The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-07

must reInem ber are said 10 be lower down
In the scale OF civilization than any other
tribe This is little hard TO believe by
one who has visited, as l have, the Pueblo
Indians of New Mexico. IL does not seem
possible there could be dirtier, lower
lousier lot than they. However, / am told
here that, though the Utes are quick
enough to acquire most of the vices Of civ
ilization, they absorb few of its ylrt.es.
Scarcely score of UintGhs and White
Rivers and not one Of the Uncompahgres
will send their children 10 school. The
most advanced members of the tribe barely
know enough of the art OF industry TO
drive a team or plant, cultivate or harvest
Q crop in the crudest possible way.
The Utes are tribe known as blanket
Indians They will live in tepees and viii
not adopt the entire dress of civilization,
though they will sometimes top off their
aboriginal lnery with an old smashed in
silk hat The result is absolutely ridicu-
lous The southern Utes have a perfect
passion forwhisky and are, moreover, both
bucks and squaws, confirmed gamblers,
many OF them being absolute plungers
They come into Durango and sell few
trinkets, then delight to go into some
gambling house and throw down hand
full Of silver, only to see it quickly swept
away.
The Utes themselves arc anxious 20 go
farther west, nearer the NavajOes. They
are fond Of visiting this tribe, who arc
their friends and relatives, and their res
ervation in Utah would adioin thar Of the
Navajoes il they were allowed TO 20
This southern Ute reservation I. 10
miles long and 10 miles in width from
north TO south. 1t is crossed by seven
large streams, which have their sources In
the mountains 20 the north, and which
flow southerly across the reservation. The
first bottoms Of these rivers are narrow
and contain but little farming lands, but
lying between these rivers and at an eie-
walton Of from 100 TO 800 feet above them
are large tracts Of level mesa, " or table
lands. There are some ESQ, 900 acres Of
these mesa lands, and they eItoDd
southwark into New Mexico and conKfi-
tute the most valuable farming lands in
this country. No portion Of this table
land can he farrned without irrigation,
nor can IL BE- irrigated save by means Of
large bitches having their beginning in or
above the reservation and extending
through IL and requiring great capital 70
construct and maintain.
Now, on this entire reservation the Utes
have only about SOC acres under sctual oui-
tivatiOn, and even thess are worked by
Nexicans, who rent the land Of the Utes.
Here lies this reservation like a wall be-
tween the summer and winter ranges q
the cattlemen. The Govt boys are constsnt-
~ driving their herds back and forth
Here Is all this rich and valuable farming
land going % waste fer the sake of q few
worthless, lazy, shittless Indians Hero
this barren strip interiors; with c0rnmuui-
cation between the settlements II New
Mexico and Colorado and materially hin
ders the Development 81 the mining inter-
ests q the rich san Juan. No wonder The
people Of this country are 50 crsirouE 20
compass the removal Of this Ds farther
west
The treSpasses Of the Indians upon the
land OF the whites IS well - those 81 the
whites upon she lands Il the ( tss az a con
stans menace % the safety q isolated 81
tiers a. well a. % TIE Indians. There is
70 way q avoiding these tresrasses- The
whites must often pass over the Te-scrTa-
ton, ard as many q the Utss have 20
t-avel - and even 100 Elilss weekly ~
Iguscio u get their nations IL IL not possl-
Die % avoid going through the lands os
the whites. The ties are also obliged 20
leave ths reservation for game End forage
II Uncle sam would brace ID AID pat
them near the thrifty SAva5oes. wh0ss in
dusty would - al example % them. Civ
ing them pSszure lands where they uizbs
rzJsc stock 4 would - day c. jubilee
both Tor tie Ute reseaTs.lon and solta-
western Co.GTzGo.
EDITE sEssscEs TUPgKE