The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-11-24
INDIANS WHO F O
THE MESCALERo TRIBE n Wing
GARDEN TR UCK AND EATING II.
The Government Agent Tries Vegetarian.
lam on Them with Suecess-They Aiso
Mako Brick, Build Houses, Irrigato
Their Farm Lands, and Take Baths.

DENVER, Col, Nov. 1T.-"One of the most
interesting spots In the whole territory Of New
Mexico Is the Mescalsro Indian agency said
POST Office Inspector Frederick recently. Last
month l made the tour of tho Post Oflces
of Lincoln county, closing up work that had
not been attended to for some time and, of
course, The Mescalero Post ONCE was included
in my itin srary.
1T is 1875 miles by blackboard stage from
San Antonio station to the abandoned mill
tary post of Fort Stanton, from which the
agency Ia thirty-eight miles due south. The
country across from San Antonio is practical
ly worthless, but the Fort Stanton reservation
is a ine rolling country admirably adapted to
grazing, and nearly every acre is capable of
being transformed into fine agricultural land.
There is an abundance of water from all-the-
year-round streams fed by the melting SHOWS
OF tie Sierra Blanco.
''The main stream which waters the immeoi-
ate vicinity of the agency is fed by springs.
About 500 yards from the agents office q
great spring gushcs out of the rock with n
head sufficient to run a grist mill. 1t is one
Of the most dell .htful streams of water l ever
saw. Along this stream the Indians have
their farms, and the farming area is constantly
being enlarged by means Of irrigating bitches
and reservoirs. After my host had shown me
about the reservation and had explained some
Of the features of his work l was led to the
conclusion that he has built UP q remarkable
community of industrious Indians who are
fast becoming civilized.
Lieut.. v. E. Stottler was appointed agent
of the Meecaleros about six years ago. He Is
o little fellow, but is a bundle of nerves and
energy. He works like a Trojan himself and
makes everybody about him work lust as
hard. There are no drones In that hive. a lad
no one Is drawing n salary from the Govern
ment without giving good return in labor. He
has inspired respect from the Indians by his
methods and his word Is absolute law with
them. He told me that he now has no trouble
to o ssesE Of IN ,S secqr,hG the ,r eTore RAJ and
What troubles he has to meet are caused by
the few mean white, settled in the neichbor-
hood. As the Indians, become moro nearly
self-sustaining the settlers hnd their market
for supplies dwindlinS away. and for this rea-
son they have tried to throw obstacles in the
way OF hi. efforts to civilize the tribe.
When he fret attempted to get the Indians
10 plant potatoes they refused to do so. saying
that potatoes in that region could not possibly
grow. The white settlers had told them so
ana had said that, the agent did not knew
chiefs, who was particularly stubborn, was
forced TO take SEED potatoes and plant them
under the direct supervision of the age.t, who
work reluctantly and s%uIIenIy. The potatoes
Vines had proper care. When the crop was
gathered in and the Indian saw what beautiful
q finger Significantly. saying: Heap smart.
toes tn SELL
II never saw finer crops of vegetables any
where. There were, wagon loads o Hubbard
sauashes. tons of beess. and great quanti-
celery. The agent took mo through mis- store
houses, where. In bins and along great wide
s sas.ssii saw When n0 ! suTaes s.SI' TO OF M aF k stUisl or
that no evidently had moro vegetables than he
would need for q year he told me that the In
enough. Il am making these Indians vege-
tarians,' he lauRhingly remarked. Then he
meat nosa 1T to I'm Indians HEATED heated thei k.I bIooS d. a nod m made
them more inclined to he savage. Tho use OF
plenty of vegetables greatly assists in tho civ
from army contractors. but the Indians are
taught to use cereals and vegetables as well.
the wheat. stalks upon a blanket and. sitting
down beside the pile. they thresh the grain out
SdMis t and letting winno ,ss Whit 1t 81 Slo a9' shs chain az up AVIAN IN
as the grain falls to the ground.
AS l was shown about the agency quarters
Lieut.. Stottler told mo many interesting
stories of his earlier experiences with these
Indians. He is a civil engineer. and when he
transit instrument with him. He decided to
build an irritation canal several miles long
cy quarters. The Indians looked on in Won
der as he made the survey; When he issued
orders for them to begin the work of digging
Wv z q Out kTuIlDlluR.
They could not understand how he could get
witer TO run alongside the hills and they went
offered no expla nations. but when the ditch
was several hundred feet long he caused the
weter to re admitted. When the indians saw
rent they expressed their astonishment in
many grunts. but they no longer doubted the
eryoir were completed.
Indians, are proverbially a dirty race. but
the Mescaleros are fast learning cleanliness
both in rl1ment and in DefsOn- ThaV ave 70.
quired to battle once a week. and II they refuse
they are locked up in the guard house until
own garments. and saw young Indian girls
at work in the laundry, washing and ironing
domestic work about the agency is performed
by the Indians. There are a blacksmith. a
do the d,hicult tasks and to instruct the In.
dians, but wherever IL Is possible the tribe
IN iss do all the work
sral Indian families are living in adobe houses.
The carpenter lays out the foundation and
do most of the other labor. In some cases.
after these houses are constructed. the In
dams set ;n up teDees b Leslie sSs them h land and sleep in
- visited he school which ali the children
81 the reservation are REQUIRED TO attend. There
are sig teachers. all white women. and the eff
fort Is to give them practical knowledge rather
than theoretical skill. They learn quickly
are quick to observe and initiate. At first
the Indians were loath to let :heir children
attend, ana some would hide their offspring
in the hills. Stottler never searched for such
children. He simply locked tie parents In the
guard house for q few days. and chat brought
tho children back quickly enough.
while ! was there they were building a new
scboolhouse of adobe brick. The appropria-
tion for the purpose was only 81. 100, a sum
entirely inadequate. The agent called the In
dams around him and explained the circum-
Atances. Then he asked each Indian to give
nix days labor ana he even pressed the young
Indian boys into the work. They will have a
school building worth several thousand dollars.
watched he Indians making adobe brick. and
] was impressed with their energy. They work
rapidly and theoretically. the little fellows
wheeling the sun-dried bricks to the building
where other Indians assist the carpenter and
brick.ayers.
1.-THE agent is teaching the Indians manners
and department. Before school begins In the
mornings the children line up on the parade
ground and are drilled. ] saw the agent lift his
hat and wish the children good morning. Every
one OF the little fellows tipped his cap. saying:
&c BOD morning, Lieutenant, I hope you are
WELL He gives them opportunities for social
diversion. and they have Amusement III and dane
ing. At the dances the bucks are taught to
select their partners after the customary civil
iZed methods. and tho squAws have learned
how to accept properly Invitations To dance.
When one recalls that these Mescalaros
once supported Geronimo in his warfare against
the whites. and that they were always brave
and bold fighters, the progress made In civil
I.l-. - "a aim Tl apnaztnN ny 1Ia "a