Special to the Herald
White River Agency, Colorado.
June 1, 1879
Sir: I note that in your “exceptions” to my property returns, fourth quarter 1878, just received, you call my attention to circular letter No. 26, October 1878, to the effect that strict compliance will be required with what this circular demands. So I now respectfully ask you to rescind the provisions of this circular, so far as this agency is concerned, and for the following reasons:
Form 3 of abstract D demands that issues shall be made to individual Indians on the basis of the “true amount of the ration as established in the table annexed”. Now, neither I nor my employee can possibly certify to the issue of supplies that are exhausted, nor can there be a reliable certificate on the part of witnesses to such fractions as 56/100 lb. coffee, 1 68/100 lb. sugar, 4 9/10 lb. bacon, and 7/100 lb. tobacco, absolutely required by your orders, as I showed November 28, 1878, and this in particular while half a pound is the last our scales will weigh.
There are a great many obstacles beside to the carrying out of the removing to the new location; but I do not refer to them now, since there is one other request so utterly impossible to obey that this alone will show you the situation as making the adoption of Form 3 out of the question. This is the certification by the agent that “labor is performed on the reservation by each of the Indians to an amount equal in value to the supplies delivered to each”.
Now, I may have had some 35 Indians, altogether, who at various times have worked, while none of the rest have done any kind of work; nor do I expect that the majority will be willing to work for several years, if ever they are. But, entirely aside from this, there have been full as many who could be induced or seduced to labor as I could provide with land and implements, so that you must see I cannot carry out this part of Form 3, and I ask that you rescind this portion at least.
I wish you would rescind the whole circular till I can get organized in Powell Valley. Practically we are in the condition of a new agency, with all sorts of necessities and conveniences to provide for. At this present writing, a part of the agency and goods are in one place and part in another. We are moving and are re-erecting log houses, struggling with new land and undergoing all the hardships of pioneers, involving a vast amount of “dead work”, that is, such as does not show, but which is absolutely necessary to get a start; and all this season will be required so that we can be placed in the position where work is to be done.
The issue of beef requires by Form 3 a slaughter-house and also an ice-house, where beef that is not needed can be kept during warm weather, since there is no kind of probability that an even number of steers will ever exactly supply or fill the proper ration, and these we have not nor can have till next year.
I like the general idea or object of Form 3, in fact all of circular letter 26; indeed, they are substantially such as I would be extremely unnecessary fractions. But I do feel that I must ask you to waive my undertaking to put them in execution until I shall be in a condition to execute.
Respectfully,
N. C. MEEKER,
Indian Agent
HON. E. A. HAYT,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington D.C.
