Another Trip to Uintah Agency--Confidence of the Indians--My Return
to Salt Lake City--Call on Secretary Delano--G. W. Dodge Visits the
Indians as a Peace Commissioner--Speech of Chief Douglas--Treaty with
the Grass Valley Indians.
On my arrival in Salt Lake City and after disposing of my furs and
skins, I made arrangements for the money to pay the trader, George
Basor, for his stock of buckskins, amounting to some two thousand
dollars. The arrangement was to close the bargain by a certain date,
provided the purchase was made.
I found the dog so useful in pulling a sled that I determined to get
hold of some more large dogs and train them. To do this I would be
delayed a few days; so I got David Boyce, who had just come in with me,
to take Ring, the old dog, with a sled load of one hundred and fifty
pounds, and a $2000.00 check and make the trip alone. Boyce, traveling
on Norwegian snow-runners, made the trip through in good time. This
trip of Boyce's I consider one of the most heroic of any, as he
traveled alone one hundred and fifty miles, passing over twenty feet of
snow, with no one but the faithful dog for company.
On getting my dogs, four in number, trained with sleds for each, I
took my son Wiley, thirteen years of of age, and started again for
Uintah, taking about four hundred pounds of goods for the Indians. I
was careful to take a good supply of provisions on this trip. I hired
a young man from Heber City, by the name of Hickins, to go with us. We
made good time over the mountains. Our dogs behaved tolerably well, as
I had trained them before starting.
Boyce, who went through with the express, found the horse, loaned by
Toquana, all right. He packed the goods on him, after getting to hard
ground, went on to the agency, transacted the business, got a yoke of
cattle and a light wagon, and came out and met us at the snow line. So
everything went off smoothly on this trip. On my arrival at the agency,
I found it would be impossible for me to get the trader's position and
be true to the Indians. What I had started to do for them would make
the agent my enemy, so I concluded to stick to the peace-making, let it
cost what it might.
On getting the Indians together and talking to them, we came to a full
understanding and agreement. By this time they had come to believe in
and trust me implicitly. I agreed to procure all the evidence I could
in regard to irregularities on the part of the agents. Such evidence I
had been gathering up for some time, to make a report to Washington in
their behalf, and do all I could to get them their rights. There was
not much provisions at the agency at this time for the Indians. Only a
few sacks of flour. I assured them that if they would come in and visit
the Mormons, that they would be glad and would not fight them, but
would treat them as friends, as was the custom before the war.
This finally was agreed upon. I knew that some move of importance,
sufficient to cause the government to take notice, had to be made. So
it was arranged that all the Indians should leave the reservation and
refuse to return until they were furnished with supplies, and a better
system of provisioning them devised. They hated the agent as he had
acted very insultingly to some of them. They urged hard that I would
send in evidence of his wrong-doing, and get him removed. I told them
maybe they would get a worse one, but they insisted that there was no
danger.
I did not agree with the idea of the Indians. The present agent had not
been long in position, and from what I knew and had heard about former
agents, he was not nearly so bad as some of his predecessors. In fact
I believed him capable of making a very good agent when once posted on
the duties of his office.
My interests were entirely centered on doing the best for the Indians
I possibly could, also that the people would be relieved from their
depredations.
The furs and skins that I had bought from the old trader amounted
to some twenty odd hundred pounds. The ground was now bare for some
seventy-five miles; the snow being still deep for about the same
distance. I bought a wagon and team from the trader, loaded all up and
pulled up to the snow region, where we turned the team out, loaded up
our dog sleds and, by making an average of three return trips, moved
our whole load six miles each day. Our dogs were fed mostly on beaver
meat, caught by trapping in the streams along the route.
On nearing Provo valley I went ahead to get teams to come out and meet
the dog train a few miles from Heber City. It took two light wagons
to contain our load. We made the trip down Provo canyon and camped
one night near American Fork. I had been from home longer than was
expected; there were no means of communication and I felt very anxious
to get home as I believed my family would be uneasy about me.
At that time the terminus of the Utah Central was at Draperville. I
started out early in the morning on foot to make to the train by 8
o'clock, some eight miles distant. I had been working on snow shoes for
most of the winter; I was now on good dry road and was wearing Indian
moccasins. I was feeling well and in good trim, so I had but little
fears of making the distance in time.
After traveling a short distance I heard a wagon approaching. On
looking around I recognized a gentleman who had always professed great
friendship and interest in my labors among the Indians. It occurred
to me that I would see if he would ask me to ride without my making
the request. He drove by without turning his head. I made up my mind
that although he was driving a nice fine traveling team, to beat him
into the station. This I did. He drove quite fast, but I kept in sight
of him all the way, passing the team about a mile before reaching the
station.
As I went by he spoke to me, saying he had not recognized me before.
