Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-10-01
LIFE AMONG THE
NAVAJO INDIANS.
Miss Biggart Gives News Read.
ers the Benefit Of Her
observations
PAINTED DESERT" or ARIZONA
Crying Need for Water immense Coal
Beds Oh Reservation Tribes
Origin.

Miss Mabelle Bsgart. pulpit orator
author lecturer and reformer. win
preach a special gospel" sermon. en-
Titled, Simon, the Crossbearer," at 10
a. M. Monday Oct g. at Barratt hail.
10 when The general public Is cordially
invited There win also be special mu-
sic on this occasion
IN the evening at 3 o'clock, Miss Big
CART VIII render for the benefit OF the
library FUND, her celebrated condensed
dramatizaton OF George Ellots adam
Bede,' with plano accompaniment. The
general public is also invited to this
entertainment "a small admission fee
being charged
AMONG THE NAVAJOs.
Miss Blggart is just returning from
summer trip on the painted DESERT
IN Arizona, where she has made she.
clal study Of the Navajo ana Mooui In.
dams She says that while the Nava.
jos are nomadlc they are very indus.
trious IN growing their corn, weaving
lner Dlsnkets ana caring for their
sheeep goats and horses. Their reser.
Vatloh extends over a stretch OF 200
mlles' They change their residence
lhIee times % % and each time they
return 10 the ans they left behind.
Ihey have much Of good IN them and
much OF promise but she thinks thew
should nave reservation schools in ar.
ierent sections OF the reservations. rs
the nor-reseryatlon echools are OF H.
tie practical value. sg hey are not
taught the practical things to better
their conditions when they return 10
reservation life They have their SUI
perstitions, their religion, their Ell.
quette. They Are not thoroughly un-
derstood by al who are sent out 10
work amoNg them.
WATER NEEDED.
The crying need throughout the res.
ervations Of the desert seems to be that
Of water IL has been demonstrated bv
Mr. +. VOTE, a trader of Canyon Dlablo
who has worked rs years among the
Nayajos that water can be found at
any depth from 25 10 100 feet. He has
sunk himself several wells. and Miss
blegarL says she was treated 20 good
spring water, some alkali In Il, which
az one point came from a depth Of only
70 feet. AZ these spots he has trad.
ing posts for the Indians. and little
lakes have formed In natural depres.
slons and from heavy rains In the
rainy season, and trees are growing
luNurlantly around the little houses ne
has erected. This, the lady says. Is
matter that should be looked into ry
the government authorities. BY sinking
wells at intervals they could not ONLY
benefit the 10000 Navajos. but render Al
possible for an oasis here and
there 10 be formed, and the great. mar /
velous painted desert" 10 become
habltabie spot for other people az well, |
not encroaching either upon the reser. |
walton Of the Indians.
IMMENSE COAL BEDS.
Further. the government has reserved
4 stretch OF land in this Navajo reser-
walton, which Ia one solid coal bed about |
% miles wide and 30 miles long. and
he coal lies at a depth Of not more
han 10 feet from the surface. II the
government would allow this stratum
70 be opened and the coal to be mined,
md the Indians be paid for the prlyl-
eye of mining, 1t would afford a reye-
Tue 20 the Navajos end relieve the gov
'rnment OF an outlay without recom-
)ense.
A third wonder in that section IL a
'ast meteoric hole. several hundred fee-
leep and several hundred feet wide. If
hose now working upon this are able
o discover the contents Of the portions
Y the meteonc remains Il would prove
lot only Of vast value TO the scientific
World, but Of great commercial inter-
st 20 the successful discoverer.
Miss Biggart suggests that we Ameri.
ans travel the world over for wonder.
ul sights, but forget that In our own
painted desert" and IT'S primitive IN.
Iabitants, together with the great can.
'on ~ Colorado, 70 one Of the. n not
he most wonderful sights on the whole
lobe. There are sights which no
ongue, pen or brush can adequately
lecture, great chasms, marvellous col.
ring and formations wh~h only tho
reat Artist himself could have painted
r sculptured.
or AsIATIC ORIGIN.
Miss Blggart. speaking Of the origin
{ the Indians, does not hesitate 10 say
hat she believes them TO be Of Asiatio
rigin. She draws that conclusion from
heir features, as we'll as from their
and religious cult Their
relating TO a flood are par
cularly significant,
Miss Biggart is a refined, cultured
Idy, and fluent speaker Those who
an find an opportunity Of visiting
arratt hall on Monday. either In the
,renoon or evening, will be well re-
aid for attending.