New-York tribune., 1880-06-26
SUPPLIES FOR THE INDIANS.

| THE WAY IL WHICH HEY ARE PURCllAS ED.
| MAGNITrpR OF 1IiE WORK uF HE INDIAN BUREAU
GREAT CARE FXERCIsED ~ AWARDING coz
TRACES AND ~ SEEING THAT THEY ARE CAR
EIID Otr-INDIAN PBGJUDICES WHICH MUST
BE EE-rECiED.
In the Indian Department at Washington
4 stored - 900 worth ~ patent medicine. when was
uurcnsc some years for the Indians 10y nn of'ia
f rr I,dlnn Bur,au. When This was Sont West at Inc
nne It was found that tie IndiIns were never subject
10 the dihci-c for winch tails mrdicne was supposed 10
he cure Efforts were madc to induce them 10 use the
mrdt-nr a. a trbc luxury. These failed, however. and
# had to be- shipped back Ia Washington.
The pnrcha-cS OF the Indian Bureau for the ensuing
year are n0w eng made IN ths city. reporter OF
TIE TmBUSE recently visited the hradquarcrs of the
Eurrau At Nos o. aud g. woostcr-s, to inquire INTO
tr nrihods OF bu inct1 rne purchases, owIHS 70 the
illness Of Commissioner Il. t. Tr0wbrdgc. of Washing
tom are made hY c0matrc OF the Indian ComIils-
soncrs Of which William H. Lyon. of ms city, Is char
man Ti, committee is assisted in work by Major
Iorkwood chief c.crk Of the Inferior Department. nnd
" J. Pollork one Of the United States ludian Inspect
or, Mr. Pollock said to the reporter IN s HGiDg Of tho
Indian Bureau: Very lew people have any
idea OF the magnitude OF the business
Gone by the Indian Bureau II costs S1.O0O,OOO an
pu,lIy 10 maintain IT, or this money $30O0.00O is cx-
nrulpi IN making PURCHASES for thc Indians Thrr" ic
NJ present ~ Indian agencies and 10000 Indians
III the United States 1t has been supposed until re-
Gently that the Indians wcrr dying out gradually THIS
WIS a mistake. Their numbers are increasing every
ycar-roi rapidly, 1t ~ true, bn; steadily"
"ln what way do YOU assist the COmmiS "Oners III
making thcir pIrchasrs, Mr. PolockF
am here simply 10 tell them what goods THINK
Will he most acceptable to the Indians. They have 80
many urculIar tastes almost impossible for
ursou not acquainted with their habits TO tell what
will satisfy them For example they have an uncOn-
oucrabe aversion TO gray cloth. The reason they assign
for This Is that the Cunfcdcratrs gray Nothing
could induce them cloth OF that color Paste
beads they abOminato, nnd wclbred Indian
never wears anything except glass bead They are very
proud aud will never wear any hing that tboy think II
cheap or second hand. The QulKers have the s-caed
suiruaI charge Of the OtOc Agency I'm Nebraska
Several years ago they bought lot Of second hand cloth
g near PnIaIephia and sent 1t out TO Otoe The cloth
ing WAS iu excellent condition and vauble present
Th Injiaus however were very indignant that anycnc
sboud dare TO oiR,r them such present. Are we
nves' thoy said TO wear old clothes All this c'Oh
tn Il stored away TO this day In the Quaker school
hOuse near OtOc' - .,.o r,,,t.r.qu
." Nearly twenty years. In 1850 l bnitrd west 10
seek my fortune among The nlhrs ana sln,u u,. siH
have been with the Indians anio1I i" isG7
have beeu connected with the Indian Buru SINCE looI
sneak most Of tho languages of tho Indians IN Tue
How are the contracts awarded by the Indian Com
| "TEe system by which this Is done is one that has
/ heen gradually introduced since 1870. Before thht
time there WA absolutely no inelhod uaen ti
the limited states had been dealing WIN ms question
Ter ,riry n Lnudrtd Years. Before 1879 all purchases
f. Era Drpartmcl WtrJ nude In Opoh murkct III al
AGENT wanted any thng' ho went anu oous ~
Ind ANY relative buSlneSs Wllhln lehcn ho usuhLy
his patronage Under tb' "'"'"SL S'F"n ah