Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1897-03-24
SOMETHING ABOUT The MESCALEROS
These Indians Have a Brief History
Compared with the Jicarillas, as
They Have Steadily Remained
on the Reservation Estab-
lished for Them by the
Government.

rltory. They had no treaty relation
with the United States, nor had an,
reservation been set apart for their use
although some years before efforts hat
been made to have them removed will
the Utes to the large Ute reservation il
Colorado. These efforts, however, wer,
unsuccessful. Besides the main bod,
located on the Maxwell grant, about 4Ot
of these Jicarillas were quartsred at thu
TERRA Amarillo agency. They sup
ported themselves by hunting, together
with such aid as the government gave
from time to time, without any specific
appropriations, however. The Cimarror
agency, to which many of them had beer
attached, had been discontinued, and al
this time it was thought that they would
eventually be removed to the Mescalerc
agency at Fort Stanton.
During the year above mentioned, 1872
it was definitely decided to make this
change. According to those who came
in contact with this tribe they were firm
ly attached to vagabond existence, and
gave little hope of improved conditions
AS late as 1877 these Indians were report
ed by the agent as idle and dissolute,
evincing slight disposition for the ways
of civilization.
| There seems to have beon some differ
ence of opinion on this SUBJ iect however.
U. s. Indian Agent Russell says IN his
report of 1873 that while these Indians
have been denounced by ugents and super
intendents as thieves and vagabonds, in
his opinion, they are no worse than other
Indians, and quite susceptable to the in
fiuence of civilization. Mr.. Russell
thought that they had been badly treated
by the government, having been driven
from place to place when they had at
tempted to locate with the idea of culti-
waiting the soil.
In 1888 the Jioarillas we're removed
from their location in northern New
Mexico and other points under an act OF
congress consolidating the Jicarilla and
Mescalero Apaches.
At this time Major General John Pope
in his report to the general of the army
says "The Jicarilla Apaches, q band Of
Indians who have always lived with the
Utes, and who are in no sense Apaches
| have lately been removed from northern
New Mexico, where they have been living
for 40 years at least with the Clmarron
band of Utes, to the Mescalero reserva.
tion, near Fort Stanton. The concentra.
ton of more Indians 80 n ear the Mexican
boundary line is much to be regretted for
reasons which have before presented to
the department. There is little to be
feared, however, for I have no doubt that
these Indians will be back among the
Utes about as soon as the wagons which
took them to Fort Stanton can be back
to Santa Fe."
Referring to this report, U. s. Indian
Agent Llewelyn, Mesoalero and Jicarilla
agency, South Fork, N. M, stated in q
letter to the department at Washington
under date of May IL, 1884, that the report
was in error as to the time the Jicarillas
had lived with the Utes.
He claimed that he had learned from an
early agent, named Patton, that while the
Utes and Jicarrilas associated to some ex-
allow the latter permanent residence up.
on their reservation.
Further that the territory about Fort
Sumner was the home of the Jioarillas
prior to 1869, at which time they were re.
moved from SUMNER to Oimarron. Also
that when he took charge of these Indians
10 1882, he found that they were dissatis-
fed with their reservation, especially the
Augustians and Hiaritas who demanded
of him passes to go away from the reser.
vation for an indefinite period.
BY an executive order dated March 25
1874, reservation was set apart for the
Jicarilla Apaches in the northwestern
portion Of Now Mexico. In 1876 the
lands thus reserved were restored to the
public domain. In 1880 another tract
was reserved for this tribe in the north
western portion Of New Mexico, but was
restored to the public domain four years
later.
In 1887 still another tract was reserved
for these Indians in the came section OF
the territory which they are still occupy
ing. February %, 1887, the department di-
rooted that the reservation created by the
executive order of February II, 1887, be
allotted to the Southern Ute agency, and
placed under charge of the Southern Ute
agent. June 80, 1890, the president
granted authority for making allotmentf
| on the Jicarilla Apache reservation, and or
July Z, 1890, Special Agent Rankin was
instructed to commence the work, and all
of the Indiane-845 in number accepted
allotments; the quantity of land allotted
and reserved for agency purposes, ETC.
being l29,594 acres, leaving 286, 400 acres
unallotted and held in common.
The annual report of the Office for 1891
shows that the Jicarilla Apsches we're
then under charge of the Southern Ute
agent, and that in 1892 they were under
the charge OF the Pueblo and Jicarilla
agency, whore they are at the present
time. The following named agents have
been in charge of the Jicarillas since 1870
Capt. w. p. Wilson, Chas. f. Roedsl, Jno
8. Armstrong, Thomas A. Dolan, R. Il.
Longwell, Alex. g. Irvine, John E. Pyle,
Benz. NJ. Thomas, 8. A. Russell, j. H
Roberts, j. B. Holt, w. B. Jones, f. W.
Reed, W. H. H. Llewellyn, F.J. Cowart, g
F. Stollsteimer, Thomas McCunniff, Chas
A. Bartholomew, John H. Robertson
Capt John L. Bulls.
THE NEsoALERos.
These Indians, sa,d to number about
$50 in 1879, we're located in that year near
Fort Stanton, and ranged generally south
of that point. Prior to 1864 they we're on
the Bosque Redondo reservation, where
they we're quiet and peaceable until the
removal of the Navsjoes to that place.
Unable to live in harmony with the new
oomers, they fed from the reservation
and were until about the year 1872 quite
thostile. They had no schools, cared