Evening star., 1901-11-16
GILA RIVER INDIANS
Their Aztec bitches Are Dry and
Famine is Threatened.
ALWAYS TEE WHITE MANS FRIENDS
A Demand for Aid in Their Time of
Need.
IRRIGATION A NECES SITY
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
SACATON AGENCY, Ariz., Nov. IL.
Congress has now to deal with the future
welfare of 10000 Indians in Arizona. It is
known that for five hundred years these
Indians have been self-supporting Cabeza
de Vaca, Spanish explorer, tells Of visit
ing these tribes in the year 1885 He found
them on the banks of the Gila river enjoy
ing prosperous agricultural and pastoral
life, Their land was naturally desert, but
an elaborate system Of bitches brought wa
ter from the ella and irrigation was car
ried on intelligently.
These Indians have since become known
as the Pimas, Maricopas and Papagoes. but
as civilization crowded about them, their
reservation established and white set
tiers came into the valley above, their pros
perity has departed and in season Of
drought their condition is pitiable in the
extreme. This change had been brought
about by a failing water supply. The
bitches are still there and the Indians seek
eagerly each year for moisture for their
crops, but fail to find it. Unprotected by
national or state laws they have been rob-
bed Of the waters Of the ella by white set
tiers in the valley above them. AS the
prosperity of the white settlement has in
creased the distress of the Indian has
grown in direct ratio.
Last year these Indians eked out the
food supply purchased with the proceeds
of their primitive industries by living upon
roots, mesquite beans, grass seed and mes
cal. There has been more rain this year
and the situation was relieved somewhat.
Rainy years are few in Arizona, however,
and it may be many seasons before another
comes. Two more ordinary seasons of
drought will render these Indians dependent
upon government aid. TAis means that
these former independent people will be-
come tissue" or ration Indians, the low
est type and least self-respecting people in
the west. 1t will break their spirit, weak
en- their physical and mental and moral
stamina, and will cost the government of
the United States ten cents per day per
capita to feed them, or a total each year
of about $350,OOO.
Need of Reservoir.
There is only one way Of preventing such
a calamity and that is for Congress to pro-
vide new water supply for the Gila river
reservation irrigation system. At a cost
of about two million dollars, or less than
the cost Of six years rations, reservoir
can be built at San Carlos, which will
make 1900 Pimas, $50 Maricopas, 200 Pa
pagoes and about ESQ San Carlos Apaches
entirely self-supporting.
The Pima Indians have always been
friends of the white people and enemies of
the Apaches. They gave succor and assist
ance to the early white settlers, and their
doors were always open to peaceable whites
or Indians hard pressed by savage foe. 1t
is the boast of the Pimas that they do not
know the color of the white mans blood.
1t was under these conditions that about
one hundred years ago came the fugitive
MaricopaS, driven from their earlier home
by the powerful and warlike Yumas. When
the United States troops were engaged in
the Apache campaign they often obtained
substantial aid and refuge in the settle
ments of the Pimas.
The agriculture Of the Pima Indians has
been carried on entirely by irrigation with
water from the Gila river for five centuries
that we know of. They have always sup
ported themselves, and their progress to-
ward civilization has been regarded as one
Of the encouraging features of the Indian
problem Their condition of prosperity, In
by the settlement of the ella valley above
the reservation, the water supply was
finally cut off and became insufficient for
the cultivated land During the last ten
years, their irrigated water having been
taken from them, they have lapsed into
Incidence, want and vice.
Water in Demand.
The settlement of Arizona is progressing
rapidly. Every drop of water which
be secured for irrigation purposes is eager
lily sought by the white settler. The Indian,
having no protection in the courts in the
matter of water rights, is at the mercy Of
every newcomer. Great dams have been
thousands of dollars, have been constructed
to carry water from the river bed to the
fertile government land which has been
taken up under the land laws.
The attention Of Congress has been
called to this condition of affairs along the
Gila river, but, unfortunately for the In
dlans, 1t is possible to store more water in
the proposed reservoir at San Car.os than
Is necessary for the Indians, and the oppo-
nents Of national irrigation are suspicious
that under the guise of assisting the In
pvl ion al mill
Congress to the policy of furnishing a
tlement @-s1s
The government has already spent con-
siderable money in providing irrigation
works in the arid regions, but in no in
stance has there been enough water con-
sumed by these works to be used outside of
Indian land. There are about 100000 acres
of land in the Gila river reservation. 1t
Is estimated that a 81, ,OO0, 900; reservoir ill
provide sufficient additional water to irri-
sand acres of irrigated ground will keep
the Indians in comfort, even IN prosperity,
and the water over and above what is
needed to irrigate these 10000 acres can
be opened for settlement under the home
stead law under such restrictions as will
return to the government within ten years
the actual cost of the reservoir, built Fri
marty Tor the Indians. Indian agents ard
inspectors, and, In fact every one who has
investigated this matter have said positively
that the government must furnish these
Indians with water or they would in a
short time become charges upon the nation.
irrigation experts and government engi-
neers have reported unanimously that this
irrigation scheme is one Of the most FEAST
bic proposed anywhere. not only being an
economical move for the government in it's
care or the Indians, but affording re-
marhapIe opportunity to test the practica-
bility Of water supply for public domain
open to homestead settlement, coupled with
the condition that the homesteader pay the
cost OF this unusual expenditure.
Brave Struggle.
Considering their lack of opportunities
and advantages, these Indians have carried
on brave struggle against extinction,
They have pursued their famous industries