Forty Years Among the Indians: A true yet thrilling narrative of the author's experiences among the nativesJones, Daniel W. (Daniel Webster)
History
Forty Years Among the Indians: A true yet thrilling narrative of the author's experiences among the natives
Jones, Daniel W. (Daniel Webster)
Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.); Indians of North America; Latter Day Saint pioneers -- Biography
The reader will now have to make a little allowance, as I am writing
entirely from memory, and there was so much crowding upon me at this
time, I will have to go ahead and write as it comes to my mind,
regardless of dates. I have heretofore been able to place incidents in
regular order tolerably well; possibly I may, in writing the next few
months' history, get a little mixed as to which first occurred, but not
as to facts.
Soon after my arrival in Salt Lake City I called on Governor Woods
and told him something about the condition of affairs at the Uintah
agency, informing him that, owing to the fact that there was no flour
or other provisions at the agency, it was the intention of the Indians
to leave there. Mr. Woods agreed to assist me in bringing the matter
before the proper department. My intention was to visit Washington to
see in person the Secretary of the Interior, in behalf of the Utes;
I had sufficient evidence to show cause for complaint. Advising and
persuading the Indians to leave the agency was entirely my own work;
I was satisfied that nothing would be done unless some move was made
worth noticing.
I had, as before stated, visited the people in Sanpete county and got
their consent for the Indians to come in. The Indians were now on
the road and would soon be located in Thistle Valley, where they had
agreed to stop. I was to meet them there as soon as they were in, get
things in shape and then, if necessary, go to Washington. About the
time the Indians got in Secretary Delano arrived in Salt Lake City,
passing through on a visit. Seeing his name among the hotel arrivals,
I called to see him and made my business known. He treated me with
much respect, making many inquiries about Indians and Indian agents
in general, admitting that the government had more trouble with them
than any other officers in the service, and asked me what I thought
was the reason of this. I said the wages were too small; that no man
could support himself, especially in an expensive place such as agents
generally had to occupy, on the pittance the government allowed them.
This often forced them into dishonest speculations. Mr. Delano admitted
that my explanations looked reasonable. After listening to what I had
to say for the Indians, he said if I could bring him such testimonials
from some of the government officials as would warrant him in noticing
me as an honorable man he would listen to and cause action to be taken
on my report. I told him about my conversation with Governor Woods and
his seeming interest in the welfare of the Indians. Mr. Delano sent
for Governor Woods. In the meantime I went to a prominent lawyer, Mr.
R--n, whom I knew to have much influence with the officials, and payed
him a liberal fee to make out the necessary testimonial and get the
needed endorsers. This did not require much time. I presented my papers
to Secretary Delano. He said he would have the matter investigated
and advised me to see Mr. G. W.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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