Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-12-28
INDIANS AND SUGAR BEETS.
Two Widely Variant Subjects Dis.
cussed by II. j. Helm In Denver.

AL. - V' hoAAAI kohoAoi okoAV ioA VINO
Denver d Rio Grande road in this city,
is in Denver, and in an interview with q
representative of the Republican said:
"There are great many Indians in
New Mexico" said Mr.. Helm, "and those
living comparatively near Santa Fe, are
very inferior in every way when compared
with the Indians further north. The San
ia CLARA, San Ildefonso and Tesuque In
dians, who live near Santa Fe, in the Es-
pamela valley, are very ignorant, besides
being almost dwarfs. They are inclined
to be very lazy and shiftless. They raise
few miserable sheep and cattle, and do q
little farming. But in spite of that 1t is
impossible to tell how they live.
"During the OWL war the Tesuque In
disns we're considered very wealthy. They
we're we'll off both financially and in stock
and sheep. But during the past quarter
of century they have allowed themselves
to degenerate most woefully. Today
they are as poor as so many church mice,
shiftless and unkempt. They have retro
gated until they are barely self-support-
ing.
"Last spring they we're in such de-
plorable state that they actually followed
the herds of sheep that were grazing on
the ranges, eating the lambs and sheep
that died. If they had not done that
guess many of them would have starved
to death. The government soon learned
of their pitiable condition, and sent out
an officer to examine into their case. As
soon as the federal officers learned of their
true condition they provided food and
clothing for the Indians and have watched
after them ever since.
"a short distance south of Albuq uerq ne
are the Laguna Indians. While they are
small in stature, they are comparatively
intelligent, and have large herds of sheep
and cattle. They are very industrious,
and never let an opportunity slip BY to
make few dollars. They dress we'll, and
the squaws are good looking. Some of
them might almost be called handsome.
Their chief industry is the manufacture
of pottery. They have become quite
adept at the business, and turn out some
very dainty and artistic pieces of earth
enware. Their pueblo is near Pacific
Junction on the Santa Fe railroad, and all
passenger trains on that road stop at the
junction to allow these Indians TO dis
pose OF their wares to tourists. They
make considerable money that way,
which. added to their stock and fern
products, makes them com mparatively we'll
of. These Laguns Indians are especially
noted for their cleanliness.
1.-THE Cliff Dwellers Of New Mexico are
a very ignorant class. They, too, are
short, thick set, ignorant. They have not
advanced at all during the past 100 years,
and, If anything, have degenerated.
They have long since abandoned their
dwellings, in the cliffs, occupied by their
forefathsrs, and are living in adobe houses
in the valleys. They, too, make and sell
pottery, but their class OF work is much
inferior to that made BY the Lsguns In
dians.
"The Espanola valley is very fertile,
and last year I distributed beet seed
among "a ranchers living therein. also
sent seeds to AZ in the Santa Fe valley,
which is below the Espanola valley. !,
While / did not receive returns from all
the farmers in these two valleys, ! did
not learn Of single failure with those
who reported their success to me. In
spite of the fact that none of the farmers
knew very little about the sugar beet
raising industry, they met with fisttering
success, some of their beets Weighing six
pounds. Those beets, analyzed early in
the season, showed 10 per cent sngar,
while those tested later showed an in
GREASE Of - per cent, averaging % per
cent.
s.There are large valleys near Santa Te
which could raise enough beets to keep .
good sized plant in operation. Those
Lsets raised ID the Espanola valley would
be ready tor market I couple OF weeks
before those planted In the Santa Fe val
10y, and below that valley IL the Rio
Gfsnde valley, which would send ito beets