Arizona weekly citizen., 1890-09-20
INDIAN NAGENTs REPORT.
Mr. Grouse Talks on tn Pima. Mari
 copas, and Papagoes,


 
 The following report of Indian Agent Grouse goes as special to the St. Louis Globe Democrat:
 Cornelius W. Grouse, the new agent of the Pima, Maricopa and Papago h. dlans in Arizona has submitted his re- port, which was received at the depart ment to-day. Under the instructions of the Commissioner of Indian affairs. MT. Grouse has taken census of the tribes within the Pima Agency. It shows that there are 4421 Pimas, 315 Maricopas, and 363 Papagoes, the Pima and Mar lcopas live on reservations m the Gila and Salt River Valleys, and, excepting small reservation at San Xavier where 363 Papagoes have received their land in seyeralty by allotment. This latter tribe has no lands or home. A few of the Pimas and Papagoes speak English, and some of the children who are at tending school write it quite readily Many of the boys, especially from the Pima tribe, are learning industrial pur- suits, such as carpenterlng, blacksmith ing, etc.. and few of the girls are be- coming expert in the use of the needle and sewing machine.
 "The principal occupation of the Pimas and Maricopas is farming" says Agent Grouse, land their productions chiefly are wheat, barley and few veg etables, together with the raising of cattle and ponies, Last year the Pimas produced about 6,O00OOO pounds of wheat, but this season on account of the scarcity of water, they will produce only about one half of that amount. The Papagoes, except those on the reserva- tion at San Xavier make a very poor living. Formally they were called cattle raisers, but the ever-invading whites have appropriated the must favorable location, and 1t IS becoming diff ticult for the Indians merely to exist. In June they gather the fruit of the sahuana, or the giant cactus, this and the mesquite beans are the chief food for months. However, many of them come to the Pima reservation on the Gila river in May or June and assist the Pimas in wheat and barley harvest ing. They usually receive the pay for their labor jn wheat which they trans port sOuthward, often hundred miles. The Papago women are very ingenious potters, and the Pima women are very skillful basket makers, but these occup- ations are followed only when the work in the field is done, for they labor quite as much as their husbands.
 Irrigation IS everywhere necessary for agriculture on these reservations, and more water is needed, Ihe agent says to irrigate the increased acreage of farming land. The Maricopas do not take kindly to the teachings of the mission aries having little regard for religion, but the Pspagoes are inclined to follow the teachings of the Catholic Church. The Pimas take an interest in religious instruction of the mission teachers, and they listen attentively to Bible storles. The agent says, however, there is still great room for improvement in the morals of these people, "Gratefulness scarcely manifests itself," he says. Mar riages are mere farces, to see girl yet in her teens who has been married two or three times"
 The Pimas in particular are super stitious.
 "Many of these people," says Agent Grouse, believe in gnosts," and they have implicit faith in the abilities of their doctor to kill or cure by kind of weird ceremony. The Indian doctors are the source of good deal of annoy ance" he concludes, land I am not sure that this nuisance is abatiDg." The proximity of the Mexican IS accounted by the agent as against rather than for the Indian. He says the example of the average Mexican just across the border is demoralizlng in it's tendencies. To the influence of his white associates is trac- ed the Indians tendency to indulge in strong drink. "So long as the Indian has access to the Spanish Fiesta Ia feastp says the agent, lin which drink Ing and gambling of all kinds, bull-6ght- ing and kindred pastimes are the so-cal- led social pleasure, little improvement can be hoped for in morality or temper ance."
 In conclusion the agent laments the fact that the whites of Arizona do not sympathize with the governments efforts to improve the Indian. The in- ference is plain that somebody has cal led Mir. Grouse a "tenderfoot" for his pains in behalf of the aberigine. "It is lamentable fact" be says, "that the whites of this territory, with some ex- captions do not sympatEise with this un- fortunate people, and an agent from the east (Mr. Grouse is from Indiana) with good will for them, and backbone and in- tegrity enough to advocate for them, is styled "tenderfoot" by those of cow boy tendencies and education.