Special to the Herald Times
White River Agency, Colorado,
March 17, 1879
Sir: I am informed that some thirty White River Utes and about to start for the north, having heard of the fighting in the Upper Missouri country. Their object probably is to supply ammunition to the hostiles, and they get full supplies at the stores on the Snake and Bear Rivers. These belong to the adverse faction, who will not work, and have no fixed homes nor interest, they can start off at any time. I have sent this information to the commandant at Fort Steele, and I have repeatedly reported to you of the sale of ammunition at these stores, and also reported the same to the commandant at Fort Steele.
Note,–Something like a dozen Indians are honestly at work in building and preparing land to plant, and I am doing all that possibly can be done to expedite such interests, which, on new land, does not show rapidly; but we are making good progress. By another year, I hope the fruits of industry will be such as to keep all the Indians on the reservation.
Respectfully,
N. C. MEEKER,
Indian Agent.
HON. E.A. HAYT,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D.C.
White River Agency, Colorado,
March 17, 1879
Sir: Inclosed [sic] I send you two specimens of paper flour sacks; the smaller is one of a lot purchased in New York, January 8, 1879, of Robinson, Lloyd & Co., 1,000 of 2,000 having been received, and on examination they are found to be 20 pounds instead of 25 pounds as billed.
The pencil mark “B2 25 is,” as appearing when received at this agency. This lot of 1,000 was “packed in”; the remainder are on Snake River. Practically, those 20-pound sacks are no better than 10-pound, because of poor quality, they cannot be handled readily, and because two Indians empty the paper sacks into cloth sacks which they bring, and if the paper sacks are large and strong enough they can be used several times so that there is great economy in having good 25-pound sacks. The larger sack inclosed is such as we should have; it has been used twice and could be used twice more.
Respectfully,
N. C. MEEKER
Indian Agent.
HON. E.A. HAYT,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D.C.