The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-08-31
WASHINGTON NEWS.
An Indian Agent on the Situation or
the Poor Plegans.
STARVATION STARING AT THEM.
No More Old Rags From Europe for -,
Present-PostaiC Congress Postponed
on Account OF Cholera-Nu-
tienal Debt Reduction.

WAsHissroN, Aug. 3o.-In regard 10
the reports of the distressed condition
OF the Piegan Indians, Acting Commis-
sioner Stevens to-day stated thnt the
ihuian Office Is In no wise to blame for
the condition of affairs. Al the last
session OF Congress- the Commissiones.
requestod an appropriation Of $75. 600 f,,.
me maintenance OF these Indians. This
amonnt was, In the opinion OF the
pureau. the smallest sum that would
su!nce Tor tho purpose, but the House
Gut .ne estimate down to $4,000. The
isn 5ena,e NV increased the appropriation 10
@0UO, and this money, although nsaT
10 the best advantage, Is not enonyh -
ieeu tho Indians during the wear or
august llth Agent Allen made the fol-
lowing report upon the subject:
Ohuer date OF June fth, 1884. wro4.
yonr once, reviewing the estimate far
supplies made by my predecessor. Johr
ioung, Tor The year ending june a0th
1850, and showed that the amount ~
ulost estiinsted for WAS only one-fourth
Lhe quantity required and Hour opIy
apout one-third the quantity requireX.
no asked Tor 100000 pounds Of beef
Sross' ana only 10000 pounds
one-tifth rations or less than fye o,nna..
per day for each person. The flour nnr'
vnased FOR the current fiscal wear Give.
less Than six ounces per day To each nes-
SON ou such allowance, having notL.
ing olse, how could they avoid staryingf
! Wlegtaphed you | have supplies Tor
presont needs. If were to divide xe o0s
pounds sof beef gross by fiftv.tw~
number OF weeks In q ear and issne.onI
sns. amount, the needs would not u
met pnt am Issuing more than that
anu VIII continuelo do no while / hnye
~ oil manu-, lot thesV Indians shall NOT
W iio y, s.ar rvati9n whlis have anything
W gave then. " tne suhply runs ont the
I,usponsioni,y ,sy may rest where Il belongs.
berries, and these help to prsyant st.-
yation, for the Indians uatbsr
and eat them In great o,i..-
titles; bnt the berries viii 500.
be gone, and then there will be nothiue,
but meat and -four. II should be boras
IN mind that at no time since Assumes
charge OF this agency has thore been \
single pound OF rice, beans, homIny.
oatmeal or anything OF that kind 10 give
the Indians. DO you wonder that itlin
reported that they are starvingf N
May and June there were times whun
lhey stripped trees and ate the bark 10
NovP .thvit noulh hnu DOuloh tOqetloF.
and all the time they were begging fcr
food. at one time issued over o0.OC0
pounds OF bacon that had not reccipled
for, and that had been condemned nv
the Board OF Survey. I would ney,r
have done NO had they not been In a
starving condition. Just now thew are
not suffering, butln short time the bcr-
fies Will be gone and the supplies wifi
be run low, and the carpenter will aQ AIN
DO kept busy making burial boxes, un-
less something can be done In the wsw
or getting them additional food.
The Acting Secretary Of the Treasurv
has issued the following circular: Ne
tice is hereby given that the unloading
OF old rags arriving at ports Of the Unltsd
states nom foreign ports on and after
the lst prox. II prohibited for throe
months nom that date.
A cablegram was to-day received st
the post-ofiico department. announcing
the postponement until February next.
OF the International Postal Congress
which was To have assembled at Lisbon,
Portugal, on October LIST. Tho postpone.
ment was probably made on account Of
the existence Of cholera quarantines In
southern Europe.
II Is estimated that the decrease 4.
the public debt during August, will
reach s9,0O00Oo.