The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1886-01-26
Letter From Montana
UNITED STATES INDIAN SERVICE ]
FORT PEcK AGENCY. :

\ = FLAX ShEEh NUN ~ sC. 20, 1907 ]
I DEAR SrIRrs W. +. okey and W ILL
! West have been hard at work to-day re
capitulating the different kinds of prop
erty preparatory 10 making out the in
voices and receipts, Tomorrow, Wed
nesday, Maj Parker and will compar,
lists and on Thursday evening he viii
sign the invoices as Agent, ani Friday
morning will take charge and sign thu
receipts.
S0TH IN TIT is now 9 o'clock her,
and III in Woodsield aud the good peo
pie Of that town are, no doubt, all il
bed.
Maj Parker. ". F. Oxey and have
been very busy all day making out 6
voucher containing al the property ant
just finished it a few moments since, ex.
cept a few articles which are in the ware
house and have to he weighed to-mor.
row, Mr.. Eaton and myself will do tha,
tomorrow, while Parker and W. F
Okey go a'ead making out vouchers and
receipts. Tomorrow evening, 3lst, will
close the work of that kind. Friday
morning will sign bis receipts and the
Agency will change hands.
31sT INST Have heen busy all day
and have matters in shape for Maj Par.
ker to sign vouchers tonight. / VII
sign receipts in the morning and take
charge.
JANUARY l, 1SS6.-WelI, after numer.
Gus delays ard vexations l am IN full
possession as Agent and have had my
hands full all day The first thing this
forenoon was the issuing Of IA head Of
beef-56 quarters Of beef, aud l wish
my readers could have seen the two or
three hundred sqlaws, and old men
crowding about the beef house door.
had to call two policemen, who made su
isle and had them go up one at time,
present their tickets, get their beef and
retire. They are like gang Of raven.
Gus wolves. Most OF them take the bee'
in their arms without regard to whether
1t greases and dirties their Clothes or not
The boys are ticklei, especially Wayne.
l have put W. F Osey in charge of the
supplies In the Warehouse; Wayne is as
sisting him and you ought to see him
flying round; lie keeps an account o.
everything; has just gone over with a
policeman to get him 4 lound bacon and
candle for police tepee.
the Police called this evening, IL Of
them and three made speeches. replied
through the Interpreter, Billy Cross, q
half.breed. to each at considerable
length They went away well pleased
Thew came Mr.. Carpenter, Sup't of
the school and we talked an hour abou,
the school, the children, and the man
age,uent ami arrangements generally.
Tomorrow afternoon l am to have q
big talk with the chiefs and head men.
Thew eamethis morning arraYed in their
Eagle feather head dresses and best tog.
cry, but I informed them that nothing
could be done to day in that line. They
delight TO recite their wrongs, tell that
they own all the land here, that Agents
get rich by s,a' wing thom, that they want
to work and earn money and more stuff
of the same sort. l don't permit my
self TO be surprised, or astonished al
anything see or hear. That is an In
dians trait and in persuing the course
do. l am simply following their lifelong
custom.
2D INST II am very tired tonight
THIS morning l went into the Office,
wrote 7 letters. issued circular to em
ploves, a special order to the blacksmith
and carpenter for the immediate repair
of wagons, farming implements DC. By
that time dinner was really.
After dinner the Indians assembled in
front OF the residence to the number OF
several hundred. Tue Interpreter and
I went out and informed the chie's that
we were ready for the "talk" to com.
mence. There were about or s hundred
of them.
Skin Of the Heart spoke first; Ca,
Fish next; Back Tiger next then Deer
Tail ani Medicine Bear. Then another
chap spoke few words in behalf of the
laborers, those who saw wood, haul va
ter &c.
After all had spoken I replied. Told
them what I intended to do for them end
what thev must do for themselves
After The talk we gave them 6 sacks
o. e ,ur, 4 sides OF mea', l sack OF su.
gar and | sack Of coffee and they are
having big feast to.aight. R,ader,
wish you could have seen them to-day
with their feathers, paint, showy blank.
ets, hea1 dresses, long stemmed pipes
&c.. DC. They are we'll pleased with
their new Father Bat it is always thai
way with an Indian Fill him up and
he says: "Wash-ta"'-good.
Towards evening the farmer and Q
number of Indians had an exciting time
voking four steers to break for oxen =
They finally got them yoked, but mo-
without considerable trouble.
We will commence on Tuesday tc
! butcher 275 cattle; will kill about &C
each day. Then 1t will be packed in ths
meat house aud we will not butcher
again before April. Will keep aboul
! 100 head to kill at that time.
The Council to day is the talk of The
camp; it is declared by all to he tht
largest ever held here. l am glad they
are pleased with it.
3D INST This has been very q1ie
day. About noon. having had late
breakfast, Farmer Dunn ami | rode ou
in a sIring wagon 7 miles to see the Cat
tie. Found them in good condition anG
on excellent pasture. Returned hom.
at 4 o'clock and soon after ward had sup
per.
Parker's are going home about th'
l5:h, and then we will have the cooking
range and entire control Of the house,
This evening | engaged one OF thel
cooks. Emma, an Indian women, to de-
our cooking and she will commences
some time this week, which will be quit,
relief to the boys. They are heartily
tired of pots and kettles and dish wash
;no Che Ia tho wifo of German whf