, 1888-06-21
THE GARDEN SPOT.
Bishop Burks's Trip to the Fertile
Lander Valley.
Corner Stone of the Indian Girls
School Laid.
The Reservation, Lander and the
Great Oil Fields.

The Ri. Rev. Bishop Burke returned
! from Lander, Fremont county, yesterday
morning, and accorded an interview to a
LEADER reporter who called upon him
last evening. The bishop enjoyed the trip
hugely and is convinced that the Lander
valley is the garden spot of the territory.
The soil is rich, climate delightful, scenery
beautiful and water plentiful. The people
are energetic prosperous, contented and
happy, and the outlook for the region
bright and encouraging.
Bishop Burke visited the north for the
purpose of laying the corner stone of the
Indian seminary at st. Stephens Mission
on the Shoshone reservation, a few miles
from the seat of government for Fremont
county. The corner stone was laid with
imposing ceremonies OIL the l4th inst.
One story of the structure is already
finished and the building will be complet-
ed about October l at a total cost of Sl6,-
900. Nuns will instruct Indian girls in
this convent and the school will be opened
this fall. Father Kuppens is in charge of
St. Stephens mission, and has been very
successful in working among the Indians.
After spending two days and a night
aboard the stage from Rawlins, Bishop
Burke tarried a day at Lander, and on a
beautiful morning was driven to the
agency by a Mr.. Crowley. The visitor
was welcomed by Father Kuppens and
VIM. Shakespeare, an Indian policeman
who is quite proficient in English.
The mission, the objective point, was
soon reached. II is a 160 acre tract of
fine land on the banks of the Wind river,
ceded to the church by the government
several years ago. One fourth of the
plot is under cultivation, and Father
Kuppens stated hat he expected to grow
800 bushels of potatoes this year.
Oats, wheat and vegetables are raised on
the land.
The Indian gardens were inspected, and
Bishop Burke was astonished to note the
aptitude and intelligence Of the savages
Many Indians own and manage really fine
farms. They are trained agriculturalists,
and the majority are quite industrious.
Arapahoes predominant about the mis-
sion, but are not in advance of their Sho-
shone brethren. The nations wards in
clined to work have fenced their places,
and having come to realize ownership are
quite thrifty.
Father Kuppens finds the Indians
docile and tractable. When properly in
structed they evince a disposition to work
rather than idle. Indians did all the ex-
~cavating for the mission seminary and now
act as laborers to the satisfaction of the
contractors and mechanics.
Black Coal and Yellow Owl, two noted
Arapahoe chiefs, attended by a %retinue.
called upon Bishop Burke. As a mark
of respect they arrived early in the morn
ing and remained until noon. This was
gratifying, but fatiguing. As a further
token of esteem and regard Yellow Owl
presented the bishop with his knife scab-
bard and highly ornamented moccasins.
Agent Col. Jones, who, by the way, is
a very fine gentleman and efficient officer,
royalty entertained Bishop Burke at his
headquarters. Col. Jones administration
at the agency is very satisfactory to both
the government and the residents of that
section, and the Indians almost revere
him.
DR.. A. Robson. reservation surgeon,
II ID uJ Dl- .-l Euonaa IN-,,1o,
Indians, accompanied Bishop Burke in
a call upon Col. Smith, c~ommandant at
Fort Washable. The were well received
and elegantly entertained at the post.
The famous reservation hot springs
were visited and tested. The waters
doubtless possess great medicinal qualities,
though at times the temperature at the
hot springs is unpleasantly high. Coo
springs are found heal the warm ones and
the natural water taken as a tonic.
Last Sunday Bishop Burke conducted
services in the Catholic church at Lander
to a large congregation.
Bishop Burke describes with coDsidera
BILE zest a somewhat unusual Western
sight observed at Lander. Saturday after
noon the town was filled with farm wagons
and the stores were infested with grang,
eIs.
The Hon. Mike Murphy, well kuowr
in this city, took the bishop over a por
ton of the oil fields. Three wells, twelve
miles from Lander, were visited. They
were 400, 500 and 600 feet deep, with al
aggregate capacity of 500 barrels per day
Oil will be shipped eastward so soon a