Albuquerque daily citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1895-1903, 1902-03-29
COUNTY
BRIEF

A large fraction of the area of north
ern Otero county is taken up by the
Mescalero Indian reservation for the
opening to general settlement of which
a movement has been set on foot. 1t
was not until 1894, when Capt. G.. V.
Stottler took charge of them, that the
Mescalero Apaches began to make
strides toward civilization. Up to that
time they had lived in tepees and had
wandered at large over the reserva-
ton. which includes several hundred
square miles of land. When this army
officer came among them he found
them wearing breech cloths, frequently
drunk on mescal and as disreputable
and troublesome as il is possible for
an Indian to he. A few had beer edu-
Gated by the United States government
at the Indian boarding schools at a
distance. but these seemed to be the
worst of the lot. They had gone back
to long hair and melted others to dis
regard the orders of the officials.
Captain Stottler began by deciding
that the Indians must be made to
clothe themselves and have their hair
cut. They objected to this. At last one
vi titIh was fllntu W dllON Ills lOtho
to be shorn. He promptly got into SO
much trouble with the squaws that he
persuaded other bucks to do as he had
done. In this way half the tribe were
given a hair cut. The remaining In.
dams were given their hair cut in a
more forcible manner Then every
child yer 5 years of age was ordered
to school, the parents who objected
being sent to Jail and put to hard labor.
All power vas taken away from the
old chief and the bucks were told that
they had to go to work or starve. Then
they went to work. The work begun
by Captain Stottler was continued by
DR.. Luttrell, who until last year was in
charge OF the agency. The result is
that every Indian wears civilized attire
and has otherwise adopted the ways OF
civilization, has a piece of land fenced
in on which he raises grain and vegeta-
bles; has a good wagon, horses and
farm implements; a log house, com
fortably supplied with necessary furni-
ture and utensils; ten head of sheep
for man. woman eund child in the fam.
lily. From a trouble making Apache he
has become a self-supporting man and
no longer requires government aid. AS
a result beef rations are issued only to
those Indians too old to work. At pres
ent there are on the reservations 49C
Indians, of whom 365 are adults. di
vided into 1913 families. With the ex
ception of so women and 40 men all
are married. Among them they cult
vate 80 farms. have 1900 acres OF land
fenced in and 100 acres in grain
They own over / 200 horses, 20 mules
60 burros, 5000 sheep, 600 goats and
over 100 head of cattle. There is now
practically no reservation for the In
dams in the sense of confinement, the
present reserve merely protecting wa
ter rights and guaranteeing each In
dian permanent possession of his lands
and an opportunity to make a good liv
ing. There is excellent agricultural
extensive grazing and very valuable
timber land on the reservation. In thu
mountains are many indications o
large ore deposits.
All of the children of the Mescalert
Indian reservation are in school. III
being in boarding school, on the reser
walton. and seven at non-reservatioI
schools. Attendance IS compulsory
The school plant is in good condition
having electric lights. an excellen'
water system and ample fire protec
ton. The work of the school has beer
satisfactory in all departments ant
pupils passing through the institution
are being well fitted to take up som
trade or follow the pursuit of farming
on the lands of the reservation. Thu
school farm of 200 acres is doing fnel!
and is raising large crops.