Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1906-08-21
THE POOR INDIAN
BECOMING RICH
Supt. Crandall on
Navajo Con
ditions.
THE PROSPERITY ABOUNDs
Own One Million Sheep and
Hundred of Thousands
of Goats.

OF 1OdtS.
Superintendent Clinton j. Crandall,
of the U. S. Indian Training School
here, recently returned from WISH
to Fort Defiance, the headquarters OF
the Navajo Agency and where the
principal school on that reservation is
located. This is under the superyl-
sion of Superintendent Reuben Per
~, who has been in charge for three
years and who is bearing out his
reputation as an energetic and efficient
official The Navahos are evidently
very contented and certainly not
paupers. 1t is calculated that they
own nearly million sheep and many
many goats, although a careful esti
mate of the latter cannot yet be made,
They use the goats a great deal for
milking and also for meat. The mum
Der owned by them is said to be way
up into the hundreds of thousands
They have learned of late that grad
ed sheep and goats are better for all
purposes than the common kind and
hence it is very noticeable that they
are improving the grade of these ami
mails every year. They have also
come to the conclusion that dipping"
is a good thing both for me animals
and their owners.
"They are dipping now" said Su.
perintendent Crandall, "and / saw six
thousand sheep dipped in one
day at Defiance. Dipping vats
have also been established in other
sections of THE reservation and the
Indians are taking full advantage of
them. These items show a great ad.
vance on the part of the Navahos and
will have a good effect in bringing
them TO adopt other civilizing infu-
ences which are now offered them by
rhe Indian office
THE school at Fort Defiance is do
ing well and has accommodations for
about $50 children. The school at
Tohatchie, about thirty miles east of
Defiance, is in New Mexico and has
a capacity of about 100 This school
is also doing well and for several
years past was under the superintend-
ency of Mrs. De Wore, who. however.
will shortly resign~on account of i'll
health. Buildings for another school
are now in course of erection at
Chinlee about 81 miles north and
west of Defiance in Arizona This
Will have a capacity for about 100 chill
dren. Mr.. Perry is in charge of the
southern part and western half of the
agency and he estimates the number
of Navahos within his jurisdiction at
about 10000.
Navahos Learned Lesson of Peace
Well.
ut will be remembered that last
fall there was considerable trouble
in the vicinity of Chinlee. Several
Indians had committed crimes and
declined to be arrested. Agent Perry
about that time paid visit to Chin.
lee when these criminals with the aid
of other badly disposed Indians kept
him in custody with view to ex.
torting promises for a short time of
immunity and to let them go free from
him. Agent Perry, however, did not
accede, and called for troops which
were promptly sent from Fort Win
gate. The ring leaders were arrested
Tried by an Indian court under the
approval of the Secretary of the In
terror and sentenced by the agent tc
terms OF Imprisonment on Alcatraz Is
land in San Francisco harbor where
they now are and where they have be
come very good Indians. The proper
disposition of their cases taught the
Navahos in that section a solitary
lesson by which they have evidently
oeen benefited as they have been very
quiet and we'll behaved ever since"
superintendent Crandall in his tray
eis over the reservation noticed that
many places of 1t were admirable TO
grazing of live stock but that the
present water supply was too limited
10 be engaged in any farming op
eratlons. Mr. Crandall also visited the
mission of ST. Michael. located in Ari
zona, about eight miles south of th
Fort Defiance and just outside of th
reservation. There he found ver,
comfortable and well arranged Catho
lie mission presided over by the Rev
Father Anton Webber. The capacit,
OF this school is of about 15O youn,
people and it is well attended. Their
Is also some natural meadow Ian
upon which good crops of grass ar
harvested by them Father Webbe
has his heart in the work and is dc
ing all he can for the Indian pupil
who attend his mission. Father Wei
her is of the Franciscan order. II
has been missionary among tn
Navahos for many years who lik
and respect him very much, He ha
studied their language and custom
and is now engaged in the prepar;
tion of Navajo language dictional
and grammar. His mission is supper
ed by voluntary contributions and b
donations from the Franciscan orde
He Is assisted by several brothers {
the order. The nearest railroad poir
to st. Michael's is Gallup, in McKinle
County, this Territory
indians Are Not Decreasing.
Mr. Crandall enjoyed his visit to Il
Nauahn onunfry very much aIthnllp