Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-13
THRIFT OF THE UTEs.
Indians Who Can Farm Well Us
the White Man.

Indians Who Can Farm ms Well rs
the White Man.
From the New York Post
The writer has had opportunities recently
Of looking somewhat into the workings of
two of these schools on the Ute reserva-
tions In Utah-one al the Uintah agency, on
the river Of the same name, about fifteen
miles above Fort Du Chesne for the Uintan
and White River bands of Utes, and the
other near the junction of that river with
the Du Chesne, about six miles below the
fort, for the Uncompahgre band of Utes.
The buildings are large and commodious,
solidly and tastefully constructed, and pro-
vided with everything necessary for the
comfort and easy progress OF the pupils.
The children within the ordinary school
age on the two reservations are, in round
numbers, about $40. OF these there We're a
the former school during the past term
about seventy five, and at the latter about
fifty, in other words, about one out of ev-
cry four Of these children was a pupil.
This will be considered a most excellent
showing when it is observed that the
schools have been in existence but few
years, and recollected that the Indian has
been led to think that in sending his chill
dren to school he rather confers than re-
ceves favor. The progress of these chill
dren in the rudiments of English study and
in the industrial branches has been SIM
white school children of the same age and
with the same advantages talk and act,
and in the study of books they are equally
as apt and Industrious. In cooking. sew
ing and all the other essentials of ordinary
housekeeping, the girls display neatness,
dispatch and thoroughness, and the same
Ms true OF the boys in mechanical and field
work. A person from the east, in looking
and talking with them, especially the
younger ones, can hardly realize that only
few months before they would run from
a white man or white woman like an ante
lope. or dodge and hide from either like
squirrel.
The farms belonging to the schools show
all the marks of care, thrift and good man.
agement They are well inclosed, we'll
watered and well cultivated. The grounds
Immediately about the buildings are taste
fully laid out eXcellently paved and thick
ly planted in trees. For these things much
of the credit is due the pupils, especially
the male pupils, who, under the direction
of the officers and by their assistance and
that Of employees, have done the work. But
this is not all. Between these two schools
and around Fort Du Chesne, for a distance
Of over twenty miles UP and along the
Uintah river, and below, for distance of
sixteen or eighteen miles down and along
the Du Chesne river, extends a belt of fine
valley land, embracing many thousand
acres, which is dotted all about with neat
houses, generally three-roomed having
brick chimneys and glass windows. These
houses, occupied by Indians, stand in the
midst of little farms largely seeded in
alfalfa, by the side of which, in season, is
always found the potato patch, together
with small fields of wheat and oats The
whole of this strip of country, in length
nearly forty miles, under a system of irri-
eating canals, cut mainly by the Indians,
has the appearance of civilized settle
ment; and If 1t is not exactly one. it Is
more than half-civilized, while rapidly ad-
vancing to the other and higher state. 1t
should be said of the adult Indians on
children N no
school farms, that they have done the
greater part of the work of building, ditch
ing. fencing and cultivating.
The evidences of Indian advancement
here presented are largely the outgrowth
of these schools. The settlements are thick
est in the vicinity of the school buildings,
made there by the older Indians in order to
be close to their children; and while these
children, in many instances, give their
parents the benefit Of schoo!-trained as
sistance in building, managing and cult
waiting, there close by, and constantly be-
fore their eyes, stands the school farm, as
an object lesson, suggestive Of the neat
ness, thrift and industry required to reach
and hold the true comforts of life. In this
connection, as further evidence of the
earnest wish Of these Indians to improve
their condition, 1t ought to be mentioned
that applications for farms by those living
in tepees on the remoter and wilder sec
lions Of the reservations are largely on
the increase. During the past six or eight
months they have come in very rapidly
now and then at the rate of two or three
per week-and In each case immediate at
tention has been asked, in order that all
necessary preparation might be made for
occupancy and cultivation at the begin
ming Of the next season.
A very slight examination into the life of
this valley will discover not only Indian
children, who, as previously intimated,
were short time ago wild and impish,
now being prepared by schools for the de-
mands of q higher civilization, but Indian
women, who have heretofore been scarcely
more than wandering beasts of burden,
now intelligently and profitably attending
to domestic duties, and Indian men, who
hitherto have mainly thought of war and
the chase, OF, at best, Of living as pension
ers upon the bounty of the government
now busily and actively engaged, as farm
ers, in ploughing, hoeing, cutting canals
and bitches, and building fences and
houses; as frefghters, in transporting sup
plies to and from railroads, and about the
reservation; as lumbermen, in telling trees
in word, as laborers generally, in meet
ing and satisfying many of the chief re-
Quirements and needs of active Industrial
life. In a few years, with certain required
legislation by Congress, it may be reason
ably predicted that this new and thriving
Indian settlements settlement as new as
1t Is thriving, for but few of the farms are
over two years old, and most of them have
been opened during the last twelve months
will be in such an advanced condition as
to forever put to rest ell doubts as to the
inclination and ability Of at least some of
these western Indians to rise fully to the
progress.