Carlisle, Pa., January 20th, 1898.

Metropolitan Magazine,
140 West 42nd Street,
New York.

Gentlemen:

Photograph of myself sent you was taken about ten
years ago. Mrs. Pratt having heard of my sending it, objects
to it, and desires me to send you the enclosed.

No doubt the matter is under way and cannot be changed, but
should it not be already arranged, you may use the enclosed in
place of the other.

(Dictated) Mc

NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF
THE YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

VOL. 34

478

Carlisle, Pa., June 13th, 1898.

Miss Kamie Owl,
Indian School,
Cherokee, N.C.

My dear Kamie:

I have your letter and write the Indian Office to-day about you, and trust that you may have the appointment you seek. Your being selected to teach at Cherokees would depend largely on Supt. Hart, and you had better talk to him about that. If he does not happen to need an assist. teacher you will, of course, have to go elsewhere.

I should be glad to see you keep moving onward and upward. Do not think because you have quit school, my dear Kamie, that you should cease to improve yourself in every way. When you write a letter write it as perfectly as you can. Criticize your own faults, and rewrite the letter if necessary in order to perfect it. By a system of study and wise use of your time out of duty hours you may march on to great deal higher attainments than you already have, and after all this will be the test of your promotion. If you stand still and stagnate, your usefulness will correspondingly stagnate.

If you show special interest in teaching by a readiness to take hold when there are opportunities, as they are always opportunities in the school where you are, you may make yourself so useful that your superintendent will not under any circumstances want to part with you, and you have, of course, the Sunday School and the

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484
486

Carlisle, Pa., June 14th, 1898.

Miss Fanny Rubinkan,

Newtown, Penna.

My dear Miss Rubinkan:

Your letter came some time ago, but was held
for my answer. I was away and since my return it has not been
convenient to reply until now.

I am always glad to hear from you and especially to get your commendation of the character of our boys who come under your notice. In the 18 years that our Indian boys and girls have been subjected to the influences of life out from the school and at the school here at Carlisle, I venture to say it would be impossible to find a class of young people anywhere who had done better. We have had scarcely a case that needed the attention of the courts or justices.

I am glad that your long experience commends the Outing system. It seems to me perfectly logical that people must be brought together in some way to learn to know each other in order to become friendly with each other, aside from other lessons of how to work and how to earn money, and all that, there is the acquirement of what I call the "courage of civilization", which to me is just as essential for the Indian as learning him to speak English and to read. What good is his schooling going to do him if he simply ties it up in a napkin on a reservation and becomes an old

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      <td>NOT TO BE PUBLISHED OR REPRODUCED WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE YALE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.</td>
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VOL. 34

485

Dennison Wheelock,

✓ Supt. Allen, Indian School,
Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Dear Dan:

I enclose to you copy of a letter from Mr. Conn. None of the others to whom you wrote have yet replied. When they do, I will advise you.

I wish you would be careful to keep me advised, as nearly as you can, of the points where I can strike you with letters or telegram, giving the dates you will be at such places.

I have your letter from Columbus, Neb., dated the 11th. You indicate that you will go to Chilocco Monday. I suppose from there you would go to Cheyenne, but before I could strike you at Cheyenne, you would be on your way to New Mexico, so I send this to Albuquerque.

All is moving along nicely here at the school.

(Dictated) Mc

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486

Hon. W.A. Jones,

Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Washington, D.C.

My dear Mr. Commissioners:

On the 8th of March last I wrote you as you suggested in regard to Miss McCook, stating the case as I had previously stated it to you verbally. There has been no official action nor any intimation that I could not continue Miss McCook, and I have no disposition to bring the matter up again officially, so long as her services can be continued. She is feeling the effects of the work and asks to be absent a couple of months, providing a substitute for one month. I do not feel able to act until I have some intimation from you. If it is not practicable to continue her on the regular Government roll, then I will ask, as I stated in my former letter, to have the place abolished, and I would continue her and pay her out of other than Government funds.

I have said nothing about the Civil Service appointments whose probationary period will expire with the end of this month, desiring not to do so until after the change in the head of the school management. Now that that is accomplished, I would like to come down to Washington and talk several matters over with you, and if you are going to be in Washington, I will, with your permission, do that within a few days.

VOL. 34

Hon. W.A. Jones.

There is one matter that I wish to speak of again. It is simply bringing up something that I have said before to the Department, and repeatedly. We have lowered the standard of our Indian School work very considerably by the excessive use of young Indians as employees, and a very great number of them are paid altogether too much. There is an inequality about it that produces discontent, to say nothing of the fact that very few of them really count for nearly as much in the Indian School work as other employees, because generally their education and experience has not been as good. I think a very considerable saving to the Government could be made along this line, and better results obtained. For instance, Frank Shiveley, a graduate of this school of '97, was appointed the other day Asst. Clerk at the Nez Perce Agency at $900 a year. This gave him considerable more salary than Mrs. Given is receiving, under whom he had been serving for years, and more than our best teachers receive, and more than most of my clerks, while he was not as competent as any of the persons I have named. He would have thought himself fortunate had he received an appointment at $40 a month, instead of $75, and then there would have been a chance for him to look forward to a higher salary. The chances are now that he will not satisfy the expectations of such a salary and have to travel the other way, which will be very mortifying to him. I would suggest that it would be good policy if it could be so arranged that I or others who recommend such people for the Service be allowed to indicate about what salary would fit their capabilities.

(Dictated) Mc

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488

Carlisle, Pa., June 15th, 1898.

