Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1908-02-12
Navajo County Cattlemen Worried Over Their
 Surly Actions
Call For Troops May Be Made If Dan
 ger Increases
From Tuesdays DailyJ

WlNSLOW, Ariz., Feb. l0.--Quite little excitement is occasioned among the local eattlemen regarding the Nav ajo Indians north of here.
 lt is not generally known that the range between here and the reserva. ton line is of the best and dotted with frequent water holes and large natural springs. The most of these springs have already been taken up, a consid. erable number having lately been sold by John A. Benson, of Oregon land
 fraud fame, to the Malpais Ranch and
 Trading company, of Navajo. Some
 others are in the control of residents of
 the Territory and yet several are
 awaiting development by whomsocvcr | feels inclined to do the work. No
 cattle to speak of has been run on the
 range north of the railroad track for
 the reason that the Navaios always
 seemed inccnsed at the approach of
 the cattlcmen and in the past several
 outiits have been driven from this see.
 ton on account of the hostile scnti. mcnt of the redskins. Recently the
 local cowmen deemed it fit to take up
 several of the springs and develop
 water at the same.
 With that end in view. last week
 party composed of Seth Stiles, NJ. l..
 French and Alvin Burk joUrneycd to n
 spring situated about twenty-five to
 thirty miles northwest of Holbrook and
 commenced operations In short
 time the Indians commenced to gather
 although the water site is situated
 twelve miles this side of the rcscrva.
 tion line During the temporary ab-
 sence of Stiles and French a party of
 bucks came in and violently assaulted
 young Burk, driving him about at the
 point of dirk knife. After time
 Stiles and French were found and they in turn were told to immediately leave
 the country and not come back again.
 At about this time w. F. Williams,
 while developing water at spring
 about twenty miles from Winslow and
 at least twentytwo miles from the res cryation line, was approached by a , party of Navaios and told hy means of : signs to depart to town. Williams was working in small canyon at the time and refused to obey the orders of the Indians. They then took his pick and shovel and threw the same on top oi his outfit wagon and told him that 1T ! anotber sun there would be many In dians there and that they also would wait. Williams in turn informed th' To Indians that another sun would Ike
 wise find him there digging too, bu | evidently changed his mind during th e night and came into town. There IS ye another party out in the range con" C fry north of here and they are expeete o in at almost any minute. The lndian'
 tt IS salu, sho"'h S""'' ~ y ant manner and delighted in laughln 's at the predicament of tae white me' is They indulged in all sorts of abuse an m claimed that no white men could gc ~ into that country whether It was 0 ;" the reservation or not,
 '' The land referred to is m NaNal IT copnty and is open for the eXpIorat'o re of any person whatever that Feels ll6 !" taking up the same. There are hume w ous Indians about, shiftlcss, Idle an es unworthy in every respect, who ut'i'' 'y that land for nothing, shifting pa' IS apd forth from their reservation to tl es river. However the cattlemen are
 no means going to give up their TIE" fy in this matter to satisify the whiihS no the redskins and complaint has alrea' w. besp made to the Indian Agent ne Keams Canyon regarding the hos'' ny o,,;tnda of the Indians, In the hf be ;ns,ance inc cowmen feel that the es' dians have no right to be away i'' 'ut ,,o;r reservation without permits, a 'tt in the next place, they haven't GIT s,igbtest right or title to the spr'n nd in ouestion. If the agent at hea, or Canyon is found unable to cope WI nat ,ho situation call for troops Will ' doubtedly be made
 'hs The situation just now IS tense '" 'rs' soe,inu and a small spark would ms ,,te n had state of affairs
 Vho ''''