Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-10-10
TIE SOUTHERN UTES.
Working for their REMOVAL From Col.
OTalO 10 Utah,
10 OCCUPY SAN JUAN COUNTY.
Settlers Who are Entitled 10 Compeb'
satlon.-ilow the Indians View
the Proposition.

/ being worked TO unluhu the bouthcth
Ute Indians from their reservation in
southwestern Colorado into Utah, and
10 crowd out the white settlers now Ia
San Juan county. A bill to elect this
removal IL now before Congress, hnv-
ing been introduced Dy Representative
! Bell.
Five years ago BIZ Of
a similar nature was introduced
In Congress and went through
the house with a rush. Il was stopped
in the Senate, however, through tho
iUnuoncu Of Senator Dawes and oihrrs
who held membership IN the Indian
Rights association, which fought the
proposition on the ground that the
transfer would result in an injury 10
tho Indians. The matter rested In
that form Ut tho close Of President
| Clcvclaudb former administration.
While President Harrison was In
office tbs tublort was not revived TO
any great extont, but now that a
Democratic naturalization has been
tolurneI to power the scheme has beon
revived. There is not much noise
being made about It, however, tho
present working Of ila supporters being
practically "stiil hunt"
A short time ngo an order was OBJ
ihlnod from tho interior department
for census 10 be tabon OF all the In.
uiaus on tho Southern Utc reservation.
The real purpose VI this order has Just
boon disclosed; for, while the census
was being tAsiug, Major freeman, the
| agent, secured tue signatures OF the
| Indians 10 a petition requesting thnt
they be- removed 10 Utah. 80 thor.
Oughly has this part OF the work been
performed thailuyefy adult Indian eN'
Cnpt one affixed his signature 10 the
document. This f0Tmf q goJd basis for
| overcoming the objections OF the In.
dian Rights association.
Judge H. A. Hammond, Of San Juan
county who haa been In the city n
fow days, has been thoroughly UOnvefs.
ant with the proceedings up 10 date,
and gives It AZ his opinion that the
Indians actually desire the removal.
! Their present country IL a strip
along the southwestern side Of
Colorado, adjoining Ban Juan
county. The southern portion VI
It IL good agricultural land, and
for long time white men have
been congtcgating along It, eastern
border, ready TO rush In the hour II IL
thrown open for settlement. The In-
diane arc willing 10 take in exchange
for this the whole OF San Juan county,
Utah, with tho exception Of strip ten
milrs wide ON It's north end. In this
strip there are some patented claims Of
the Piitsbufg Cattle company, which
has been Ouu VI tho chief opponents Of
the transfer. The reason for the
autagonism II that the San Juan
country ~ the south Of the cattle COM
pany'squarlcrs afforded good winter
range for their stock. Judge Ham.
mond states, however, that this oppor.
tunity will not amount to much now,
as tue cattle company, lac 10 informed,
has tired oflhc fight
But there II another and very I'm.
poftant feature OF the case which con.
cerns Utah. The three towns Of Ban
Juan county-Blun, Monticello and
NeTdine-aTc In the sectionb In which
II is proposed 10 locate the Ihdians
when they are removed from Calora-
do. In the fall OF 1883 the county was
withdrawn from entry 10 settlers.
But Tor ton years previous to that
time people had been going
10, and hundreds Of thousands Of dol.
lars have boon expended In improve
ments. Ono canal alone eost 500, 900
up 10 the time Of withdrawal Of tho
land, anu the repairs on II 10 the pros.
ent time have raised the expenditure
on It TO more than 100000. These
settlements were made when there
was every prospect that the land
would DO surveyed AMI opened to on.
| try, 80 that tho settlers went there In
good faith. The important issue 10
them, aud TO the people OF Utah geo.
orally, IL whether they shall be robbed
VI their property AMI the Results OF
years OF toll or shall receive reasonable
compensation for their homes, farms
aud ranches.
When tho matter was before
Congress at former period.
Judge Hammond was al Washington
Ia the interests OF the settlers. The
| Utah delegate did effective work in
their behalf Senator MorCan said no
was In favor Of giving the settlers In
San Juan tho first chance OF selection
In the newly opened section. Senator
Teller wanted the people 10 Withdraw
their claim for compensation 80 the
bill could get through easier, ana
promised TO see tnat they were settled
with; but this was not agreed to. A
commission was appointed to nppralsa
the value OF improvements, which was
fixed nj 100000.
In The present revival OF the matter.
Delegate Rawlius " VI have this matter
OF protecting the rights Of the people
of Utah on his hands, ami certainly Ia
entitled to the active support OF the
officials and people here The settlers
OF san Juan OUu lty have been very un-
easy over this affair for a long time,
and are DESTROYS that II should be set
tled. Said Judge Hammond today,
"a n have made up their minds not 10
further oppose the removal, but tO ask
tho government TO give us q fair com.
pensation for our outlpy, anu TO afford
us time and opportunity lur gOing else.
where, We would lie this thing Bsttlpd
I'M. II We are TO b0 allowed tO stay,
VIZ would Ike 10 know II, But 1t does
moi look ms though that conclusion
would he reached, 90 n we have 10 20
we would like TO nnd that out soon,
and know the terms. We can't get
out without getting something Tor our
placee, when have Increased In value
by what we have expended on them
since SSs to mgre than 500, 200 above