Mrs. A. DeKnight Robinson,

386 - 44th Street,
Pittsburg, Penna.

My dear Mrs. Robinson:

I return your letters. So far as I know, at present, there will be no vacancies here at Carlisle the ensuing year for which I could give consideration to the possibility of getting you to fill. My teachers and employees generally seem inclined to stick.

I should think through Civil Service appointment there might be many chances for you in the West.

You understand, of course, that superintendents have little or nothing to say now in regard to who their employees shall be.

(Dictated) Mc

VOL. 34

489

Rev. John Banerfoot Davins,
Editor of "Observer",
155 Fifth Ave., New York.

My dear Doctor:

Solomon Day went to the country some weeks ago to be regularly out for the summer, and it is not practicable to arrange to vacate his place for the purpose of coming to you for a week. His country outing will do him great good, besides giving him a chance to earn a little money.

I am somewhat better, but not in real good shape yet. I had hopes of getting away for a brief rest, but conditions do not favor.

With cordial remembrances from both Mrs. Pratt and myself
to Mrs. Davins,

(Diated) Ms.

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492

Carlsbad, Pa., June 16th, 1898.

Gimbel Brothers,

Ninth and Market Sts.,
Philadelphia.

Gentlemen:

Last year I purchased two wheels, one for Mrs. Pratt and one for myself with the sanitary frame. Mrs. Pratt's has been an incessant bother on account of the chain striking the frame which goes around it. As the seat goes down the chain slackens, and it is constantly striking on the lower part of the frame. Recently I reversed the supports to the frame, and made the distance longer below to correct this, but now it springs up and strikes above.

I wish you would be kind enough to fix it completely in the best way you can, and if there is a charge for it send me the bill, but I think it ought to be made right without any charge.

I have sent the wheel down by baggag check. If you will send one of your men with the enclosed check to the Penna. Station you can get it. Please have it fixed as early as possible and send back to me by express. There ought to be so much distance between the chain and the frame, both below and above, that it for the chain would be impossible to strike the frame. Make it as staunch as you can.

(Diedatea) Mc

VOL. 34

494

Carlisle, Pa., June 17th, 1898.

Miss Eva H. Quinn,

1515 Rhode Island Ave.,
Washington, D.C.

My dear Miss Quinn:

It so happens this year that not a single teacher has expressed an intention to quit our service, so that I am unable to give any encouragement for Miss Hayden. There is a bare possibility of a promotion for Mrs. Cook, but that would leave a vacancy in No. 10, not a suitable place for Miss Hayden according to your account.

We are all very well, indeed, at the school. Have placed for the summer 587 pupils with enough more to give, before the end of the month, about 600. This is by far the largest number we have ever had out. Things are going nicely with that branch of our work.

I am very glad that Dr. Hailman has gone out of the Service, as it seemed utterly impossible for him and his backers to do anything but antagonize me, and they are equally incapable of accepting anything but tribal autonomy methods. Since he left the Service, he and his henchmen have been laying all the blame on me and the politicians. Hailman is continually lauded to the skies, but somehow he has great difficulty in getting a job, and I understand is seeking an appointment as superintendent of an Indian School somewhere, preferably the school at Phoenix, Ariz.

VOL. 34

Miss Quinn.

-2-

Name is visiting in Philadelphia, and having a most delightful time. Richenda is visiting at State College, also having a delightful time. Mrs. Pratt and I are alone in the big house.

I am at the top of the list of Captains, and the first vacancy in the field officers will make me a Major. Whether that will operate to send me away from Carlisle or not, I do not know.

If I should happen to strike the 4th Cavalry, I would have a chance to go to the Philippines. What a trip that would be.

I congratulate you on the facilities to learn German and French with which you have supplied yourself, but please do not forget the good old English.

What a tom-fool condition it is, that people of contrary politics and, of course, contrary views to the Administration, should continue to hold places, particularly the supervising places in the Service. When will we ever learn common sense in these matters.

Mrs. Pratt joins me in cordial remembrances.

(Distated) Mc

VOL. 34

496

Carlisle, Pa., June 17th, 1896.

Mrs. Folk, Matron,

Broad Street Station,
Philadelphia.

Dear Madam:

Enclosed you will find letter addressed to Miss Ruth Shaffner, who is returning from Europe and will be at Broad Street Station Saturday or Sunday of this week. Please hold the letter until she calls for it, and oblige.

Mc

COPY TELEGRAM.

Carlisle, Pa., June 17th, '96.

Capt. C.L. Cooper,

Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Morris, 4th Cavalry, ordered for retirement. This sends me to Sen. Cavalry vice Davis.

Pratt, Capt.

"Collect"

Govt. Rate.

"Postal" 11:00 A.M.

VOL. 34

497

Carlisle, Pa., June 18th, 1898.

Hon. Thos. B. Kennedy,
President C.V. R.R.
Chambersburg, Pa.

My dear Sirs:

Our boys are providing themselves with an athletic
field of such dimensions and qualities as will give them the
best in that line.

I find their funds for that purpose running low. To complete the running track, which is a quarter of a mile long and 20 ft wide, they want from 15 to 20 car loads of sparks and ashes coming from railroad engines. We can get this stuff at $5.00 a car load on the cars in Harrisburg. I write to ask whether it is not possible for you to get it over for us more cheaply than the regular rates. I do not expect you to haul it for nothing, but the regular rates would make it a pretty large bill against our small funds. If you can see your way to help us out with this, it will be a great favor to us, and later I hope to be in the way of hauling people to our contests, which will make some contribution towards the business of your road.

(Dioseuted) Mo

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