Page 173

REPORT OF COMMISSIONER          OF INDIAN     AFFAIRS.       173 
them forever after to distrust all negotiations with our Government, and
perhaps leading 
to a second Modoc-like war upon the frontier of Texas. These consequences
can be best 
obviated by the prccipt and faithful fulfillment of our pledges, and if,
in your judgment, 
no funds can be furnished to us forthwith, we most earnestly request that
Congress be 
urged to appropriate, at an early day, such an amount as you may deem requisite
to 
complete the service we have so far advanced. 
. From personal observation and reliable information obtained in Mexico and
on the 
Texas frontier, we beg leave to express the opinion that what we have already
accom- 
plished has added very largely to the wealth of the country, in the enhanced
value of 
the vast and splendid grazing and agricultural lands of Western Texas, which,
owing 
to the presence of these Indians on the Mexican border, were shunned by settlers
and 
emigrants to Texas. Moreover, removing the Indians takes away the mask or
pretext 
hitherto used by Mexican cattle-thieves and marauders. Now further raids
into Texas 
can be charged directly to the lawless frontier-citizens of Mexico. 
We would state that much kind and valuable aid was extended to us in promoting
our public duties by Gen. C. C. Augur, commanding Department of Texas, and
Gen. 
R. S. Mackenzie, commanding that district along the Rio Grande, and by Col.
W. R. 
Shafter, commanding Fort Duncan, also by William Schuchardt, esq., United
States 
commercial agent at Piedras Negras. Che-quan-ka-ko, the chief of the Pottawatomies,
and Michael Thomas, the Indian interpreter, served most faithfully and contributed
largely to our success. During the whole time Governor Victoriano Cepeda,
of Coa- 
huila, and the Mexican commissioner, Sefior Antonio Montero, were unremitting
in their 
efforts to help us, and by the judicious exercise of their authority gave
us most impor- 
tant assistance. 
For a detailed statement of all of our expenditures, please see the accompaying
vouchers, aN5stracts, and account-current. 
We have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servants, 
HENRY M. ATKINSON, 
THOMAS G. WILLIAMS, 
Hpecial United States Indian Commissioner& 
Hon. EDW. :P. 83MITH, 
Commissioner of Indian Affairs. 
NEW YORK INDIAN AGENCY, 
Forrestville, N. Y., October' 25, 187'3, 
SIR: In submitting my fourth annual report, I have the honor to state the
present 
population of the Indians on the eight reservations in the New York agency
at 5,141f 
being an increase over last year of 71; and their wealth in individual property
at 
$341,856, not including farms and farm-buildings. Nineteen thousand seven
hundred 
and thirty-seven acres of land are under cultivation by the Indians. There
are 1,576 
Indian children between the ages of 5 and 21 years residing on these reservations.
Of 
this number 1,221 have attended school some lortionof the school-year ending
Sep- 
tember 30, 1873. Twenty-eight schools have been taught on an average of 32
weeks 
each, and the school-registers, as kept by the several teachers, show an
average daily 
attendance of 811 Indian children, being an increase of daily attendance
over the pre- 
ceding year of 103, and over theschool-year ending September 30, 1871, of
179. Eleven 
of the teachers employed in these schools some portion of the school-year
were Indians, 
and succeeded well. These schools, except one, are embraced under the free-school
system of the State of New York, and have been sustained during the year
at an expense 
of $8,647.47, of which the Indians have contributed $611. 
I report an increase of population on all the reservations during the year
except 
Tuscarora. On this reservation there is a decrease of thirty-nine, owing
to great mor- 
tality among children by measles. 
I have to report the first murder committed by Indians in this agency for
several 
years. It recently occurred on the Tonawanda reservation, and the persons
impli- 
cated in the crime were intoxicated. The Indians are quite as free from the
violation 
of the criminal laws as any like portion of the white population of the State.
Generally the year has been a prosperous One among the Indians in this agency.
At 
no former period has the evidence of their advancement in wealth and civilization
been more satisfactory, as Will appear from the statistical returns of farming
and edu- 
cation herewith transmitted. 
The Senecas of the Tonawanda band, residing on the Tonawanda reservation,
appro- 
priated $4,500 from their trust fund interest, for the construction and maintenance
of a