Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1900-06-16
THE NAVAJO INDIANS.
They are industrious and Are Max
ing Progress in Civilization.
EXPERIMENT WITH SHEEP,

Colonel A. NJ Tinker. OF Washington
city. who Ia spending week az santa
Fc inspecting the Indian schools ana
United states agency. has just COM
plcted thorough inspection OF the
Navajo agency and reserve. lie found
these Indians contcnted ana prosper
Gus under Agent q. W Hayzletta ad-
ministration of affairs. From a moral
aud law and order point Of view their
advancement In the past few years has
been very marked A leading spirit
among them e. chief shoo, whose
mother was a Navajo and whose father
was an American named Dodge Shoes
wealth IN approNlmated az $4,000. lie
is thrifty and keen trader. and has
interests IN several OF the trading
stores on the reserve. besides a good
farm and q great many horses. sheep
ana goats. iie has "A powerful influence
Cor good and his opinions are respected
hy an. Indian and white men allke.
GOOD WORKERS
The Naraioos are good workers and
ln late years have shown their capa-
city To- earn wages by doing most OF the
heavy work along the railroads Ia
western New Mexico and Arizona Last
year they earned In such work over
5000 Merchant Cotton of Gallup,
makes u his duty and pleasure TO se-
cure them railroad work Within a few
days past ne sent out call for 200 Ma.
vajocs 20 work on the railroad but re-
ceiyed only haif Of the men wanted as
most Of the ahle-bodlcd men OF the
! FrIH
and flocks.
SOURCES OF WEALTH
Something more than 100000 annual
~ is received by the Navaiocs from
the sale OF their blankets. Probably
twice this amount IL secured from the
sales or their WOOL hides. pelts and
/ ponies The area of their cultivated
neids can be- very largely Increased by
the construction % irrigation ditchos
The government has done something In
this direction but Impractical men have
been sent out 10 manage the Job end
! perhaps 100000 OF government money
has been frittercd away with little or
nothing to show FOR Il. But the policy
of the indian office ls an right and In
time the Navajo reserve viii bee supplied
with an adequate irrigation system
such as Is now receiving It's finishing
| touches ON the Grow indian rpserya-
zion IN Montana.
SHEEP RAISING
Sheep raising viii always be the chief
industry % the Navajoes. Their lands
are admirably adapted To A. and now,
after years Of stubborn resistance. the
Indian nock masters arr breaking
away from their old custom OF run
ming mixed nooks of the two sexes to-
| gether the year round, and the science
of the Industry az 20 breeding, crossing
shearlng and sanitation is supplantlng
their ancient slip-shod methods chief
Shoes healthy influence is especially
notable IN this matter u was found
years ago that the Navajo sheep were
such hustlers. ranging 10 TO 20 miles a
day with ease that the higher grade
sheep could not follow them and sur.
viyc. For this reason the several at
tempts % the government, 10 improve
the hoeks by introducing fine bred
bucks has come TO paught, but chief
shee has cXperimentcd on his own be.
haH until he has solved this problem
lie brought IN a lot OF Merino bucks
and took special care IN handling them
unnl he secured "a cross or grade OF
sheep which has nearly al the hardy
hustling qualities of the native animal
waile producing higher quality oi
wool Having satisfied himself OF the
good results OF chief shee's experiment
Colonel Tinker has just written the In.
dian ONCE urging that the Navaiocs bt
furnished 300 full blood Morino buck,
with which 20 Improve their n0clSs. IN,
leaders among the Indians having
agreed TO care FOR them a'ong lines
similar 20 those originated by Chiel
shec