Durango semi-weekly herald., 1906-02-08
sA,pRock AGENCY.

description VI s'Hipioth hbNh
cy and the work in way of erection Of
new buildings and general improve
ments. AS many OF our readers are
no doubt interested we reproduce the
Enterprise article in full as follows;
During the past week the editor OF
this paper had tne pleasure of visit
10 the San Juan Indian training school
and agency at Shiprock, New Mexico,
which was located in the summer of
1904. and which has rapidly grown
into an institution which will be Of
great advantage to the people of the
Navajo tribe, both individually and
collectively
The agency is located about 80
miles west of Pennington near the
San Juan river ON a level plain In
the edge of fine natural grove OF
large cottonwoods. well In on the
Navajo reservation. As soon as the
traveller passes across the boundary
line below Jewett the evidence of
improvement are apparent In the i'm
proved conditions of the roads, which
are new, straight and in good condi-
tion
Something like mile before the
agency is reached the road merges in
to wide. well graded street, which
leads to the Site of the buildings.
along part of which the grounds have
been layed out artistically and rows
of young shade trees are already
growing.
Arriving, we were surprised at the
In Of l.,fIJ .Ir do
completed or sufficiently advanced to
be In use The whole institution
when completed as planned, will GOV
er about six blocks. which will be
beautifully apportloned with view
both to utility and magnificence
Young trees have been arranged
among the larger one and walks and
drives among fine buildings, beds of
flowers and shady hooks. In all, a
picture which can not fail to wean
the wary red man from his customs
of generations to those of a higher
ideal and to habits more satisfactory
and effective.
The institution consists of two sep.
arate departments, that of the agency
proper, which deals with the Indians
In matters of business, and that of
the school. which deals with the edu.
cation of the children, the whole com
bined being an object lesson TO those
OF all ages.
Agency Buildings in Use.
The agency buildings now in use
are as follows;
Superintendents residence. stone
building of seven rooms. very neat
and well arranged, with ample porch.
es and surrounded with fine grounds.
temporary office of two rooms.
built OF straight, peeled spruce logs,
very comfortable and fine example
OF the use of native material.
Four residences of three rooms each
for the use of white agency employees.
bnilt OF adobe: and four of two rooms
each of the same material. for Indian
employees; also two or three of two
rooms each, built of logs. The adobe
buildings for the white employees are
to be finished in gray plaster, with
black pointing. and the others in red
with white pointing. and the others
with white pointing. These are ar
ranged alternately, white employees
residence, then an Indians, so as to
give the Indian a better example of
the white mans mode of living.
long log warehouse of several
apartments in which all kinds of sup
plies are kept, to be dispensed in ex
change for Indian labor, the old sys
TEN of issuing free rations having
been entirely abandoned and the more
enective one Of requiring the Indian
to work for what he gets adopted.
The blacksmith shop, carpenter
shop and other minor buildings are
located near the warehouse and are
all well equipped with supplies and
machinery, and at a little distance
from them is the stable where the
thoroughbred jacks are quartered-
the Indian having recently been In.
terested in the raising of mules.
A camp house and a few other build.
ings OF lesser Importance complete
the list of agency buildings now oc-
cupied.
To BE Constructed.
Plans have been drawn for the
agency office building which will be
OF four rooms and modern in every
respect; and also for much larger
warehouse, and when these buildings
are completed those now in use for
these purposes will serve as quarters
for more agency employees.
School Buildings.
four room school building. consist.
Ing OF dining room, kitchen. store
room and school room, built of spruce
logs, neatly pointed up with lime and
mortar, now serves for the carrying
on of day school, and at which the
attendants are given instruction In
housework and cooking as well as
mental training. This building will
be used for this purpose only during !
the construction of the more extens |
I've buildings hereafter described.
Under Construction.
The buildings now being erected
by the contractors. and which are
about one-half completed, are as fol.