Year: 1879

Milk River.


AGENcY-A LETTER FROM AGENT MEEKER-


TOO MUCH LAND PLoUGHED TO SUIT INDIAN


IDEAs-A sQUAw's PERSISTENCE.


[BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.1


DENVER. Col. Oct. l. 1879.


Mr.. n c. Meeker, agent of the Ute Indians at the
White River Agency. wrote few days ago the fol-
lowing letter to his friends in Greeley. Co setting
forth the origin Of the recent outbreak


Having finished the ploughing of field we
started last week another. This field was one Of
about two hundred acres. not yet fenced. but only
half was to be ploughed; the remainder to be
irrigated for o hay meadow. Since many Indian
horses eat up the natural hay have to 60 from
four to seven miles to cut hay. and even
there the horses leave only . part. chief
object in moving the agency to obtain tillable
land. and this particular tract of 200
inducement. But after had irrigated o bod 160
feet wide and half milo long several Indians OBJ
jected and Jane in particular. Her man. Parviets.
had built corral the ground. though he was told
previously that the land would be ploughod. And
Antelope was another. Both OF these had been OF
in Middle Park cutting up generally and they had to
be sent for and brought back. and when they came
fire followed them all the way back to Bear River.


THE INDIANS COMPLAINT.


The claim that Jane and Antelope made was that
this is the Ute country; that they had fixed them
selves and did not want to move. for the grass
good and they wanted 1t all tho while for their
horses Being close to the agency-for the buildings
are on the lott was handy and they wanted it.
Besides. they said the Utes did not want any
more land ploughed. There was enough now
ana they wanted to lIve just they had lived.
Jane told that there wore plenty Of places just
good; that the employees would move everything
without any trouble to her. and make things great
deal better; and she told. too. that if the build
ings were moved she would be sure to follow and
claim land close by. and the agent could have
choice to plough at ALL


A sQUAw's PERSISTENCE.


She said he might plough of in another place. and
she indicated, Douglass and others did afterward
that certain tract covered with greasewood.
cut up with sloughs and white with alkali.
good to plough. though it would take
three months to clear the surface. No. she
would listen to nothing; that piece Of land
to be theirs. and they wouldn't have it ploughed.
for they had taken it. which something
like the when Greeley first settled. when
men to locate all their shares the 16O
next to the town centre Therefore the ploughs
ordered to run, but before single round had been
ploughed there came two Indians with guns and for
bid the ploughing.


THE pLoUGHMAN SHOT At


When the ploughman came back he reported to the
agent. who told him to go ahead. and 80 the sulky
breaker went ahead. Then for an hour peace
seemed restored. but after q while the ploughman
reported that he shot at from little bunch Of
sage brush. where two Indians seen lying. and
the ball whistled close his person. OF course
ploughing was ordered stopped and the team turned
out. Then Douglass was sent for. but he would do
nothing. This was the Utes country and they
wanted 1t for their horses.


A COUNCIL AND A SETTLEMENT.


Then Jack. the chieftain. rival to Douglass. was
sent for ton miles up the river. Jack has big body
of big Indians under him, and it scarcely two
hours before as many as twenty Of them. with Jack
ut their head, came down the full rum for Jack
had been told that the agent going to telegraph
to Washington, but before he did SO he wanted to
know whether all the Ues united to stop the plough
ing and all Of them should be heard Then followed
q talk lasting nearly till sundown. when it was
decided the agent might plough that bed. but no
more r The agent said that would not do ut all.
Then it was decided that no might plough more and
have it all So the thing seemed settled. However,


ANOTHER ROW.


Next day the plough started. but it had not gone
half around before out came Parviets and Antelope
and threatened dire vengeance IL any moro than
that land ploughed. which. by the way.
was in fne piece to fence. being. in all.
about six acres. and requiring moro fenc-
ing than square Of 100 acres. Still tho
plough an hour or so. doing first rate work; but
by this time their employees begin to think there
was likely be different kind of work to do than
they came hither for, and the ploughman
ordered to retreat from the enemy. About this time
the remark was made to George. This is getting
rather Interesting to which he replied. It may be
to you, but can't see it. for my part"


ANOTHER TALK-A cMETs KIoouENcR


Then Jack was sent for again. and he came down
with big of retaners earlier than the day before.
and big long talk had. The agent sat for hours
In a hot room. filled with tobacco smoke. and
listened to speeches of which understood nothing
and during all the time he said nothing silently
representing the government Of the United States.
Among the speeches was one made by Douglass,
which was the closing ploa summing up of the
case. lasting nearly half an hour. and then it was
understood why Douglass was made chief-that Is
account Of his eloquence First, no spoke in
poetic Ute. not in the ordinary vcrnacular second.
the words were uttered with perfect distinct
ness and yet quito rapidly; third the
tences wero measured. There would be three
sentences of about fifteen words each;
then sentence OF thirty or forty
words and so on. The Indians listened to him with
the utmost attention. and some seemed to shed the
sympathetic tear for frequently in his gestures he
seemed to embrace object. and with fcrvor and
love- 1t was afterward learned that he spoke of tho
unity of all the Indian tribes the Utes. the Ban
nocks. Arapahoes Cheyennes. Pawnees Apaches and
Navaos and then of the fatherly of the govern
ment. embracing and caring for all as IL they
the children of one father.


A FINAL sETrLEMENr.


Soon after the conclusion OF the speech Douglass
asked tho agent what he would do for Jane If
would or The reply was that he would
move the corral. help her husband build q log
house. dig we'll. give them stove aud have every
thing nicc This agreed to. and tho agent
allowed to have the land Tho impression is that IL
the Indians had been free to choose they would hsvo
forbidden another furrow to be turned.


RECEPTION OF THE NEWS IN wAsHINGroN-
AN OUTBREAK THAT HAS BEEN ANTICIPATED