, 1897-10-13
10! THE POOR INDIAN
HID Is BECOMING RICH IN THE
PRACTICE OF THE WHITE
MANS ARTS.
What the Dusky Aborigine is Doing for
the Sake OF His Stomach at the ShO.
shone Agency-Raises Grain Just
is Well as the White Man-A Per-
Zee, I~rrigating System.

sect lfflSaLHS system.
Howard A. Chafin returned Sunday
from a Two weeks trip into the inter.
.Or Of the state in the interest OF the e.
c. S,earns Cycle Co. During his abb
sence he visited Rawiins, Lander and
Fort Washakie. Mr.. Chaffln talks very
eltertainingiy o; what he saw on his
trip. the progress being made by set,
,lers in the central-western portion o,
the safe and especially OF the rapid
advancement OF the Shoshone and Arap-
ahoe Indians toward civilization. These
Indians are fast becoming self-support.
ing and are yearly reducing the govern.
ment Indian maintenance fund. Under
the excellent administration Of Captain
R. Fl. Wilson. Eighth Infantry. U. S. A..
who is acting agent OF the reservation,
the progress, thrift and enterprise shown
by the Redmen during the past three
years has been something remarkable.
Captain Wilson is well liked by both
whites and Indians and so far as known
there has been no fault found with his
way OF conducting agency affairs.
The settlers and especially the farm.
ers in the Lander valley said Mr..
Chafin. do not look favorably upon
The new condition OF affairs. for pre-.
v!ous to this year they have filled all
government contracts at Fort Washakie.
and the agency. This year the Indians
have tiled the soil. raised and furnish
ed the government with 600 900 pounds
Of wheat, 100000 pounds OF cats. $4,000
pounds OF potatoes, 500 tons OF hay and
400 tons OF straw. They also hav cut
enough for extra rations 10 keep them
.0r spring sowing.
The products are fully as good in
quality and ven superior to any pre-
vi0usly raised by white men in that
vicinity. The Indians get the benefit 0.
one Of the most complete systems OF
irrigation N existence. they having dug
The bitches. constructed gates. etc.
themselves. A few white men are em>
ployed by the government to superin-
END the work. instruct the red men and
see that they do the work properly and
the best results. Some OF the Indians
are building new bitches and extend
ing old ones that they may get an early
s,art in the spring and raise larger
crops. The success which attended the
efforts OF the Indians the past season in
crop raising has greatly encouraged
them and seems to have caused a great
CT desire 20 make money.
THE government has erected a fine
Touring mill At the agency with a ca
pacity OF Is barrels per day. The mill
is complete in every detail and produces
a superior qualify . flour. indeed. it is
a welI-known fact that the mill. which
is opera ell chiefly by Indians. makes the
tesi tluur THAI is manufactured in that
country"
Mr.. Chaffin says points on the reser>
vation. FGrt Washable and the agency
are all c~Jnnec,ed by telephone and tho
agen, is in direct communication with
the entire reservation. The department
sores. school houses and churches are
all modern structures and in the two
la;,er the Indian children receive the
same attention and derive the anne ben,
efits as white children in the more civ.
ilized sections o. the country.
Old Chief Washable is the acknowl-
edged leader among the Indians and
10 him are instrusted all quarrels and
disputes for settlement or adjustment.
He is an attorney in every sense Of the
word and presents an Indians griev.
ances to the authorities, argues the case
and receives a fee for his trouble. Wash.
axle is aging rapidly. His left side lie
paralyzed and. although he rides about
on his old pony, he is growing steadily
more infirm. Mr.. Chafin is OF the opin.
ion that the old man will not live
through the winter.
Mr.. Chaffin covered the distance be,
tween Rawlins and Fort Washable (15o
miles, in two days on his bicycle. The
road was rough and in many places was
a very poor trail. While absent he sold
a numhpr nj Srearns whfels-CheyennA