The White River Museum has a collection of letters that Meeker founding father Thomas Baker kept for many years. There are letters from Nathan Meeker and prominent figures like Chief Ouray, ex-Indian Agents, and the violently anti-Indian Colorado Governor Pitkin, as well as various Army officers from 1874-1879. The letters tell a compelling story from a dramatic period of local history to be shared here.
White River Agency, Colorado.
December 23, 1878
Sir: I have yours, December 4, 1878 (“Colorado M. 2152”), stating that no further appropriation will be made for the construction of the irrigation ditch, for the reason that I failed to obtain the consent of the Indians to expend the $3,000 appropriated by Congress. Now, inasmuch as the form in which their consent was to be obtained and presented to you was not defined, and as it seems to me immaterial, I could not help believing that, if the representative portion themselves went to work – for not all could be employed – that this would be the best possible evidence of their “consent”; while if they made their marks and went off hunting such consent would be of comparatively little value. I did induce them to go to work to the number of twenty-five, which was all I could supply with tools, and they worked faithfully for thirty days, when they were broken off by freezing weather, which made further progress impossible. Further than this, these twenty-five were not insignificant men, but headmen, the principal one and leader being Douglas, the chief of all the White River Utes, and so acknowledged by all, and thus it was the “administration party”. Particular evidence of their labor will be furnished at the close of the present quarter, in the receipts of these Indians for the cash paid them, amounting to $303, nearly one-fifth of the cost of the ditch to date.
Now, I received from you Treasury warrant dated August 30, 1878, appropriating $1,000 for constructing irrigation ditch, which was in response to a statement of the case I previously made that there are two parties, violently opposed to each other, and that whatever measure the government desires to carry out the other would oppose, and, consequently, that nothing could be done toward securing unanimity, particularly where a step towards civilization was proposed, and there would be likely to agree only when the prospect should be favorable to the savage life, when they would crush government between them. I saw then that my only chance was to use one party, and securing the party in power and the one having most brains, and now great prestige, their action and good-will should be recognized; nor should the dissenting faction triumph. I now claim, and I think you will agree with me, that Douglas and his band should be considered as representative of all the rest, whether they agree with him or oppose him, and this because there is no other way to run any kind of government.
The $1,000 having been received, I succeeded, after a long time, in gaining the de facto and de jure party, and with all confidence went forward. The dissenting party went off, maintaining their first position, that white men ought to dig the ditch and not the Indians, for the money was theirs; and they even declare that they ought to have a part that was to be paid. When they were told they should not have a “nickel” unless they worked, Jack, the leader of the faction, or opposition, said if the Commissioner would send him a letter, telling him to work, he would put on his men and dig it; which undoubtedly he would do; but in this case Douglas and his men would not touch a shovel. In such a case the dissenting party cannot count at all.
The first half mile was through a forest, requiring immense labor. This was given to Mr. Lithgore, who brought an outfit from Bear River; and having been paid a part out of the $1,000, there remains due him $431.50; Mr. Curtis, who put on a machine, and had charge of the Indians, has $172.50 coming to him; while the Indians have been paid in full, $303; making now $606.70 due, for which I respectfully ask an appropriation. Getting this, I shall need no more of the $3,000, since the ditch, as now completed, well water at least one thousand acres of land; and I do not hesitate to affirm the cost per acre is less than under any irrigating course in Colorado. After the 1,000 acres is in cultivation the ditch can be extended by Indian labor; indeed, they propose to finish it next spring.
I have met with great difficulties in attaining the object of getting land ready for cultivation next spring, and on their account I lost two months valuable time, when plows should have been running. Still we have a fair breadth broken; and I hope that, from the statement made, you will see fit to authorize the steps l took by recognizing Douglas and his party of working Indians as the representatives of the Utes.
Respectfully, yours,
N. C. MEEKER,
Indian Agent.
HON. E.A. HAYT,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Washington, D.C.
Special to the Herald Times
