Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1892-02-18
UNEASY INDIANS.
Those in Alaska Reported to Be
In That Condition.
THE FISHERY QUESTION INVOLVED.
An Encounter Reported between Rene
Eadc NavaJos aud Cowboys,
Near Coolidge, New
Mexico.

near tooiiuget new
Mexico.
CHICAGO, Feb i6.-Capt. j. ]. llealy,
one Of the leading men OF Alaska, who
arrived here Sunday en- route to Wash.
ing on, declares that unless grievances
OF the In ian tribes OF the Tcl,nlset ma.
ton in Alaska are redrcssed there Is
danger Of an Indian uprising there.
Last July several OF tho tribes
thre atened the whites, and the United
States steamer Pinta and force had to
hasten from Sitka to Chilkat TO sup-
press the uprising. The Indians again
threaten trouble and IL is TO avoi IL
that Capt. llealy is now ON his way I,
Washington. Canning monopolists are
said to have outraged the rights OF the
natives aud are supported in their ag-
gressive policy against the Indians by
the government officials in Alaska.
The whites nre alarmed, and as they
are practically defcnseless they are In
great da niger.
Capt Healy says that as the result
OF law passed by the last congress
there is danger of Indian trouble s In
which permits q land patent 10 be
granted for land for business or manu-
featuring purposes "Under the law"
he declares, 'men have applied for
surveys and patents OF Indian lands
which have never been coded 20 the
United States and the whites have
seized these lands against the protests
Of the Indian owners. But the imme-
diate grievance OF the Indian tribes Is
that the canneries which have sprung
up threaten TO destroy the salmon, the
staple food of the Indians II the up
rising starts II may be general. Now
the Indians OF this nation take for
their own use every year hundreds OF
thousands OF salmon, which they dry
and store. In the Chilkat country,
where ! have trading post,
there are three big eanneries on
ChilKat inlet II is the finest sal
mon stream In southeast Alaska
and the salmon run there for four
months. All the Indians of those pa Is
depend upon the salmon OF Chilltat FOR
their food, but the canneries are de-
stroying the natural source Il the food
supply for the natives These Gamer.
les are a curse TO Alaska. They seize
even the smallest streams. Then they
carry up load ( Cinnamon and Firms
from Victoria or Portland TO do tie
work. These men sign contracts that
prevent them from receiving a dol ar
in wages until they return from A as
ka. The companies carry up the sup.
plies for them, an the people Of Alaska
do not receive n penny's worth Of bene.
| fit from the canneries."
Capt Healy will also urge while AZ
Washington that congress help Alaska
to be suitably represented at the
worlds fair.
THE NAvAJos.
ALBUQUERQUE, n. NJ. Feb l6.-A hot
| fight is raging between cowboys and
renegade Navajo In ians near Cool.
idgc station, on the Atlantic & Pacific
railroad and dispatches from there say
that the Indians have been noticed
carrying three of their dead from the
field of battle. The fighting is said to
be most desperate, and the cowboys,
who are greatly outnumbered, are con-
testing every inch of ground
The fight is in progress near Codding-
tons ranch, which is not great
distance from Coolidge. Both sides are
In the timber, shooting at each other
from behind trees.
j. NJ. Dennis, n sawmill man at
Coolidge, who is here, received last
night dispatch from his manager, A.
L, Batcheldcr, that Navajo Indians
were congregating in great squads Of
from twenty-five TO fifty at the snail
towns on the Atlantic & Pacific with
the intention OF cleaning out the cow
boys along the road.
At Chaves station seventy.fve In
dams are holding a pow-wow. They
have on their war paint and are heavily
armed The people are in great ex-
element Two women have their
trunks packed ready to leave, while
the cowboys arc taking all the arms
they can get and propose TO stand their
ground.
Mrs. c. jenkins, wife Of the manager
Of an eating house at Coolidge, with
her two children, was the first 10 reach
the city, and she says that when she
left the Indians and cowboys were
massing their forces for an engage
ment and that the whole population OF
Coolidge ana vicinity was up In arms
and ready for the conflict Yesterday
number of cowboys from several of
the ranges assembled at Coolidge and
defed the Indians then in town to be-
gin carrying into execution their
threats. The Indians left on horse
back and went ia the direction Of Cod
dington's ranch. An hour later run
ner came into Coolidge at brealS.necls
speed and reported that an engage
ment was then in progress at the ranch
between the Indians and cowboys there
and that II the latter were not soon re-
inforced the Indians would annihilate
them. Those in Coolidge then left u
join their associates, but the actual re-
suit of the fight has not been received.
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Missouri Mineral Lands.