a source of con-
stant irritation to the Utes, and the tribe has
burned down many settlers cabins and fire.
quently set fire to the grass and sage-brush
to smoke out hunters and miners. Last
June there was fresh invasion of the reserve
by miners. The Indian Bureau refused per-
mission for mining operations, but did not
succeed in keeping out the white intruders.
A great deal of ill-fecling arose among
the Utes, the result of which was that parties
of the latter committed a number of
petty depredations on the white settlers of
the region outside of the reserve In July
an application was made to the War Depart
ment for troops to send the Indians back to
the reservation. The application was re-
sponded to, and from that time up to Sep
tember last the Ctes conducted themselves
peacefully.
On the Sth of September Agent Meekcr re-
ported that few of the Utes had insisted
that he should discontinue the ploughing of
certain piece of land which they wanted
for the pasturage of their ponies. As it was
near the agency and was the most available
tract for an agency farm, land as there was
abundant pasturage elsewhere for Indian
herds, he continued the work of cultivation,
after promising to remove the tents and cor
rails placed there by the Indians to another
suitable locality The Indians fired on the
plOughmen. The agent called a council,
which resulted finally in reluctant consent
on the part of the Indians TO have the work
proceed. \ few days later, Agent Meeker
was assaulted by leading chief, Johnson,
and injured badly, but was rescued by his
employees. Mr.. Meeker feared that his life
was in danger. and asked for troops to arrest
the turbulent Indians and enforce order,
whereupon Major Thornburgh was ordered
TO the White River Agency, and it was dur
ing his march thither that he was attacked
by powerful and well-armed force of the
Utes
There is every probability of serious time
with the Utes. They belong to tribe which
retains its primitive savagery more than any
other in the West, and they have long been
famous for their naughty manners and indie
pendent spirit Native industrial arts flour
ish among them to a greater extent than
among other aboriginal tribes, and they have
displayed in all their affairs high degree of
intelligence and ability. Though Captain
Payne reports that he killed large numbers
of them, it will turn out, we presume, that
the preponderance of loss was, as usual,
largely on the side of the troops. The troops
which have been ordered to reinforce Payne
make force of nearly 1000 men; and it is
hoped that he will be able to hold his own
till they arrive.