Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-04-01

~. Joseph. Arlz..
March q. 1899.
To the Editor ~
On January 9th left my home at
Monticello. Utah. on an Indian mis-
sionary tour across the Navajo rcserva-
ton. II was very cold weather with
snow one foot dceD the most OF the
way. and very little feed anywhere.
The NavaJoca live on their winter
range nt this time OF the season. where
yer there II the least snow, and the
most grass and plenty OF cedar wood.
! arrived AZ Tuba. Arizona. on March
y. and met many old acquaintance
and friends. After resting n few days
] took trip out near where the little
Colorado emptica Into the Grand Can
yon OF the biE Colorado. and forever
bids adicu 20 this part Of tho world.
Here were nearly 5000 Indians I held
several meetings with them and | had
good time. renewing our acquaint-
hnccH. There ARE many young people
who do not know what the "Mormonn'
have suffered 10 bring peace to them
and other tribes. The old people,
many OF them. have passed away ana
the young do not entertain rs friendly
feeling towards US aH did the older
generation. hut when they once get an
understanding they are much brighter
than the older ones.
The Indians have lost many sheep
and horses this winter. Their range II
no very poor. Thousands OF sheep died
on the Little Colorado river where the
rnow was much deeper than usual. on
the 9Th OF March loft Tuba once more
ana went out ON the Goodman point.
~ u II called. II lies ON the west side
OF the iittlc Colorado and north OF the
great San Frnnclnco mountains. Here
were number 90 Navajoca cnmpcd
ana they weru about 10 have a collision
with citizens. cow-men and sheep own
era The United States agent had told
them not 10 ilEht. but leave peacefully.
which they aid. There IN a miHunder,
standing between the Interior depart
mcnt. or the agent. and the cltlxcna. or
local authorities, In this matter. The
agent says, according 10 his under
standing. the Indians have right to 10
wherever they want 10 on the public
domain, while the citizens do not 40
understand H. IL IL the same In aud
around Blum, San Juan Co, Utah.
Hence the petition OF the people TO the
Governor.
on March LIST I went and had look
nj the famous reservoir canyon. where
the late President Woodruff was wont
TO 30 and take a duck hunt for pastlme
during his stay In this land. Here In a
lonesome spot under. little plum tree
all alone, lie the remains Of the once
famous Lot Smith, No stone or mark
OF respect shows who he " or when
born. Why should this man b. len
thus--he who put tho armies 10 flight
ana did what not one man In ten thou
sand would have undertaken The In.
dlans say he was good man and u
holy man. for he used 10 lay hands
upon them aud heal them OF All their
afiiiction. A few more years hence and
he VIII be forgotten and none but the
angels VIII know where lies the founder
OF the Arizona colonization.
Going up the Little Colorado, II is no
more like II was IN 1876 than night IN
like day. There In not a spear OF grass
now and the river has changed itH
channel nearly the whole distance up
the river There IL not one-tcnth tho
amount Of cottonwood trees there once
We're. ON the 9th. travelling between
Black and Granfalls. "a distance OF ten
or twelve miles. ! nearly persisted. The
sand bowed 30 thick and the wind 10
strong that could not see the road for
miles and the gravel whipped a mans
face TIL one could cry. II II would have
done any good. After nine hours OF un-
told agony. | got 10 the river. I knew
was near, because the whole river was
up In the air and ! got thorough
drenching, A rain storm would have
been pleasant compared with II. found
nm empty log cabin and tried TO sleep,
but could not rest for two night on ac-
count OF the soreness Of my eyes. Such
IN an Arizona sand storm
After doing some missionary work
among the Indians I arrived at Wing
low on tho nth OF March, a now beau
rfnl town sustained by the railroad.
Here Ii the end OF division and u nice