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United States. Office of Indian Affairs / Annual report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, for the year 1874
([1874])
[Idaho], pp. 284-286
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[Arizona], pp. 286-300
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Page 286
286 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. break away and leave without notice. I would send and bring them back, but could not keep them. The same can be said of those who were taken into the mill. I think the only way to succeed in this business will be to take boys from the school as soon as they have learned enough of the English language to meet the demands of their position. THE CEUR DE ALfiNES AND SPOKANS. In making mention of the amount of wheat ground at the Lapwai mill, I spoke of grind- ing for the Spokans and Cceur de Alenes. They have no mill of their own, hence they come here, causing no small amount of trouble. Sometimes they come in bands of fifty to one hundred souls, and bring with them four hundred to six hundred horses, (an Indian has an idea that he cannot travel unless he takes all his horses with him,) which are a nuisance. The Government ought to assist these Indians in some way. They seem disposed to work, and if encouraged by the Government by giving them a saw and grist mill they would un- doubtedly feel greatly encouraged, and it would, so far as these annual trips are concerned, break up so much of their nomadic disposition. IN GENERAL. That portion of the tribe who remain at home and on the reserve are making good pro. gress in civilized pursuits. As the Indian becomes civilized he should have laws to govern him. In cases of murder, theft, polygamy, adultery, &c., they desire the same to be pun- ished in accordance with our laws, and are constantly asking me why it cannot be done. I would recommend that laws governing such matters be passed by Congress; that all such cases be tried in the United States courts nearest an agency; and also some law compelling white men to care for their half-breed children. A law declaring all whites who are living with Indian women the same as married, and recognizing them as the lAwful protectors of said women in all respects, ought to be passed. When General Shanks was here one year ago we talked the above matter over, and he said he would use his earnest endeavors to get such laws passed; but I did not see that any reference was made to the subject during last Congress. All of which is respectfuilly submitted. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN B. MONTEITH, United States Indian Agent. Hon. EDW. P. SMIT-, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D. C. INDIAN AGENCY, CAMP APACHE, ARIZONA TERRITORY, August 31, 1874. SIR: In compliance with instructions received from the Office of Indian Affairs, Wash- ington, D. C., I have the honor to submit the following report relative to affairs of this agency and the Indians under my charge: During the present year the Indians under my charge have been unusually docile, and have given far less trouble than in any former year. They have remained upon their reser- vation, and have not committed any depredations that I know of, and have obeyed all orders from their agent. The sanitary condition of the Indians has been good until the past few months, which have been very sickly. The Indians, and also the employes, have had the chills and fever. This is owing, no doubt, to having had so much wet weather the past winter and spring. Having no regular physician, I have had to administer to the sick myself, and I have had as high as fifty cases of chills and fever in one day. I am in hopes to be able, in a short time, to secure a regular physician for this agency. Every agency ought to have its own pbysician ; then the sick could be properly attended to. The disposition of the Indians of this agency to do right is very good. It is not hard to make them understand right from wrong. Last January this agency, on account of the bad condition of the roads, was out of flour for two months, and no corn or flour to be had in this section. I called the Indians to- gether, and through my interpreter informed them that in all probability I would not be able to get any flour for them for two or three months, but if they would go with me to the San Carlos agency, which was under my charge at that time, I would give them sufficient flour to last them thirty days. They told me that they knew it was no fault of mine or the Gov- ernment that I had no flour; but if I would issue them double rations of beef until such time as I could get flour they would be satisfied. This I did, and not one of them left the reservation. This, I think, speaks well for Indians who but two years ago were on the war- path. Early in the spring I employed thirty-seven Indians, at 50 cents per day each, to dig a "saque," and put them under charge of Mr. Whyte, head farmer of this agency. The In- dians worked cheerfully, and dug a ditch above the agency three miles long in a very short time. After finishing this ditch, they then went below the agency and dug another one two miles long. The whole cost of digging both ditches, which carry sufficient water to irrigate about 300 acres of land, was $1,650. If the work had to be done by contract it would have
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