14 
 
REPORT OF AGENT IN COLORADO. 
 
malignant spirit there would not be so much ground for complaint. But, as
with 
the whites, so with the Indians, the temperate, industrious man is often
the greatest 
sufferer. 
On the morning of the 25th of September last one of my best Indians was shot

dead by an Indian from an adjoining county while under the influence of whisky.

The reservation Indian had taken a contract to gather a crop of corn in the
neighbor- 
hood of Porterville. The evening after the corn was gathered two or three
of the 
Indians who had been employed in the work went to Porterville and procured
enough 
whisky to make them all drunk. Returning to the Indian camp early the next
morn- 
ing in a frenzied condition, this visiting Indian, who had been employed
as teamster 
in securing the crop of corn, demanded of his employer a horse to ride up
to the 
agency. Being assured that he could ride up in the wagon after breakfast,
and that 
he was then too much intoxicated to be intrusted with a horse, without further
provo- 
cation caught up his employer's Henry rifle and shot him through the neck,
killing him 
instantly. The murdered man's wife was present, and of course was greatly
excited, 
and being in a delicate condition, premature labor was superinduced, resulting
in a 
few days in the death of both mother and infant. The only surviving member
of the 
family, a bright little boy of two years of age, was taken sick about the
same time, 
and, from want of proper attention, just as he was passing the crisis from
an attack 
of fever, also died. All four of these deaths were unquestionably caused
by the sale 
of about two dollars' worth of whisky, and that by a white man, who knows
very 
well that the life of the innocent is always imperiled when an Indian is
made crazy 
by drink. Civilization, indeed! Under such circumstances it is almost a wonder

that my Indians have made any progress whatever. Rum-imbruted convicts of
San 
Quintan and Sing Sing are poor specimens of American civilization. Whisky
with 
Indians has the same debasing effects. 
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
C. G. BELKNAP, 
United State8 Indian Agent. 
The COMMISSIONER OF INDIAN AFFAIRS. 
SOUTHERN UTE AGENCY, COLORADO, August 18, 1885. 
SIR: I have the honor to submit the following as my first annual report of
the af- 
fairs pertaining to this agency. I assumed charge on the 15th day of February,
1885, 
relieving my predecessor, William M. Clark, and have since that time endeavored
to 
perform the duties of my office to the best of my ability and in accordance
with in- 
structions. 
This reservation is located in Southwestern Colorado, bordering on New Mexico,
and 
consists of a strip of land 15 miles in width and about 110 miles in length.
It is es- 
pecially adapted for grazing purposes, being well watered by numerous streams.

There is also a considerable amount of arable land, capable of producing
good crops 
when properly irrigated and tilled. The game, which in former years was abundant

on the reserve, has almost entirely disappeared, having been driven away
by the 
numerous herds of cattle belonging to neighboring settlers. 
The Southern Ute Indians number 983 souls. They are divided into three bands,

the Muaches, Capotes, and Weemenuches. The Muache band, originally at home
on 
the Cimarron River, in New Mexico, have been in contact with whites and Mexicans

for a number of years, and may be considered partly civilized. The Capotes
are 
numerically the smallest band, but own considerable horses, sheep, and goats,
and are 
quite well to do in their way. The Weemenuches are the strongest band in
number; 
also the least civilized and most warlike of the entire Ute nation. The latter
band 
inhabit the more western parts of the reserve, while the two first mentioned
are 
located in the eastern part. All of them are on friendly terms with one another.

The Southern Utes are little inclined to adopt citizen's garb, although most
of the 
males wear some part of the white man's clothing-generally a vest or a shirt.
They 
tenaciously adhere to their blankets, and, with the exception of the police,
a Ute In- 
dian is seldom seen without a blanket wrapped around him even in the hottest

weather. 
There are none among them who can speak the English language sufficiently
well 
for ordinary conversation. The majority understand some Spanish, and can
make 
themselves understood in this language to some extent. Conversation with
them, 
however, has mostly to be carried on in the Ute language, with the aid of
an inter- 
preter. 
They are naturally inclined to pastoral pursuits, and nearly all of them
own some 
horses; some also possess small herds of sheep and goats. Several of the
more indus- 
trious, however, have been engaged in farming for the last few years, and
have suc- 
ceeded in raising very fair crops. They have labored and tended their farms~
faith-