I replied that I was in a hurry and could not stop. One of his horses
suddenly failed, causing them to halt. This friend (?) probably never
passed a footman afterwards without thinking of the circumstance.
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. Dodge, who had lately been appointed
special agent for Utah and Nevada, and report to him and inform him of
the condition of affairs.
When I called on Mr. Dodge he seemed much interested and agreed to go
to Sanpete Valley and visit the Utes on their arrival, promising me
that he would see that they were cared for. I agreed to meet him there.
Accordingly, when the Indians were encamped in Thistle Valley, not
long after my arrival in Salt Lake City, I went to Fairview, where I
met Mr. Dodge. A party of us accompanied him to the Indian camp, some
fourteen miles distant. Several hundred Indians were there. This was
quite a move. For several years most of the Indians had been at war,
stealing, robbing and killing. Now they were all in to visit their old
acquaintances as friends. Many of the settlers had seen their friends
and kindred killed by these same Indians. If any mishap had occurred I
would have borne the blame, as I had been instrumental in bringing this
move about.
On arriving at the camp Mr. Dodge seemed a little lost. It was the
first Indian camp he had ever visited. He professed great friendship.
The Indians said to me: "He talks good, but his eyes have dirt in them."
A number of the leading citizens of Fairview and Mt. Pleasant went
over. The meeting with the Indians was friendly. Each party really
desired peace. Mr. Dodge appointed a meeting to take place in Fairview
next day, where he desired to see all the chiefs and have a big talk
with them. There were some thirty of the principal Indians came over.
Douglas, of the White river Utes, who spoke English, being at the head.
Mr. Dodge had employed several interpreters to assist in the talk.
He wished to be fully understood. For some cause he seemed to
rather slight me as interpreter; so when the meeting was opened Mr.
Dodge commenced and made quite a speech, and called on one of his
interpreters to explain what he had said and invited the Indians to
reply. The speech was interpreted, but the Indians said nothing. Then
another speech was made and another interpreter explained with the same
results.
Finally, Mr. Dodge was determined to make an impression. He began and
told the Indians of his love for the red man; and of his big heart
that swelled so large that all the ties of home and friends could not
hold it back, but it had grown in him till it had reached clear out to
the wilds of the Rocky Mountains, penetrating into the camps of the
much abused natives; that he was here as their friend, sent here by
"Washington" to see that all their rights were respected and grievances
redressed.
Still there was no answer from the Indians. Mr. Dodge was now almost
exhausted. The Indians recognized me as their representative and were
intent on silence until I was noticed. Finally I said to Mr. Dodge:
"With your permission I will talk a little to the chiefs present.
I have been acting as their friend and I think they will talk if I
request them to."
He said he would like to hear what the principal men had to say. I told
the Indians to explain to Mr. Dodge why they had left the agency and
what their desires were. Several then spoke in turn, recounting how
they had been defrauded out of the government appropriations; that if
they could have their rights they could live in peace. Douglas, being
the last speaker, did not use an interpreter. He said: "The man from.
'Washington' talks good and makes good promises, and I hope it is all
true, but I am afraid it will all be a lie pretty soon. 'Washington'
has sent to us a heap of men, All of them talk good when they first
come but in two or three moons, most of their talk proves lies. Some
in two moons, some in three, some in six. One man's talk was good for
one snow; then it was a lie, same as the others. This man here now,
looks like the man who lasted two moons. Maybe the talk is all good,
but I think in two moons may be it will be all lies. I know Washington
means to be good to us. His heart is good, most too good. He has many
hungry men come to him for something to eat; they have slim faces and
long beards and look hungry; and they cry and tell Washington they have
nothing to eat. Then Washington gets tired of their crying and makes
them agents and sends them out here, and they take all Washington sends
us. I don't think this is right. They ought to send men who are not so
poor and starved, then they would not take our flour and we would have
plenty."
This is Douglas's speech in substance. Mr. Dodge did not reply farther
than to say he would see to their wants.
From Sanpete we went down to visit the Indians in Grass Valley. They
had been stealing had taken quite a band of horses lately. They were
not of the Uintah tribe. On visiting them, a treaty was made, the agent
agreeing to make them some presents. The Indians agreed to bring back
the horses.
I knew very well that no treaty would be considered by the Indians
until the goods promised were delivered. I told Mr. Dodge so. He said
the government had not furnished him with any goods, neither would
they get any till he could send to New York for them. I told him I had
goods along with me that he could have. Some $350.00 worth. He said he
was not authorized to pay more than New York prices, and freight. I
replied, "You can take mine now, and when you find what New York prices
are, you can pay me."
He took my goods, enough to ratify the treaty. The Indians kept their
contract to bring in the horses, but I do not know whether Mr. Dodge
ever learned what New York prices were or not.