Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1882-03-30
THE UTE INDIANS.
lgnacio and His Tribe Threatening
to Go on the War-Path.

years ago they laid waste the agency
and adjacent buildings, massacred in
cold blood the agent and employees and
carried into a captivity worse than
death three white women. The mill
tary post is near the site Of Meeker's
buildings, and the garrison consists Of
the greater portion of the 14th regi-
ment of infantry. Down the river lis
miles, at its junction with the Green
river, is the new agency called Ouray,
after the celebrated chief whose death
robbed the Utes of one of the most
progressive men of Tue ian blood that
ever lived, and at the same time de-
prived the whites of a true and most
devoted friend. This spnt, a most
desolate place, has been selected as the
agency of the White River Indians
and all the Utes of the Tabequache
bands, who were formerly in the
fertile valley of the Uncompahgre
river. Dissatisfaction prevails, as
matter OF course, for the selection of
this worthless land was a piece of
jobbery, being done to favor a wealthy
cattle man in Utah named Pepper,
who is said to have bought up some of
the Indian commission. The soil is so
poor that the Indians are loud in their
complaints, and the military garrison
OF the 9th infantry, sent there as a
guard to the agency, went across the
stream and camped on the opposite
bank of Green river. The White
River Utes have begged to be removed
up the river toward this post. The
matter Is under consideration, but it is
doubtful whether the senators from
Colorado will not oppose it bitterly, as
this move would bring the Utes back
again within the northern borders of
the state, from which they were ex-
PEELED by congressional legislation,
passed only after the mrst arduous
efforts in both the senate and house of
representatives. The post at the new
agency has been named by Gen. Crook
Fort Thornburgh, after the late Major
Thornburgh, and most appropriately,
as he lost his life in the massacre of
our troops by these same Utes while
marching to this agency in September,
1879.
1t was the intention of Gen. Pope to
remove this garrison in the coming
spring, but various events have &C.
CURED to show that the Utes are too
well satisfied with the money and pres
ents received since the outbreak and
massacre to remain quiet. The In
dams trading here have intimated as
much, and they will undoubtedly op-
pose the settlement of any part of the
valley in the west, of which they were
dispossessed by the last treaty. Gen.
Sheridan anticipates an outbreak in the
spring, and has determined that the
Utes shall not find the troops UMPIRE
pared. One Of the oldest and best
scouts in the service. Gibson, has re,
ported to General Pope, the depart
ment commander, that there are indi-
cations OF a concerted outbreak next
spring on the part Of the Utes, some of
the Apaches, and part of the Nava-
jos. To provide for an emergency the
construction of a telegraph line was
ordered from here to the nearest point
on the Union Pacific railroad. The
survey and report have been concluded
and the line will be erected as soon as
the weather permits. The Southern
Utes are very greatly dissatisfied, and
for many very good reasons. Their
lands are small in extent, the grazing
area for their ponies is very limited,
and the cattle of settlers encroach on
every side in the valley of the La Plata
river. To avoid a collision with the
whites, and also to get them out of the
limits of Colorado, Senator Hill has in.
troduced, and is pushing a bill to set
aside for them land in the beautiful
valley Of the Uintah, in Utah. 1t is.
therefore, not improbable that the
Mormon country may very soon en-
brace within its limits all the five tribes
of Indians, after which Utah takes its
name. The Southern Utes are the most
warlike of all the five tribes, and if they
break out and take to the warpath it
will be no child's play. OF all the
tribes of Indians in the United States
among two only have seen finer bucks
than the Southern Utes-namely, the
Nez Perces and the Crows of the north
west.
Ignacio, the chief of the Weeminu-
ches, which is the largest and most
powerful tribe of the Utes, has the
ability and endurance to make himself
as greatly feared as Sitting Bull in the
north and Victoria in the south. He
is man of wonderful physique, over
six feet in height, with characteristic
Indian face. He has risen to his pres.
ent prominence by his prowess and
bravery in action, his chieftainship not
being hereditary. For many years
Ignacio has been kept from the warpath
by his friendship for a well-known
white named Pfeiffer, who is now
dead, and whose counsel will be sadlv
missed. Pfeiffer was an officer of vol.
unteers during the civil war, and rose
to be lieutenant colonel of the we'll
known regiment Of New Mexican
troops of which his friend and com.
rade, Kit Carson, was the colonel. Be
fore the war Pfeiffer had been an agent
for the Utes and had become warmly
attached to his wards, leading them in
fight with the Navajo Indians. The
Utes called him Tata, or chief, and his