The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-01-13
OUT AMONG THE UTES.
Interesting Talk With the
:. Uintah Post Trader.
SOME UTE INDIAN TRADITIONS
Their Views of Future Life-schools
and Industries-How They
Live

L
Uintah Indian Agency in Eastern Utah,
was in the city yesterday. and HERALD
reporter who met him at the Cont.
mental last night found him to be very
clever and atfable gentleman. ready to
give all the information that was likely
to be of public interest.
The Uintah Agency Indians are very
progressive, said Mr.. Bsrhydt, and the
advancement made by them during the
last three yeats has been especially
noteworthy. Colonel Byrnes, the agent,
Is very popular among the Indians
and, as result, he is able to
do more with them than any
former agent that has ever
served there. He treats them kindly
aud they show their appreciation by
acceding to his wishes on all occasions
and helping him in his efforts to ad-
vance the tribes in civilization.
THE INDIAN SCHOOL
on the agency has about forty pupils.
These are mostly between the ages of 6
and -, but some few are even older.
They are studious and, considering
their inherent rsstlesSness, are remark
ably well-behaVed. The teacher Is
Miss Busby, who had several years. ex-
perience among the Sioux and other
tribes. before going to Uintah. She
gets along splendidiy with her pupils
and they are very much devoted to
her. Indian children can only
be managed by kindness; the
old saw, spare the rod and spoil the
child" is not true in regard 10 Them, if
it is ever true. The parents would re
sent any i'll treatment of their children.
The Indian is very fond of his off spring.
and the allows them to grow up
like so many weeds only because he
don't know how to take care OF them.
Many of the young children die simply
from want OF care, and were it not for
this fact the increase among them
would probably be greater than among
any other race. la fact, an Indian
counts
HIS CHILDREN PART OF HIS WEALTH.
With the Utes a child is actually
part of its parents wealth. The
annuity fund allows just niue for
newborn babe as it does tor an adula
and the larger the number of ildren
the larger the income of the family.
This annuity fund mes from the
money allowed the Indians by the
Government for Certsin lands surren-
dered by them. 1t has been invested
for the indians in per cent. and
per cent. bonds. The sum Of 81 750 000
Il 4
5000 600 draws 5 per cent. in all about
SIS, 1000 per annum interest. About
half of this is used to run the agencies
and the remainder is divided among
all the Indians and amounts to about
$l3 per annum to every man, woman
and child. Then there's
1A THE GRATUITY FUND,
whichis really sort OF reward 10 those
Indians who send their children to
school or who make progress IN agr. Gu
tural pursuits. This fund has good
Effect and much Interest is shown il |
the school ana in farming.
The government also provides blan- !
kets, suits of clothes, boots. ga IONS am |
horses for those IuuIans who ar en- !
gagged IN farming. This year tn farmers
raised all the o,tS required at the
agency and more hay imam could DE
used there. The Ulntah UCes hav,. the |
record IN the Department OF the 10
terror of having made the most pGo-
gress during last year of any tribe IL
the. country,
SOME CHARACTERISTICS.
When asked for some OF the traits of
The Indians, Mr.. Barhydt said that the
average Indian was much like 10
year old boy They g4ther about he
store and loaf by the hour. play jokes
On each other and occasionally have g
wrestling match. The Ind ans on this
ale very pea cable, though
his is contrary to their reputation
There has been no trou Die since the ex
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