Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-03-13
WHAT UNCL SAM
IS DOING FOR THE
NATIVE AMERICANS


lieve the noble red men to be sadly
neglected and misused. The majority
| of these people either belong to, or
are in sympathy with the Indian
Rights Association and are working
along lines for the betterment OF the
| backward savage who has suffered
so much at our hostile hands of op-
preston.
have been in Uncle Sans Indian
service, controlled by the Depart
ment of the Interior for many months
and have come in close contact
with three tribes in particular, the
Pimas, Papagoes and Mojares (pro-
which the government has installed
large pumping plant, at Prker, Ari-
IONA, on the Colorado river, and we
are employed in extending canals and
lateraIs forming network over a
tract of about 10000 acres, half of
which has been allotted in 10 acre
|
be watered separately. About half
Of this land is undesirable, being too
high for irrigation or with low alkali
flats upon which nothing grows read
| lily.
The land is entirely silt, (the fine
| clayey soil washed down by the
| 90
the Colorado river. 1t is wonderful
| ly rich soil and to the Indians who
have been accustomed to scratching
around over two or three acres and
raising a little corn or wheat, ten
acres well watered, will spell wealth
and independence for those who con-
scienciously use the opportunity ma
| ture and Uncle Sam has so bounti-
fully heaped upon him.
However, it remains to be seen
| whether or not the Indians will take
advantage of these things and if
| they do, how long they will keep the
habit
The Mojarve's, I believe, are the
most immoral and otherwise most un
desirable Indians l have come in
contact with and are gradually dimin
ishing in numbers as a result Of the
fact that about fifty per cent of then
are in some stage of tuberculosis,
either inherited or contracted and
the impossibility of stamping it out
| is evident from the filth in which
| they live.
The school which compells all chill
dren to attend are using the latest
methods of instruction and keep the
pupils busy from 5:45 a. m. when they
arise until taps is sounded at s p. m.
but after they finish the 3rd grade
they are a finished product, unless
their ambition is not quite gratified,
and go to the Phoenix school to get a
somewhat higher education.
The unfavored many go back to
the little mud shacks and filth and
sleep, make beadwork, lat which the
Morjare Indians are very adept and
eat.
Your first trip over the reserva-
ton is a novel experience. To start
with let us arrive in Parker from
Phoenix at II g. m. as it is expressed
here, Parker boasts two trains a
day Cor rather night the reson is
often adjusted to the fact that no.
body would leave the train if it stop
ped here in thc daylight. The train
used to arrive tomorrow and leave
today, curious fact, but true new
erthelesS, for it came at 1925 a. m.
mountain time an left IL: 35 p. m. Pa
cific time, thus the mirage or fallacy,
shall we say.
1t is not hard to find the Manitoba
Hotel (named after Chief of Mojares,
and after a doubtful rest the agency
mule team and Indian driver in the
white canvas top blackboard will drive
you mile southwest to the Agency
school where you see four low brick
buildings which are dormitories and
combined, an office build !
ing and Superintendent cottage not !
a very extensive outlay, but when you
learn that there are only about sixty
pupils enrolled you don't wonder or
care to investigate closely hte dirty
things" as ! once heard them called |
by a tenderfoot so We proceed to t
plant which is just under the
brow of the mesa by the waters edge
It consists of a large Corliss type
compound engine, and two twelve
inch centrifugal pumps each capa-
BILE of throwing twenty-five second
feet of water. Just below the plant
Is a settling basin sixty-three feet
m diamete' arranged with walls thir-
,y-six inches high running perpendi-
,ular to the flow of the water which
catches most of the silt which runs
Is high as 80 per cent during high
water, this is flushed out once day
md turned back into the river We
will now proceed down the river to
he reservation. The first family
We pass are Chemahueri Indians and
re artists at basket work. | have I
ct to see their equal at the craft
nd though they get $3.50 for a bas.
ct five inches in diameter, shaped
Ike a hair receiver, they spend all
heir SparetiIne for q month In makint
, and piece Of art it is. It is time
D move on so We will look in on a
amily of Mojares. Grover Cleveland J
fcKinley for instance who lives on "
be hillside. He is chief medicine 7
IAN for the tribe so docs not SDOil